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The high-altitude explosion of a SpaceX Starship rocket on Thursday night caused significant disruptions in air traffic in Florida and Puerto Rico, with a ground stop lasting approximately half an hour that led to delays at several airports in the region.
The incident occurred around 7:00 p.m., when fragments of the rocket, which disintegrated during its ascent from Boca Chica, Texas, fell in areas near Florida, reported the channel Univisión.
As a preventive measure, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a "ground stop" at the airports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Palm Beach, and Orlando.
The affected airports reported that operations were briefly suspended while monitoring the fall of space debris.
At Orlando International Airport, the stop lasted until approximately 8:00 p.m., while in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the alerts were lifted earlier.
However, the delays were inevitable: the FAA reported that flights from these airports were delayed by an average of 45 minutes.
Tampa International Airport was also affected, although to a more limited extent. In this case, two flights to Miami were diverted to Tampa, and a flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, had to return to Tampa due to debris in the air.
The situation also affected flights to Puerto Rico, where the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport temporarily suspended its operations.
Authorities indicated that several flights heading to the island remained in the air, awaiting authorization to land.
The airport spokesperson, Damaris Martínez, explained to Telenoticias that the flights that could not depart were delayed, and that the impact of the interruption on arrival and departure schedules was still being assessed.
SpaceX, the company of mogul Elon Musk that launched the Starship rocket on its eighth test flight, explained in a statement that the vehicle experienced a "rapid unplanned disintegration" during ascent and lost contact with the mission.
As a result, the rocket fragments fell over the Caribbean, triggering air security protocols.
"We are working alongside security agencies to implement the planned contingency responses and ensure the safety of aviation and the public," stated SpaceX in its announcement, adding that flight data is being collected to investigate the causes of the accident.
The FAA also committed to conducting a thorough investigation of the incident and requiring SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, to submit a report on the failure that led to the rocket explosion.
The agency highlighted that, in addition to the effects on air traffic in Florida, the accident caused damage in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
This is the second setback for SpaceX this year, which had already experienced another issue during a flight test of its Starship rocket.
Frequently asked questions about the SpaceX rocket explosion and its repercussions
What caused the explosion of the SpaceX rocket?
The SpaceX Starship rocket experienced a "rapid unplanned disintegration" during its ascent, resulting in the loss of contact with the mission and the fall of its debris in the Caribbean.
How did the SpaceX explosion affect air traffic in Florida?
The explosion caused a ground stop of approximately half an hour at several airports in Florida, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Palm Beach, and Orlando, leading to flight delays.
What measures did the FAA take after the Starship rocket explosion?
The FAA ordered a "ground stop" at several airports as a precautionary measure and committed to conducting a thorough investigation of the incident, requiring SpaceX to provide a detailed report on the failure.
What impact did the explosion have in other places outside of Florida?
The explosion impacted flights to Puerto Rico and caused damage in the Turks and Caicos Islands, in addition to creating a visual spectacle in the Caribbean, visible from various locations, including areas of Cuba.
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