SpaceX's seventh Starship launch resulted in an "unscheduled disassembly" shortly after takeoff.
The first-stage booster successfully returned and was "caught" at the launch stand. However, the upper stage of the next-generation Starship appeared to break apart as it approached space. Following the incident, SpaceX stated, “Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn. Teams will continue to review data from today’s flight test to better understand the root cause. With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability.”
According to Forbes, the mission was planned to last just over an hour and featured several critical experiments. These included Starship’s first payload deployment test, involving 10 replica Starlink satellites, as well as evaluations of upgrades to its flight computer, avionics, and heat shield.
SpaceX Founder and CEO Elon Musk speculated on X (formerly Twitter) that the disassembly may have been caused by an oxygen or fuel leak. “Apart from obviously double-checking for leaks, we will add fire suppression to that volume and probably increase vent area. Nothing so far suggests pushing next launch past next month,” Musk shared.
Meanwhile, the FAA reported delays of up to an hour at Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport due to the incident. The agency also issued a notice cautioning pilots about a “dangerous area for falling debris from rocket Starship.”
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