Despite a successful booster catch, SpaceX's Starship was destroyed minutes into its flight. The company plans to investigate the cause and improve future missions.
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| SpaceX's Starship fails in its latest test flight, but the company celebrates a successful booster catch before the spacecraft's destruction. Image Collected from Space X video |
Washington D.C., USA – Jan 17, 2025:
SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight ended in failure on Thursday after the spacecraft was destroyed, despite a successful booster catch at the launch pad. The company reported that the Starship experienced a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” during ascent, with its six engines shutting down sequentially, resulting in the loss of communication just 8.5 minutes into the flight.
The upgraded Starship, carrying 10 dummy satellites for practice, was expected to complete a near-world loop across the Gulf of Mexico from Texas. However, the spacecraft failed to reach its intended destination.
Despite the failure, SpaceX achieved a significant milestone moments before the spacecraft’s destruction. The launch tower’s mechanical arms successfully caught the returning booster, a feat that had only been accomplished once before. The booster hovered over the pad before being gripped by the “chopsticks” arms, marking a significant achievement for the company.
SpaceX spokesperson Dan Huot expressed disappointment over the spacecraft’s loss but emphasized the experimental nature of the flight. “It was great to see the booster land, but we are obviously bummed out about the ship,” Huot said.
Preliminary analysis suggests that a fuel leak caused pressure buildup above the engine firewall, leading to the failure. SpaceX founder Elon Musk stated the company would address the issue with fire suppression systems, improved venting, and more rigorous leak checks.
This test marked the seventh flight for Starship, the world’s most powerful rocket. SpaceX plans to use Starship for Starlink satellite launches before advancing to crewed missions to the moon and Mars.
Meanwhile, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin also made headlines earlier in the day with the successful launch of its New Glenn rocket. However, the rocket’s booster was destroyed after missing its targeted landing platform in the Atlantic.