A ground test of SpaceX’s Starship rocket ended in a massive explosion on Thursday morning at the company’s Starbase centre in Boca Chica, Texas.
A dramatic video posted on social media shows Starship Ship 36 erupting into a massive fireball at about 8am UAE time while undergoing a static fire test, where the rocket is partially fuelled and engines are ignited before an actual flight can take place.
An anomaly caused the explosion during the test to prepare Starship for its 10th flight, SpaceX said on X. “A safety clear area around the site was maintained throughout the operation and all personnel are safe and accounted for,” the company added.
“Our Starbase team is actively working to safe the test site and the immediate surrounding area in conjunction with local officials," it added. "There are no hazards to residents in surrounding communities, and we ask that individuals do not attempt to approach the area while 'safing' operations continue.”
The cause of the anomaly is unclear, but the incident is expected to delay the launch attempt.
Starship is a two-stage rocket system that consists of the Super Heavy Booster and the Starship spacecraft.
The explosion comes after a series of setbacks for SpaceX in terms of Starship’s development timeline, with the past three attempts to recover the upper-stage Starship vehicle ending in failure.
Despite back-to-back failures this year, the company has made significant progress in developing the rocket since its first test flight in 2023. These have included recovering the booster using the mechanical arms and bringing back the spacecraft after some flights.
Mission to Mars
SpaceX founder Elon Musk is developing Starship to eventually send humans to Mars.
The company also has a $2.89 billion contract with Nasa to develop a Starship system to land astronauts on the Moon. It has been carrying out test flights to prepare the rocket for commercial operations.
SpaceX recently secured permission to increase its launches from five to 25 a year from the US Federal Aviation Administration.
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Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
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Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain
Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L / 100km
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
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Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
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Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
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THE SPECS
Engine: six-litre W12 twin-turbo
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch auto
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh940,160 (plus VAT)
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
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Australia 580
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Video assistant: Zanong Maget
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