The FAA will require SpaceX to determine the cause of a mishap that occurred on Starship’s ninth test flight on Tuesday. [Courtesy: SpaceX]
Key Takeaways:
SpaceX’s Starship is grounded and undergoing an FAA mishap investigation after its latest test flight failed to complete as planned, with the vehicle breaking apart during reentry.
This incident and subsequent investigation will likely delay SpaceX’s aggressive test flight cadence, impacting Elon Musk's ambitious goal of landing on Mars by late 2026 and NASA's Artemis moon landing contract in 2027.
The failure highlights the ongoing technical challenges in achieving Starship's full reusability and perfecting its performance, despite improvements seen in earlier flight stages during this test.
SpaceX’s Starship rocket is grounded until the company determines what went wrong during the vehicle’s latest test flight on Tuesday.
The FAA will require SpaceX to complete a mishap investigation into the largest rocket to ever fly, which for the third time this year “did not complete its launch or reentry as planned,” the agency said Friday.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
