Hajra Naz
SpaceX’s Starship lost control while in space during a test flight on Thursday, marking the second consecutive launch where the vehicle encountered a critical failure on its journey to orbit.
FAA Response and Flight Disruptions
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily grounded flights at major Florida airports and redirected others as a precaution due to potential space debris. The agency later confirmed to TechCrunch that SpaceX is required to conduct a mishap investigation into the failure.
Launch Began as Expected
Starship lifted off using its Super Heavy booster, and the initial eight minutes of flight appeared normal. The booster successfully detached and returned to SpaceX’s Texas launchpad, where it was caught by the launch tower for the third time. Meanwhile, Starship continued its ascent into space.
Loss of Control and Communications
However, at approximately eight minutes and nine seconds into the flight, multiple Raptor engines on Starship failed, as shown in the broadcast graphics. Moments later, onboard footage revealed the spacecraft spiraling out of control over the ocean.
“The webcast included an announcement from SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot: “We just saw some engines go out, it looks like we are losing attitude control of the ship.” Shortly after, SpaceX lost contact with Starship entirely.
Breakup Over the Ocean
Videos circulating on social media showed Starship disintegrating over the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. SpaceX later confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that it had immediately initiated coordination with safety officials to implement contingency measures.
Setbacks Amidst Controversy
The consecutive test failures come as SpaceX CEO Elon Musk continues to stir controversy within the U.S. federal government. Recently, his Department of Government Efficiency has involved deploying employees to the FAA, the very agency that oversees SpaceX’s operations.
Starlink Deployment Plans Dashed
One of the primary objectives of Thursday’s flight was to deploy four dummy versions of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, a step toward using Starship for commercial missions. The company has been rapidly testing the vehicle, learning from both successes and failures in each iteration.
Recurring Issues and Previous Failures
Thursday’s failure follows another disastrous test just weeks ago, during which Starship broke apart over the Turks and Caicos Islands. That incident also forced the FAA to divert flights in the region.
SpaceX’s internal investigation determined that a propellant leak had led to fires and a communications blackout, ultimately causing the ship to self-destruct.
Pre-Flight Improvements Were Not Enough
Leading up to this latest test, SpaceX made several modifications, including enhancements to fuel lines, adjustments to propellant temperature, and additional vents with a new purge system to prevent leaks.
Previous test flights also saw Starship break apart while re-entering Earth’s atmosphere. For the seventh test, SpaceX introduced changes intended to strengthen the spacecraft against the intense conditions of re-entry.
Looking Ahead: Pushing Starship’s Limits
Despite the failure, SpaceX remains committed to testing Starship’s boundaries. The business wrote on X before this trip.
“With Flight 8, we’re focused on finding the real-world limits of Starship so we can prepare to return Starship to the launch site and catch it eventually,”
