Debris from SpaceX’s Starship, which exploded mid-air during takeoff on January 16, has crashed onto an island in the southern Caribbean near Florida, according to reports from CNN and other U.S. media outlets.
Although there were no casualties, wreckage from the spacecraft reportedly fell onto a parked car in the Turks and Caicos Islands, causing damage.
While the powerful thrust of the Starship’s engines has previously caused damage to launch facilities and surrounding areas in Boca Chica, Texas, this is the first time that an in-flight explosion has resulted in debris falling far from the launch site.
This incident has intensified calls for enhanced safety measures for Starship, and its operations are expected to be suspended until SpaceX implements solutions to address the issue.
CNN, citing interviews with local residents, reported that a charred cable had fallen onto a residential driveway, and broken hexagonal tiles—suspected to be part of Starship’s heat shield—were found near a commonly used walking path. Debris was also scattered along a nearby beach.
The Turks and Caicos Islands, a British territory, are located 925 km southeast of Miami. The archipelago consists of 40 islands, with only eight of them inhabited.
In a statement to CNN, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said, “The government of the Turks and Caicos Islands was aware that the area was designated as a hazard zone before the Starship launch.” The FAA added, “We required SpaceX to establish a sufficiently large hazard area to ensure that the probability of injury or fatality to individuals on land or aboard sea vessels did not exceed one in a million.”
The agency further emphasized, “No Caribbean island, including the Turks and Caicos Islands, has exceeded this threshold.”
SpaceX Secures $500 Million Liability Insurance
Meanwhile, SpaceX had secured liability insurance policies worth at least $500 million before the seventh Starship launch, according to local media reports. Such insurance coverage is a mandatory requirement for obtaining a launch license from the FAA.
Reports indicate that since the start of commercial spaceflight, there has never been a claim for third-party property damage caused by a rocket or spacecraft explosion.
If the owner of the damaged car files a compensation claim, this would become the first known case of its kind.
If the amount of compensation claimed significantly exceeds the upper limit of SpaceX’s insurance coverage, the U.S. federal government would be responsible for paying the excess amount under federal law.
In March 2024, a component from the International Space Station (ISS) fell and damaged a house in Florida. The homeowner subsequently filed a claim against NASA. However, this case differs in nature, as the damage was caused by a falling object from the ISS rather than a rocket or spacecraft.
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SpaceX Starship Explosion Debris Falls on Caribbean Island, Causing Property Damage
Debris from SpaceX’s Starship, which exploded mid-air during takeoff on January 16, has crashed onto an island in the southern Caribbean near Florida, accordin
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