Starship prepares to launch: Recap of Trump-Musk feud, other SpaceX news since last flight
More than two months have gone by since the last time SpaceX launched its gigantic Starship spacecraft.
The 400-foot launch vehicle – crucial as it is to future U.S. spaceflight ambitions – is one that billionaire Elon Musk's company has hoped to begin getting off the ground more often from its Texas headquarters. In fact, after the most recent test flight May 27, Musk took to social media site X to proclaim the Starship's next three launches would occur much faster than normal – at a cadence of one "every 3 to 4 weeks."
That, of course, isn't what happened.
Because the Starship's upper stage exploded in dramatic fashion in June, SpaceX's next test mission for the spacecraft, known as Flight 10, was ultimately delayed.
But now, preflight testing for a new Starship is underway as Musk indicates the commercial spaceflight company is working toward a launch in August.
Naturally, plenty has happened in Musk and SpaceX's world since the Starship last flew. If you need a refresher, here's a list of seven major events that have occurred since the May launch – from a public falling-out with the president to two SpaceX astronaut missions.
Elon Musk gives update on Mars plan
Musk, who founded SpaceX in 2002, has aggressively sought for his commercial spaceflight company to develop its Starship spacecraft to fulfill his ambitious dream of sending the first humans to Mars.
In a video SpaceX shared Thursday, May 29, after the most recent Starship test flight, Musk told his employees that he still believes it's feasible to send the first uncrewed Starship to Mars by the end of 2026. Under his vision, human expeditions aboard the Starship could then follow in the years after.
Musk described the goal of sending humans to Mars as essential 'for the longterm survival of civilization." Under his vision, humans would not just step on the planet before departing, but would remain to establish a settlement that could function independently if any cataclysmic event were to ever happen on Earth.
Musk, President Trump have public falling-out
President Donald Trump's goals for U.S. spaceflight appeared to align strongly with those of Musk after the tech mogul spent millions to help reelect the Republican to a second term in the White House.
Then in early June, the two close allies had a volatile public falling-out over a spending bill that saw them both trading threats that could have severely hampered spaceflight operations.
First, Trump threatened to cut off the billions in taxpayer dollars that have fueled Elon Musk's businesses, including SpaceX. The company's Falcon 9 is routinely the rocket of choice for the U.S. government to get NASA missions and military satellites off the ground.
In response, Musk threatened to decommission the SpaceX Dragon Crew Capsule, the only U.S. vehicle capable of carrying astronauts to the International Space Station. Musk later retracted the idea.
Starship explodes on test stand, delaying flight 10
Starship's next flight test was previously delayed June 18, when the spacecraft unexpectedly exploded while SpaceX was preparing it for launch. No one was hurt in the incident, which occurred as the Starship spacecraft was standing alone on the test stand prior to being mounted on top of the rocket booster.
The mishap, which SpaceX later referred to on its website as "a sudden energetic event," completely destroyed the spacecraft and ignited several fires that caused damage in the area surrounding the test stand.
While SpaceX is investigating the mishap, Musk said in a post on X that preliminary data suggested that a pressurized tank failed at the top of the rocket.
Starbase controversy as officials approve road closures
SpaceX conducts Starship test flights from the company's Starbase headquarters in South Texas, located about 23 miles from Brownsville near the U.S.-Mexico border. Before the most recent Starship test, Starbase had made news in early May when Texas voters in Cameron County approved a measure to officially recognize the company's headquarters as its own town, complete with a mayor and city council.
The city designation has been speculated to give greater municipal control of the area to Musk, who has regularly clashed with government regulators over the red tape SpaceX has had to navigate before launches.
And in late June, Starbase officials began exercising some of that control with a vote passing a law to close several of the city's public streets to outsiders. On June 23, the Starbase City Commission approved requests from SpaceX to install gates near four intersections that would prevent much of the public from accessing a large part of the city.
Mexico threatens to sue SpaceX
Also in late June, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum threatened to sue SpaceX if investigators determined that Musk's spaceflight company had contributed to undue pollution and marine life die-off in the country.
The announcement came after the fiery mishap earlier in the month caused debris to fall in the Mexican state of Tamaulipa.
SpaceX claimed on its website and on social media site X that the Starship explosion posed "no chemical, biological, or toxicological risks" to the surrounding inhabited areas.
Public gives feedback as SpaceX preps to launch Starship from Florida
As SpaceX prepares to bring its Starship operations to Florida, residents of the Sunshine State have had opportunities to provide public feedback on the company's plans.
SpaceX is seeking regulatory approval to commence conducting Starship flight tests at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center. As SpaceX breaks ground in Florida on a new Starship facility it calls "Gigabay," the company is also finalizing plans to launch the Starship spacecraft by the end of 2025 from Kennedy Space Center.
Three public hearings took place in Florida in July about SpaceX's plans, while the Federal Aviation Administration – which licenses commercial rocket launches – announced Tuesday, Aug. 5, that it is hosting its own series of three meetings later in the month. The public can also submit comments online until Sept. 22.
SpaceX launches 2 groups of astronauts to space station on Falcon 9
Just because Starship operations have been on hold doesn't mean SpaceX hasn't been busy with other rocket launches.
The company's famous Falcon 9, one of the most active rockets in the world, has continued to propel Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida and California. Since the last Starship flight test, the Falcon 9 has also helped launch two crews of astronauts on Dragon capsules to the International Space Station.
The first came June 25, when four astronauts on a private venture known as Axiom Mission 4 launched to the orbital laboratory for 20 days. More recently, four astronauts on a mission known as Crew-11 launched to the space station for what is expected to be about a six-month science expedition.
Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com
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