Another failure: SpaceX Starship lost control and crashed in space
By ForGeeks SpaceX continues to struggle with the development of its most ambitious rocket, Starship. Another test launch ended in failure: the ship lost control, began spinning uncontrollably, and crashed over the ocean. It was the second consecutive failed launch, which drew the attention of the FAA.
What happened during the flight
The launch took place using the Super Heavy booster, and everything looked normal in the first few minutes. The rocket successfully separated from the carrier and traveled into space, and the Super Heavy returned to the SpaceX launch pad in Texas, where it was caught by the landing tower.
After 8 minutes and 9 seconds into the flight, however, telemetry recorded the failure of several of the Raptor’s engines. Soon the ship began spinning and losing orientation. Onboard cameras showed Starship spinning haphazardly over the ocean.
“It looks like we’re losing control of the ship,” SpaceX spokesman Dan Huot said during the broadcast. Moments later, communication with the craft was lost.
Incident aftermath
Footage posted on social media shows Starship debris falling near the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. The FAA responded immediately, temporarily suspending air service at major Florida airports and rerouting flights for safety reasons.
The organization also demanded that SpaceX conduct a formal investigation into the incident, known as a mishap investigation. It’s standard procedure after failed space launches.
Causes and Attempts to Fix Problems
Interestingly, Starship’s previous, seventh test flight also ended in disaster, with the ship breaking up over the Turks and Caicos Islands. At the time, an investigation revealed a fuel leak that caused fires and loss of communication with the ship.
- Changed the propellant system,
- Corrected the fuel temperature,
- Installed additional vents and a leak protection system.
The Future of Starship
Despite the setbacks, SpaceX isn’t about to stop. The company continues to actively test Starship in “quick launch” mode, a strategy in which the rocket is perfected through a series of launches and error analysis.
Future SpaceX plans to use Starship for commercial missions, including deploying Starlink satellites and flying to Mars. But the current failures raise questions about how far the company is from actually operating the ship.
So far, SpaceX has stayed true to its principle: The more testing, the faster working solutions will be found. But recent incidents underscore the complexity of the task facing Ilon Musk and his team.
