Starship explosion put passenger planes at risk – WSJ

SpaceX’s Starship test-flight explosion earlier this year posed a greater danger to commercial aircraft than was publicly disclosed, with passenger planes forced into fuel emergencies and air-traffic controllers intervening to avoid potential collisions, according to FAA documents reviewed by the Wall Street Journal.

The rocket was launched from a company facility in Texas on January 16, failed mid-flight, and broke apart, sending burning fragments streaking across the sky. SpaceX founder Elon Musk commented at the time that “success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!”

In an article published on Saturday, the Wall Street Journal cited an FAA document stating that “the explosion rained fiery debris across parts of the Caribbean region for roughly 50 minutes,” warning that a debris strike on an aircraft could have had catastrophic consequences, including severe damage and loss of life.