A liquid oxygen leak was reportedly detected on the Falcon-9 rocket, as acknowledged by SpaceX.
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Elon Musk’s private space venture, SpaceX, faced a significant setback when its next-generation reusable rocket, Starship, exploded during a launch test, triggering a massive fireball. The incident has raised concerns about the company’s safety practices and reliability standards.
Meanwhile, from a different launch site, Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is scheduled for a space mission no earlier than June 22. His journey will be aboard the Falcon-9 rocket paired with the Crew Dragon capsule.
Repeated Delays Plague India-Linked SpaceX Launch Amid Starship Mishap
The much-anticipated rocket launch involving Group Captain Shukla has faced several delays since its initial schedule on May 29. The astronaut is expected to lift off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket.
Earlier, a leak involving liquid oxygen (LOX) was detected on the Falcon-9, a concern flagged by SpaceX. Following this, Indian scientists based at Kennedy Space Center—led by ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan—demanded that SpaceX carry out proper repairs and validation before proceeding. These requests were reportedly acted upon, and ISRO later confirmed that the issue was successfully resolved.
Despite the hiccup, the Falcon-9 has an exceptional reliability rate, boasting a 99.6% success record across nearly 500 launches. Although human missions on this rocket have been limited to ten, all have been completed without incident.
However, SpaceX has recently encountered trouble with its Starship program. On June 18, at around 11 p.m. Central Time, the Starship system experienced a significant anomaly during a test at the Starbase facility in Texas. While SpaceX has not released official footage or a technical briefing on the incident, videos shared by bystanders showed a dramatic fireball and the launch pad engulfed in flames.
The company stated that a safety perimeter had been established and that all personnel were safe. Cleanup and safety operations are currently ongoing in coordination with local authorities, and residents have been advised to stay away from the site.
Starship, comprised of the spacecraft and the Super Heavy booster, is SpaceX’s flagship project designed for deep space missions—including journeys to the Moon and Mars. Capable of carrying up to 150 tonnes when reused or 250 tonnes if expended, the 123-meter-tall system is the tallest rocket ever built—taller even than the Qutub Minar by roughly 50%.
Since initial testing began in 2023, Starship has had mixed results. Out of nine test flights, five have failed. All three test attempts in 2025 have ended in failure, raising questions about the aggressive "fail fast, learn fast" philosophy that SpaceX often embraces in its development cycles.
This recent incident came just a day after India’s Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia held a high-profile meeting with Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX’s President and COO, to discuss future cooperation in satellite internet and broadband expansion. Shotwell expressed optimism over India granting licenses to Starlink, calling it a "great beginning" for the company’s role in India’s digital growth.
She also met with various Indian space-tech entrepreneurs and regulatory officials, including Dr. Pawan K Goenka, Chairman of IN-SPACe—India’s space regulatory body. It remains unclear whether the ongoing Falcon-9 delays or broader safety concerns were addressed in these discussions.
Reflecting on the broader context, a U.S.-based aerospace expert told NDTV that while failures during rocket testing are not uncommon, they serve as critical reminders that increased operational reliance must be matched by robust safety oversight. “Even well-tested systems can encounter unpredictable failures,” the expert noted, stressing the importance of evolving regulatory strategies, particularly in light of past oversight shortcomings in other industries like aviation.
Indian space scientists have long upheld a guiding principle when it comes to crewed missions: “Safety first, safety always.” While India has encountered rocket failures in the past, it is noteworthy that none have resulted in explosions on the launch pad.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh announced on June 18 that, following a detailed evaluation of critical factors such as crew readiness, weather conditions, and module integrity, Axiom Space has identified June 22, 2025, as the tentative new launch date for the Axiom-04 mission. This mission will include Indian astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who is set to travel to the International Space Station. The Minister added that any changes to the schedule will be communicated in due course.
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