SpaceX’s advanced Starship prototype suffered a catastrophic failure minutes after liftoff on Thursday, marking a significant setback for Elon Musk’s flagship rocket programme.
The incident disrupted air traffic over the Gulf of Mexico as flights were rerouted to avoid potential debris.
The upgraded Starship, equipped with a test payload of mock satellites, lost contact with mission control eight minutes after launching from SpaceX’s South Texas facility at 5:38 p.m. EST (2238 GMT).
“We did lose all communications with the ship – that is essentially telling us we had an anomaly with the upper stage,” stated SpaceX Communications Manager Dan Huot.
Minutes later, the company confirmed the spacecraft was lost.
Flights disrupted
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which oversees private launches, confirmed it was assessing the situation.
Flight records from tracking website FlightRadar24 showed at least 20 commercial flights altered their routes or diverted to alternative airports.
Witnesses at Miami International Airport reported several grounded flights.
A video captured bright orange streaks lighting up the night sky over Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, with smoke trails marking the disintegration of the Starship.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, reacted with his characteristic nonchalance, sharing a video of the debris field on X (formerly Twitter) and remarking: “Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!”
Mission details
Thursday’s test marked the seventh Starship trial since 2023 in SpaceX’s endeavour to develop a spacecraft capable of ferrying humans and cargo to Mars.
The 2-metre taller upper stage, touted as a “new generation ship with significant upgrades,” was scheduled to splash down in the Indian Ocean about an hour after launch.
The Starship’s development adopts a test-to-failure approach, pushing prototypes to their engineering limits.
However, the failure occurred during a mission phase previously accomplished by SpaceX, raising questions about the reliability of the recent modifications.
Meanwhile, the colossal Super Heavy booster successfully returned to its launchpad, employing Raptor engines to slow its descent and securing itself on giant mechanical arms attached to the launch tower.
The last upper-stage failure was recorded in March last year over the Indian Ocean. While SpaceX has faced its share of setbacks, few have caused such extensive disruptions to air traffic.
The FAA’s ongoing assessment is expected to address safety concerns and determine regulatory measures.
SpaceX’s ambitious Starship programme, a cornerstone of Musk’s vision to make life interplanetary, has faced mounting scrutiny as it continues to navigate both engineering challenges and regulatory hurdles.
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