A SpaceX Starship exploded at the company’s Starbase launch site in Texas on June 18. The Starship burst into a massive fireball, which SpaceX said occurred as the vehicle was preparing for an engine test firing. The company said the Starship “experienced a major anomaly while on a test stand,” as the explosion was believed to have been triggered by the rupture of a high-pressure nitrogen tank. The company also said there was no hazard to residents in the surrounding community due to the explosion, but have asked people to avoid the area while safety operations continue. Tags About Us The Daily Universe is an educational lab tied to the curriculum of the journalism sequence in the BYU School of Communications and is committed to the mission of BYU and its sponsoring institution, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Contact us: Dureceptionist@byu.edu