SpaceX’s Starship Flight 9: Reaching Space, But Ultimately Lost Control
SpaceX's ambitious Starship program faced another setback as its ninth test flight, aimed at pushing the boundaries of reusable space technology, concluded with both stages lost. Despite significant improvements and milestones, including reaching space and the first-ever reuse of a Super Heavy booster, challenges with fuel leaks and control ultimately led to the mission's premature end.
The 40-story-tall rocket lifted off from Starbase, Texas, marking a crucial step forward in SpaceX's vision for lunar and Martian colonization. This flight was particularly noteworthy as it featured a recycled Super Heavy booster, a key element in reducing launch costs and increasing flight frequency.
"Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big improvement over last flight!" Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, acknowledged via social media. However, leaks during the coast and re-entry phase caused a loss of main tank pressure, leading to the eventual loss of control.
The Super Heavy booster, after executing a series of experimental maneuvers to gather data on atmospheric drag and descent speed, broke apart shortly after initiating its landing burn. The Ship upper stage, while reaching space, encountered issues with its payload bay door, preventing the deployment of mock Starlink satellites. Fuel leaks led to a loss of attitude control, resulting in the abandonment of a planned engine relight and an uncontrolled descent into the Indian Ocean.
Despite the setbacks, SpaceX emphasizes a commitment to rapid iteration and learning from each flight. "We are trying to do something that is impossibly hard," said Dan Huot of SpaceX's communications team. "You're not going to reach it in a straight line. We've said there's going to be bumps, there's going to be turns. But seeing that ship in space today was a hell of a moment for us."
While the mission didn't achieve all its objectives, the data gathered is invaluable for future iterations. SpaceX aims to increase its launch pace, targeting flights every three to four weeks. These rapid tests are critical for NASA's ambitions to return astronauts to the moon. Starship represents a critical part of the Artemis program, aiming to land astronauts on the lunar surface by 2027.
The journey towards a fully reusable, reliable Starship is far from over. However, SpaceX's dedication to pushing the limits of space technology remains unwavering.
What do you think about SpaceX's iterative approach to space exploration? Will Starship be ready for the 2027 lunar landing?
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What time is the Starship launch?
Update May 27, 8:42 p.m. EDT (0042 GMT): SpaceX launched Flight Test 9 of its Super Heavy Starship rocket at 7:37 p.m. EDT (2337 GMT; 6:37 p.m. local time in Starbase, Texas).
Who is Elon Musk?
Elon Reeve Musk (/ˈiːlɒn/ EE-lon; born June 28, 1971) is a businessman known for his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter). Since 2025, he has been a senior advisor to United States president Donald Trump and the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
What time is the Starship 9 launch?
When is the launch and how can I watch it? The launch window, which lasts for 60 minutes, opens at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time for the ninth test flight of Starship to lift off from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas.
Did SpaceX Starship explode?
SpaceX's Super Heavy booster and Starship rocket exploded during a test flight on Tuesday, the third consecutive setback for Elon Musk's company. Tuesday's un-crewed mission was the ninth test flight. The system suffered prior explosions in January and March.
