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Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
FAA requires SpaceX to investigate Starship Flight 9 mishap
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. SpaceX needs to figure out what happened on the ninth test flight of its Starship megarocket, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decreed. Flight 9, which lifted off from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas on Tuesday (May 27), ended in the destruction of both of Starship's stages — its Super Heavy booster and Ship upper stage (which is also sometimes known, somewhat confusingly, as Starship). But the FAA, which grants launch licenses for U.S. operators, is only concerned about one of those explosive events. "The mishap investigation is focused only on the loss of the Starship vehicle, which did not complete its launch or reentry as planned," FAA officials wrote in an update today (May 30). "The FAA determined that the loss of the Super Heavy booster is covered by one of the approved test induced damage exceptions requested by SpaceX for certain flight events and system components," the agency explained. "The FAA evaluated each exception prior to launch approval and verified they met public safety requirements." SpaceX broke new ground on Flight 9, reusing a Super Heavy for the first time ever. This particular booster first flew on Flight 7 in January, acing its engine burn and then returning to Starbase for a successful and dramatic catch by the launch tower's "chopstick" arms. The company did not attempt another catch on Flight 9. It conducted a variety of experiments with the booster, including bringing it down to Earth on a higher "angle of attack" to increase atmospheric drag. So, for safety's sake, SpaceX steered Super Heavy toward a "hard splashdown" in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday. This didn't quite work out, however. "Contact with the booster was lost shortly after the start of landing burn when it experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly approximately 6 minutes after launch, bringing an end to the first reflight of a Super Heavy booster," SpaceX wrote in a Flight 9 recap. Ship had an even harder time on Flight 9. The upper stage was supposed to make a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia about 65 minutes after launch, but it suffered an "attitude control error" that prevented the vehicle from getting into the proper orientation for reentry. "Starship then went through an automated safing process to vent the remaining pressure to place the vehicle in the safest condition for reentry," SpaceX wrote in the recap. "Contact with Starship was lost approximately 46 minutes into the flight, with all debris expected to fall within the planned hazard area in the Indian Ocean." Related stories: — SpaceX reached space with Starship Flight 9 launch, then lost control of its giant spaceship (video) — Starship and Super Heavy explained — SpaceX loses Starship rocket stage again, but catches giant Super Heavy booster during Flight 8 launch (video) This was still a considerable improvement over Ship's performance on its previous two liftoffs. On both Flight 7 and Flight 8 (which launched in March), Ship was lost less than 10 minutes after liftoff, raining debris down over the Atlantic. There have been no reports of injuries or damage to public property as a result of the Flight 9 mishap, according to the FAA. There were also minimal effects on flights in U.S. airspace — an improvement over the previous two Starship launches. "The FAA activated a Debris Response Area, out of an abundance of caution, when the Super Heavy booster experienced its anomaly over the Gulf of America during its flyback toward Texas," FAA officials wrote. "The FAA subsequently determined the debris did not fall outside of the hazard area," they added. "During the event, there were zero departure delays, one flight was diverted, and one airborne flight was held for 24 minutes."
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First Post
28-05-2025
- Science
- First Post
Musk's SpaceX launches 'super heavy' Starship Flight 9 in 9th test flight
SpaceX launched its Starship Super Heavy rocket from South Texas, marking another step toward future Moon and Mars missions. The mission, named Starship Flight 9, lifted off at 5:00 am IST and featured the Super Heavy booster on its second flight. read more SpaceX successfully launched its Starship Super Heavy rocket early Wednesday from its Starbase site in South Texas. The launch, which happened at 5:00 am IST, is a major step toward SpaceX's goal of building a reusable rocket system to carry people to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The mission, called Starship Flight 9, used the Super Heavy booster for the second time, along with Ship 35. The booster first flew earlier this year during Flight 7. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD LAUNCH! Starship Flight 9 departs Starbase. REFLIGHT milestone for Booster 14. Ship 35 is riding atop. NSF Stream live on X and YT. — NSF - (@NASASpaceflight) May 27, 2025 This is a developing story.
