FAA Grounds SpaceX Starship After Latest Mishap
Rocket’s upper stage was lost for the third consecutive test flight.
Rocket’s upper stage was lost for the third consecutive test flight.
Vehicle travels further than it did on its previous two missions but fails to make it back to Earth in one piece.
FAA says back-to-back explosions on previous flights necessitate larger airspace closures.
Agency nearly doubles the aircraft hazard area after the massive rocket exploded on back-to-back test flights in January and March.
Hulking spacecraft nears a return to action, the SpaceX CEO says.
Prototype orbital reentry capsule transmits data in space but goes dark after returning to the atmosphere.
Orbital launch vehicle achieves liftoff but tumbles back to Earth after about 30 seconds in the air.
Massive spacecraft diverts, reroutes, and delays flights in Florida and reportedly as far north as Pennsylvania.
To make the move within an open investigation, the agency had to have determined Starship’s explosion did not jeopardize safety.
Largest rocket to ever fly could soon return to the skies, though the agency says a SpaceX-led investigation following the previous test flight remains open.