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 pending an FAA-mandated mishap investigation after its latest test flight reached orbit but ultimately broke apart and failed to complete its mission as planned.
This grounding conflicts with Elon Musk's ambitious goals, including a "50/50 chance" of landing on Mars by late 2026 and fulfilling NASA's Artemis moon landing contract, both of which require a significantly increased Starship launch cadence.
The flight, while achieving orbit for the first time this year, experienced a new failure mode (likely tank pressure loss) during re-entry, preventing the collection of crucial data needed for Starship's full reusability.
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.
