This past Thursday, the night sky over Guantánamo was ablaze with the fiery remnants of SpaceX's Starship Flight 7 rocket. The spacecraft disintegrated upon re-entry into the atmosphere, creating a stunning light show above the Caribbean.
"I just happened to capture this by chance in Guantánamo—a light disintegrating in the sky, moving at high speed," shared a Facebook user who posted a video of the extraordinary event. The video quickly sparked a flurry of speculation among other social media users about the mysterious light's origin. "Hey, did anyone see that light in the sky about an hour and a half ago? Was it a plane exploding or aliens?" another user humorously questioned, while some joked about it being "the end of the world."
The spectacle was the result of the Starship Flight 7 mission's failure. Launched from SpaceX's Boca Chica base in Texas at 4:37 p.m. CST (22:37 GMT), the rocket broke apart 20 minutes into its test flight. This mishap caused the debris to fall back into Earth's atmosphere, creating a dazzling display visible from various regions, including the Turks and Caicos Islands, the eastern Caribbean, and even parts of Cuba.
SpaceX confirmed the incident, acknowledging the loss of the spacecraft in a statement. Despite the setback, the company celebrated a major achievement: the successful recovery of the Super Heavy booster at the launch site.
This mission was a crucial test for SpaceX, aiming to deploy a payload of Starlink satellites and conduct experiments focused on reusing rocket components. The test flight of the Starship, touted as the largest and most powerful rocket globally, also aimed to launch a batch of ten Starlink internet satellite replicas and conduct tests to enhance future launches.
Although the mission did not achieve full success, SpaceX remains committed to refining its technology and advancing its space expansion goals. Meanwhile, images of the sky illuminated by the rocket's debris continue to circulate on social media, becoming a viral sensation that has captivated the attention of Cubans and individuals across the Caribbean and Latin America.
Impact and Details of the Starship Flight 7 Incident
What caused the light show in Guantánamo's sky?
The light show was caused by the disintegration of SpaceX's Starship Flight 7 rocket in the atmosphere, creating a spectacular display visible over the Caribbean.
Was the Starship Flight 7 mission successful?
While the mission faced a setback due to the rocket's disintegration, SpaceX successfully recovered the Super Heavy booster, marking a significant achievement.
What were the objectives of the Starship Flight 7 mission?
The mission aimed to deploy Starlink satellites, conduct experiments for rocket component reuse, and improve future launch capabilities.