SpaceX Starship Stumbles: SpaceX’s audacious Starship spacecraft encountered a significant setback on Saturday during its second high-altitude test, showcasing both progress and challenges in the development of this ambitious vehicle. Launched from the SpaceX Starbase facility near Boca Chica in Texas, the two-stage rocket had a primary objective to propel the Starship spacecraft to an altitude of 90 miles, executing a planned 90-minute test mission to space and back.
The critical moment of the test was the separation of the Super Heavy first stage booster from the core Starship stage, a maneuver that was successful. However, the triumph was short-lived, as the Super Heavy booster exploded over the Gulf of Mexico shortly after detachment. Simultaneously, the core Starship stage continued its ascent further into space. Nevertheless, a few minutes later, SpaceX mission control reported a sudden loss of contact with the vehicle.
“We have lost the data from the second stage… we think we may have lost the second stage,” explained SpaceX engineer and livestream host John Insprucker. He added that engineers believed an automated flight termination command was triggered to destroy the rocket, though the exact reason remained unclear. Approximately eight minutes into the test mission, a camera view tracking the Starship booster seemed to show an explosion, indicating a failure at that point. The rocket had reached an altitude of 91 miles.
This launch marked the second attempt to test Starship mounted atop its towering Super Heavy rocket booster, following an April attempt that concluded in an explosive failure approximately four minutes after liftoff. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which oversees commercial launch sites, confirmed that a mishap occurred, resulting in a “loss of the vehicle.” Fortunately, there were no reported injuries or property damage.
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The FAA is set to oversee a SpaceX-led investigation into the testing failure, and approval from the regulatory body will be required for SpaceX’s plan to prevent a recurrence of the incident. This failure to meet all test objectives could pose a challenge for SpaceX, necessitating a thorough review by the FAA and potential implications for the company’s new launch license.
On the flip side, the failure is somewhat in line with SpaceX’s risk-tolerant culture, emphasizing fast-paced testing and re-testing of prototypes to accelerate design and engineering improvements. Carissa Christensen, CEO of space analytics firm BryceTech, noted that “more things were successful than in the previous test, including some new capabilities that were significant.”
However, industry analysts emphasize that there is a delicate balance to strike. While rapid testing and iteration are vital for progress, the consequences of setbacks on an ambitious program like Starship could affect investor confidence and regulatory support. At an altitude of approximately 43 miles, the rocket executed the critical maneuver to separate the two stages, something it failed to accomplish in the last test. The Super Heavy booster was intended to descend into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, while the core Starship booster was planned to continue its journey into space using its own engines.
Despite the mishap, SpaceX posted on the social media platform X, stating that “success comes from what we learn,” highlighting that the core Starship stage’s engines “fired for several minutes on its way to space.” A fully successful test would have represented a significant step toward realizing SpaceX’s ambition to create a large, multi-purpose spacecraft capable of sending people and cargo back to the moon later this decade for NASA and, ultimately, to Mars.
However, the incident brings attention to SpaceX’s worker safety culture, which has faced scrutiny from lawmakers following an investigation documenting hundreds of injuries at the company’s U.S. manufacturing and launch sites. NASA, SpaceX’s primary customer, has a considerable stake in the success of Starship, as the U.S. space agency is relying on it to play a central role in landing humans on the moon within the next few years under its human spaceflight program, Artemis, which is the successor to the Apollo missions.
NASA chief Bill Nelson framed Saturday’s Starship test as an “opportunity to learn then fly again.” The clock is ticking for SpaceX, particularly given NASA’s dependency on Starship for its Artemis program, aiming to return humans to the moon. The timeline set by NASA adds pressure to SpaceX’s ability to deliver on schedule.
Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder, chief executive, and chief engineer, envisions Starship eventually replacing the company’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket as the centerpiece of its launch business, which already lofted most of the world’s satellites and other commercial payloads into space. Despite the setback, SpaceX investors and industry observers anticipate the company to swiftly resume testing and iterate on its prototype. The pace of progress is expected to be influenced by the FAA’s review and the extent of Starship’s technical failures.
“They have the next number of vehicles already lined up in the factory ready to go,” noted Jaret Matthews, CEO of lunar rover startup Astrolab, which has booked space on a future Starship flight. He anticipates that SpaceX will continue testing at a robust cadence next year. While the setback is notable, the expectation is that SpaceX’s resilience and rapid development pace will persist, driving advancements in the space exploration domain.
In essence, the incident provides a valuable learning opportunity for SpaceX, aligning with the company’s philosophy of embracing failures as stepping stones toward progress. As the aerospace industry closely watches SpaceX’s response and the FAA’s assessment, the overarching sentiment is one of anticipation, recognizing that setbacks are an inherent part of pushing the boundaries of space exploration.
Our Reader’s Queries
What went wrong with SpaceX Starship?
During the flight, the vehicle encountered multiple issues. A few of its 33 first-stage Raptor engines malfunctioned prematurely, and the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage failed to separate as intended. These setbacks caused significant problems for the vehicle.
What caused the explosion of SpaceX Starship?
The uncrewed rocket successfully detached from its booster, a feat it failed to achieve in its initial test flight. It flew independently for approximately 10 minutes before an automated termination system was likely activated as it passed over the Gulf of Mexico, according to a SpaceX official.
Did Starship self destruct?
In a historic moment, Starship successfully made its maiden voyage into space. However, the mission was cut short as the self-destruct mechanism was triggered for unknown reasons, causing the craft to explode over the Gulf of Mexico just eight minutes after takeoff.
Did SpaceX lose contact with Starship?
On November 18, 2023, SpaceX reported a loss of contact with its Starship spacecraft during mid-flight. The spacecraft is believed to have failed during its second launch from the Starbase launch site in Texas, following an explosion during the first attempt.