Name: SpaceX suffers massive financial losses each time a starship explodes
Uploaded: 2025-10-23T11:28:58.028Z
Duration: 1 min 35 s
Description: On June 18, 2025, at 11 p.m., SpaceX engineers began what was expected to be a routine six-engine static fire test—a ground test for an upcoming launch—at Starbase’s Massey test site. However, Ship 36 suffered a catastrophic failure during propellant loading, which Elon Musk attributed to a nitrogen COPV failure occurring “below its proof pressure.”

On June 18, 2025, at 11 p.m., SpaceX engineers began what was expected to be a routine six-engine static fire test—a ground test for an upcoming launch—at Starbase’s Massey test site. However, Ship 36 suffered a catastrophic failure during propellant loading, which Elon Musk attributed to a nitrogen COPV failure occurring “below its proof pressure.”

Houston

SpaceX has encountered significant financial losses due to repeated Starship rocket explosions during testing. The company was awarded a nearly $3 billion contract by NASA for the Artemis III mission, which aims to return American astronauts to the moon before 2030. However, delays in SpaceX's progress have prompted NASA to consider alternative providers, such as Blue Origin, by opening the contract to competition. This move has led to public criticism from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who has expressed his dissatisfaction with NASA's leadership. The situation unfolds amid ongoing discussions about the future leadership of NASA and the evolving relationship between SpaceX and the US government.

SpaceX suffers massive financial losses each time a starship explodes

This dramatic fireball shows a SpaceX Starship rocket exploding during routine testing ahead of a launch attempt. Just one of a litany of expensive failures for the company. In 2021, SpaceX won a nearly $3 billion contract from NASA for the mission Artemis III. It aims to take American astronauts to the moon again before 2030, when China plans to get there, and ahead of the end of Donald Trump's second term as president. But SpaceX is behind schedule, so NASA is now opening up the contract to competition. SpaceX has the contract. SpaceX, an amazing company, they do remarkable things, but they're behind schedule. I'm in the process of opening that contract up. I think we'll see companies like Blue get involved and maybe others. NASA could instead turn to Jeff Bezos's company, Blue Origin. Elon Musk's great rival. Musk has been quick to express his outrage at the decision, targeting Sean Duffy with insults on X. Having a NASA administrator who knows literally zero about rockets and spacecraft undermines the American space program and endangers our astronauts. These tensions come as negotiations take place over the future permanent administrator of NASA. Jared Isaacman, a businessman with close ties to Elon Musk, was once in the running, before being dismissed by Donald Trump. One of the reasons that the relationship between the SpaceX boss and the US president combusted.

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