SpaceX Starship explosion disrupts Florida airports: Flights grounded

SpaceX launched another Starship rocket on Thursday months after a prior explosion. However, this attempt also saw the spacecraft come tumbling down.

The latest SpaceX Starship malfunction, resulting in “space launch debris,” delayed the departures of two major Florida airports—Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Miami International Airport—on Thursday, March 6, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Florida flights grounded or diverted after second-consecutive SpaceX Starship explosion

A view shows debris streaking through the sky, after SpaceX's Starship spacecraft tumbled and exploded in space, in Big Sampson Kay, Bahamas, March 6, 2025, in this screen grab obtained from social media video. (@_ericloosen_ via REUTERS)

Aviation Source News further reported that the FAA implemented ground stops at major airports, including Miami International Airport (MIA), Orlando International Airport (MCO), Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL), to prioritise public safety and prevent exposure and potential disasters linked with falling debris. Departures at these airports were delayed by an average of 45 minutes.

Multiple flights were otherwise diverted in the Caribbean region near the Turks and Caicos Islands. Moreover, ground stops were issued for flights departing for Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Palm Beach airports for over an hour, per Reuters. Normal operations resumed over an hour later at around 8 pm ET (0100 GMT on Friday).

On Thursday, SpaceX attempted yet another Starship rocket launch nearly two months after a previous accident that sent flaming debris near the Caribbean. Similar to the prior explosion, the spacecraft lost contact minutes into the test flight following its blast-off from Texas. It’s the prototype of the very spacecraft that Elon Musk believes will fly people to Mars in the future.

The broken-apart rocket eventually came tumbling down, with wreckage seen plummeting in Florida skies, including Cape Canaveral. Images and videos of the streaming debris soon went viral online. The Starship rocket system is 402 feet tall, “nearly 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty atop its pedestal,” per the New York Times.

Through an X post, SpaceX consequently revealed that the spacecraft experienced “a rapid unscheduled disassembly” during the engine firing. “Our team immediately began coordination with safety officials to implement pre-planned contingency responses,” the company said in a statement posted online.” The Super Heavy booster later successfully returned to its launch site, settling onto the tower’s robotic arms.

The launch was originally scheduled for Monday evening. However, the countdown stopped with just half a minute left when troubling sensor readings were encountered. Thereafter, the ascent attempt was called off.