SpaceX Loses Another Starship Rocket During Test Flight
SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight ended in failure after the company lost contact with the upper-stage vehicle. The mishap occurred just over eight minutes into the mission on Thursday evening.
Launch and Mission Details
The 400-foot Starship system lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase site near Brownsville, Texas, at 6:30 p.m. ET on March 6, 2025. This was the eighth test flight for Starship, the world’s most powerful rocket. The mission aimed to push Starship’s capabilities further, including its first payload deployment and multiple reentry experiments.
However, nine minutes into the flight, the upper-stage vehicle began spinning uncontrollably. Several engines shut down, and mission control lost communication with the spacecraft. Shortly after, SpaceX confirmed the loss in a post on X, calling it a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.”
FAA Grounds Starship and Investigates Debris
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation following the failure. Officials temporarily grounded all Starship flights until SpaceX completes a full review.
The explosion also triggered temporary ground stops at major Florida airports, including Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Social media users reported seeing debris streaking across the sky in Florida, Turks and Caicos, and Jamaica.
Starship’s Role in Future Space Missions
Despite the loss, SpaceX successfully executed a Super Heavy booster return and catch, a key step toward full reusability. The first-stage booster slowed from supersonic speeds and landed on the launch tower’s robotic arms. This marks the third successful booster catch by SpaceX.
Starship is designed for long-duration missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. NASA has selected the spacecraft for the Artemis III mission in 2027, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon.
We just saw the SpaceX Starship 8 blow up. Seen from Turks and Caicos. pic.twitter.com/1AyGANrBfE
— Mark O’Henly (@SeeClickFlash) March 6, 2025
What’s Next for Starship?
SpaceX says it will analyze flight data to identify the cause of the failure. The company had introduced several upgrades for this mission, including:
- Redesigned forward flaps to withstand extreme reentry heat.
- A 25% increase in propellant capacity for longer flights.
- Improved avionics systems to enhance reliability.
Despite setbacks, SpaceX remains committed to making Starship fully reusable. More test flights are expected before it carries crew or cargo into deep space.
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