SpaceX successfully launched its massive Super Heavy-Starship mega rocket on its seventh test flight Thursday, achieving a significant milestone by "catching" the first-stage booster back at the launch pad. However, the new-generation Starship upper stage was lost, likely breaking apart while nearing space. Falling debris briefly disrupted air traffic at Miami, Florida, as reported by federal officials.
Telemetry from Starship cut off eight minutes and 27 seconds after launch due to unexpected engine shutdowns or failures. SpaceX later confirmed the vehicle’s destruction in a lighthearted post on X, stating: "Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn. Teams will continue to review data from today's flight test to better understand root causes. Success comes from what we learn, and today's flight will help improve Starship's reliability."
A SpaceX commentator confirmed the loss of communication with the Starship, attributing the issue to an anomaly with the upper stage. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that the falling debris caused delays of up to an hour at Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airports. The FAA briefly altered air traffic patterns to avoid the debris area, later resuming normal operations.
Debris from the Starship was seen over the Turks and Caicos Islands, as verified by CBS News. SpaceX owner Elon Musk suggested a potential cause of the failure, hinting at an oxygen/fuel leak in the engine firewall area that led to excessive pressure buildup.
The colossal rocket launched from SpaceX's Boca Chica, Texas, site at 5:37 p.m. ET, powered by 33 methane-fueled Raptor engines producing 16 million pounds of thrust. The Super Heavy booster separated after 2 minutes and 40 seconds, and the Starship continued its ascent with six engines. The booster then reversed course and returned to Boca Chica, where its mechanical arms successfully caught the booster mid-air.
SpaceX's engineers aim to recover Super Heavy boosters as regularly as their Falcon 9 rockets. This flight tested a new generation of Starship with several improvements, including enhanced avionics, new fuel lines, increased propellant capacity, and upgraded stabilizing fins. SpaceX also tested an improved satellite deployment system, planning to launch thousands of Starlink satellites once the rocket is operational.
For now, Starship test flights don’t attempt to reach orbit but instead loop halfway around the planet before splashing down in the Indian Ocean. SpaceX plans to further refine Starship's heat shield and other systems to prepare for future missions, including NASA's Artemis program, which relies on Starship to transport astronauts to the Moon by 2027.
As part of the Artemis program, SpaceX must demonstrate that Starship can regularly deliver cargo to orbit and the Moon. This includes sending Starship to low-Earth orbit, where other Starships will refuel it for its journey to deep space. NASA’s contract requires a lunar landing test flight before astronauts can be transported by Starship to the lunar surface.
In summary, this flight marks a step forward in SpaceX’s ambitious plans for reusable space travel, though challenges remain before the system is fully operational.
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