A SpaceX rocket engine test in Texas had a fiery end earlier today after an engine test led to a massive fireball at the test site. Footage from local media shows the stand erupting in flames as part of a test that could involve SpaceX's latest rocket engine, the Raptor 3. Raptor 3 is the third-generation full-flow staged combustion rocket engine in SpaceX's portfolio. The firm has developed it exclusively to power the Starship rocket and has started to ship it to test stands for fine-tuning before using it in future rocket tests.
SpaceX Is Potentially Fine-tuning The Raptor 3 Rocket Engine Through Tests In Texas
With the second quarter of 2025 well on its way, SpaceX's progress with the Starship program has slowed down to a pace similar to a year ago. Back then, SpaceX's third Starship test flight flew in March, and the next flight took off in June—in what appears to be a similar timeline this time around as well.
Starship Flight 8 took off in March, two months after Flight 7. Both were failures as far as the upper-stage rocket is concerned, as the vehicle exploded soon after separating from the first-stage Super Heavy booster. Since Flight 8, SpaceX has yet to confirm a launch date for Flight 9, and the only indicators of a launch date are Coast Guard notices that point towards May 28th being the earliest date.
SpaceX is simultaneously preparing rockets for the next launch and testing rocket engines. Its engine test stands are located in McGregor, Texas, and footage from local media shows that a test run might have gone awry.
Ahead of today's test, an image shared on social media revealed that SpaceX was transporting the Raptor 3 engine to its new test site in McGregor. The firm took the wraps off the Raptor 3 last and shared that the engine was a significantly simplified design over its predecessor. However, it's unclear whether the engine part of the fireball was the Raptor 3, and unless SpaceX provides additional details, the engine's generation is likely to remain unclear.
Yet, it is still more likely than not that the engine in the test was the Raptor 3 since it was shipped to the test stand only last week. As it tests rocket engines in McGregor, SpaceX is also preparing for Starship Flight 9. The firm is transporting the upper-stage ship back to its ground test stand at the Boca Chica site for another potential static fire test.
SpaceX has also yet to receive the FAA's go-ahead for Starship Flight 9. While the regulator has approved SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 modifications, it has yet to complete its evaluation of Starship Flight 8's failure. SpaceX has shared few details about the latest test flight, and the potential reasons behind the failure can only be speculated based on the accident being similar to the Starship Flight 7 anomaly.
Starship Flight 7's upper stage ship experienced vibrations in its propulsion system, which led to a fire in its engine bay and the ship's eventual explosion that sent debris raining over the Caribbean.
This is why rocket companies have test stands. SpaceX's newest test stand, McGregor Raptor South, with a potential Raptor 3 RUD or test stand GSE (Ground System Equipment) issue causing the fire, which was soon put out.https://t.co/Eh5oaibOBY pic.twitter.com/RkvCQMyoXC
— NSF - NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) May 21, 2025
About the author: Ramish is a seasoned technology writer and editor with more than a decade of experience. He specializes in semiconductor fabrication and market analysis. With a background in finance and supply chain management - via his bachelors in Finance and a micromasters in supply chain management from MIT - Ramish combines financial rigor with deep industry insight to deliver accurate and authoritative coverage.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