India Today
27-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Watch LIVE: Elon Musk's SpaceX launches Starship Super Heavy on 9th test flight
SpaceX is all set to launch the ninth test flight of its Starship Super Heavy rocket, marking a significant step in the development of its next-generation heavy-lift launch launch, known as Starship Flight 9, will see the behemoth Starship Super Heavy lift-off from SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica, STARSHIP SUPER HEAVY LAUNCH LIVE This mission is notable as it will be the first time SpaceX attempts to reuse a Super Heavy booster. Booster 14, which previously flew on Flight 7 earlier this year, will be reused with 29 of its original 33 Raptor engines still previous flights where the booster was caught by the launch tower's robotic arms, this time the booster will perform a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, allowing SpaceX to test new recovery techniques and gather data to improve future booster performance and Starship upper stage, Ship 35, will attempt to reach engine cutoff and deploy eight Starlink simulator satellites into a suborbital trajectory. This is a critical test following the failures of Flights 7 and 8 earlier in 2025, where the booster successfully returned but the upper stage failed to complete its has made several technical adjustments, including changes to propellant loading times and engine configurations, to address previous issues and improve the chances of 9 will also feature experimental maneuvers, such as intentionally disabling one of the center engines during the booster's landing burn to validate engine-out capability. The booster will return at a higher angle of attack to increase drag and reduce fuel consumption during landing, a refinement aimed at enhancing reusability and Watch
India Today
26-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Starship Super Heavy launch: When and where to watch 9th test flight
Elon Musk's SpaceX is gearing up for the highly anticipated ninth test flight of its Starship Super Heavy behemoth rocket system will lift-off from SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach, South mission, known as Starship Flight 9, will be the first attempt to reuse the Super Heavy booster, marking a significant milestone in SpaceX's goal of developing a fully reusable heavy-lift launch WHEN WILL STARSHIP SUPER HEAVY LAUNCH?The launch is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 5:00 am IST from SpaceX's Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach, South booster slated for this flight previously flew on Flight 7 earlier this year. Unlike previous flights, the booster will perform a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico rather than being caught by the launch tower's robotic flight profile includes ignition of all 33 Raptor engines on the booster, stage separation via hot-staging, and multiple in-flight experiments. HOW TO WATCH STARSHIP SUPER HEAVY LAUNCH? India Today Science will bring you all the coverage of the ambitious launch. SpaceX will also livestream the can watch the livestream here. The Starship upper stage will attempt to reach its planned trajectory and deploy several Starlink simulator satellites before returning for a splashdown in the Indian authorities near Boca Chica have closed roads through May 29 to ensure public safety during the launch and potential contingency days on May 28 or two previous unsuccessful attempts earlier this year, SpaceX is hopeful that Flight 9 will demonstrate improved reliability and pave the way for future crewed missions and interplanetary Watch
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
FAA clears SpaceX Starship's Flight 9 after Flight 8 explosion review
The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted SpaceX approval to proceed with the ninth launch of its massive Starship rocket, following an extensive review of the explosive anomaly that occurred during its previous flight. On 22 May, the FAA confirmed that SpaceX had adequately addressed the issues from Flight 8, which ended in the destruction of the Starship's upper stage over the Atlantic Ocean in March. With corrective actions in place, SpaceX now has the green light to continue testing the world's most powerful and fully reusable rocket system. What are increased safety measures for SpaceX Flight 9 As part of the authorisation, the FAA expanded the designated Aircraft Hazard Area (AHA) for Flight 9 to approximately 1,600 nautical miles. This zone now stretches eastward from the Texas launch site through the Straits of Florida and includes The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. For comparison, the AHA for Flight 8 covered around 885 nautical miles. To minimise disruption to both domestic and international air traffic, the FAA stipulated that the upcoming launch must take place during non-peak transit hours. This requirement reflects the growing scale and complexity of Starship test operations. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo Flight 8 failure and investigation The mishap on 6 March involved the upper stage of the Starship, simply known as 'Ship,' which exploded less than 10 minutes after lift-off. Debris from the 52-metre-tall vehicle fell into the Atlantic Ocean, impacting areas including The Bahamas. The rocket's first stage booster, Super Heavy, successfully returned to SpaceX's Starbase site in Texas, where it was caught by the tower's mechanical 'chopstick' arms—a repeat of its performance during Flight 7. Following the incident, the FAA launched a detailed investigation into the cause of the explosion, ultimately determining that the company had implemented satisfactory corrective measures. Only after this process did the agency grant authorisation for another test flight. Reusing key components A significant milestone for Flight 9 is the planned reuse of the same Super Heavy booster that flew on Flight 7. SpaceX has long promoted the idea of full reusability as key to reducing the cost of space travel and achieving future goals such as moon bases and Mars colonisation. By successfully recovering and preparing this booster for another launch, the company aims to demonstrate a crucial capability in its broader Starship programme. Launch date of Flight 9 and future goals Although SpaceX has not officially announced a launch date for Flight 9, notices related to airspace closures suggest that Tuesday, 27 May, could be a potential window. When fully stacked, Starship and Super Heavy measure over 122 metres tall, making it the largest and most powerful rocket ever constructed. Both stages are designed for rapid reuse, and successful testing is considered a major step toward operational flights that could support NASA's Artemis missions and commercial ventures. Flight 9 represents more than just a continuation of Starship's development—it is a critical demonstration of SpaceX's ability to learn from failures and iterate quickly. With FAA approval now in place, attention turns to whether the ninth flight will finally bring both the Super Heavy and Ship components back safely, setting the stage for a new era in space launch capabilities.
