Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands — Residents and tourists in the Turks and Caicos Islands found themselves bewildered Thursday evening when an unannounced SpaceX rocket exploded over the archipelago.
Flaming debris from the destroyed spacecraft streaked across the sky in a display fit for the opening credits of an Independence Day sequel. The rocket left behind a colorful trail of smoke and created a sonic boom that led some residents to believe they were experiencing an earthquake.
No deaths or injuries have been reported in connection with the explosion. Charred pieces of the rocket have been found in the surrounding ocean, on private property, and even on a tennis court on the island of Providenciales.
The explosion was the result of a failed test launch of Starship, SpaceX’s newly upgraded reusable rocket. Starship was intended to make a controlled landing in the Indian Ocean an hour after its departure from a Texas launch pad, but instead experienced what the company called “a rapid unscheduled disassembly” over the tropical Atlantic approximately 15 minutes later.
“Teams will continue to review data from today's flight test to better understand root cause,” SpaceX wrote on Twitter shortly after the event.
The firework-like blaze that the detonation triggered could be seen throughout the Turks and Caicos archipelago, including from the islands of Providenciales, North Caicos, Grand Turk, and South Caicos, some of which have reported limited property damage. Footage of the explosion has also surfaced from neighboring Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
According to the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority, all passenger flights in Turks and Caicos airspace were either grounded or diverted as news came of the failed launch.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)—which has previously grounded SpaceX missions—has ordered an investigation into the incident. The Turks and Caicos Islands Government is instructing members of the public not to handle or move debris from the rocket.
The Turks and Caicos Islands is a small British Overseas Territory located between the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. Known for its spectacular beaches, it is a popular vacation destination for American travelers.