How Many SpaceX Rockets Have Failed? The Truth Behind the Launches

SpaceX Failures: A Comprehensive List of Rocket Explosions

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Published in 03-07-2025 Update 06-19-2025

Elon Musk's SpaceX has revolutionized the space industry with its innovations and ambitious projects. However, the road to success has not been without challenges and failures. Here is a rundown of some of the most notable incidents:

Early Development and Falcon 1: The first launch attempts of the Falcon 1 were marked by failures. The first three launches ended in failure due to technical problems with the engines and stage separation. These incidents, although costly, provided valuable lessons for future developments.

Starship Flight Tests: Starship test flights have been closely followed events, and some have ended in explosions. For example, in several prototype test flights, the craft exploded during or shortly after landing. These incidents have been the subject of detailed analysis to improve the safety and reliability of Starship.

Starship Block 2: The second generation of Starship has had two failed test flights, both ending in explosions.

Learning Culture: SpaceX has demonstrated a remarkable ability to learn from its failures. The company takes an agile development approach, where mistakes are seen as opportunities for improvement. This learning culture has been instrumental to SpaceX's success in the space industry.

To understand when SpaceX's testing and attempts began, it's helpful to break it down into the different stages of its rocket development:

Falcon 1:
The first launch attempts for the Falcon 1 occurred between 2006 and 2009. These early years were marked by multiple failures, representing a crucial learning phase for SpaceX.

Falcon 9:
Development of the Falcon 9 began in the late 2000s, with the first successful launch in 2010. Over the years, the Falcon 9 has experienced incidents, including the launch pad explosion in 2016. However, it has also demonstrated a high success rate and has been instrumental in SpaceX's growth. SpaceX.

Starship:
Starship development has been an ongoing process with testing and prototyping since the early 2010s, but with much more intense testing over the past 5 years. Flight testing of Starship prototypes has increased in frequency over the past few years, with multiple attempts and failures occurring from 2019 to date. Each test provides valuable data for the development of the Starship.

On May 27, 2025 , SpaceX conducted the ninth test flight of its Starship rocket from Starbase, Texas. Although liftoff and stage separation were successful, the mission faced several critical issues that prevented it from achieving its primary objectives. Payload door failure, loss of control during re-entry, and the destruction of the Super Heavy booster although reused for the first time, the booster was destroyed during its splashdown attempt in the Gulf of Mexico due to a more aggressive descent maneuver than usual.

On June 18, 2025, SpaceX's Starship exploded during a static fire test at the launch site in Texas. The incident occurred as the Starship 36 prototype was on the pad, preparing for a test flight. Suddenly, a large fireball erupted, alarming observers and forcing the suspension of operations. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, as the area was cleared as part of safety protocols. The company stated that it was a "serious anomaly" and that the exact cause of the failure is being investigated. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk briefly commented that it was not a total failure, but rather part of the learning process. Although the event represents a setback for the program, SpaceX has noted that these types of tests are critical to perfecting the spacecraft and advancing its goals of carrying out missions to the Moon and Mars.

In summary, SpaceX has been conducting testing and launches since the mid-2000s, with a significant increase in testing activity and complexity in recent years, especially with the development of Starship.

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