Launch Attempt Draws Global Attention
SpaceX launched its ninth uncrewed Starship test flight from South Texas on Tuesday evening at 7:36 pm local time. Over 1.1 million people tuned into X to watch the event unfold live. The launch system featured the Starship upper stage mounted on the Super Heavy booster. Both stages powered into flight successfully in the initial minutes. Starship soared higher than previous failed launches in January and March this year.
Watch Starship’s ninth flight test → https://t.co/Gufroc2kUz https://t.co/NYF0ZMyeGp
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 23, 2025
Separation and Early Flight Milestones
Several minutes after liftoff, the Super Heavy booster separated from Starship and initiated its descent. SpaceX did not attempt to catch the booster mid-air, opting for a hard splashdown instead. The booster, reused from a previous flight, appeared to suffer a fault during descent and exploded. SpaceX said contact was lost with the booster before it impacted the ocean.
Starship’s Raptor engines ignite during hot-staging separation. Super Heavy is boosting back towards its splashdown site and preparing for its high angle of attack entry pic.twitter.com/aQBwsvSrl0
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 27, 2025
Mission Goals Cut Short Midway
The upper-stage Starship continued into space and reached a planned suborbital trajectory after nine minutes. One mission objective was to deploy dummy satellites using newly integrated bay doors. The payload doors failed to open, ending that key test early. These simulated satellites represented upgraded Starlink models for future missions.
System Failure During Re-entry Phase
Around 35 minutes into the flight, the live feed showed signs of instability in Starship’s movement. SpaceX commentator Dan Huot said the spacecraft lost attitude control during its descent. He confirmed the rocket started spinning uncontrollably during atmospheric re-entry. “We have been dealing with some leaks on the ship,” Huot said. “This is also what led to that loss of attitude control.” Jessie Anderson said the vehicle “met its demise” due to re-entry issues.
As if the flight test was not exciting enough, Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly. Teams will continue to review data and work toward our next flight test.
With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve Starship’s…
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 28, 2025
Technical Challenges Continue for SpaceX
The company had hoped to complete a full suborbital flight followed by a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. This marked the third failed attempt after explosions in January and March. Those past failures disrupted air travel and triggered large debris zones across the Gulf of Mexico. Tuesday’s launch followed a new FAA license issued only four days before. The license followed a review of safety concerns linked to earlier explosions.
Investigations Into Past Failures
SpaceX attributed the January failure to vibration-induced propellant leaks and onboard fires. The March explosion stemmed from a hardware issue in a Raptor engine, causing improper propellant mixing. The company made modifications after each incident and highlighted that the causes differed significantly. Newer Starships will use upgraded “Raptor 3” engines for improved reliability and performance.
SpaceX’s Long-Term Goals
Despite the failure, SpaceX stressed the importance of testing and iteration in development. “We’re going to learn, iterate and iterate over and over again,” Anderson stated. Elon Musk plans to hold a company-wide address at 8pm from Starbase, following the flight. Musk aims to use Starship for future missions to Mars, possibly by 2026 with Tesla-built robots. He also plans to transport humans to the Moon under a $4 billion NASA contract.
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Reusability a Key to Cost Efficiency
Starship is designed as a fully reusable spacecraft to replace Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. This ninth launch used a previously flown Super Heavy booster for the first time. SpaceX sees booster recovery as essential to reducing long-term launch costs. Although the booster exploded on reentry, the use of refurbished components marked a significant milestone.
Musk’s Renewed Focus on SpaceX
Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, has signalled a renewed focus on his core businesses. He stepped back from political involvement and returned attention to Tesla and SpaceX operations. Musk continues to push Starship as central to his vision of interplanetary travel.
Next Steps for the Starship Program
The company will analyse data from the flight to guide future design improvements. Despite losing the vehicle mid-mission, the flight reached higher stages than January and March attempts. The company plans further Starship launches with adjusted engineering and refined protocols. FAA oversight remains critical as SpaceX moves toward operational approval for human missions.
