Starship upper stage lost on seventh test flight
Posted: Sun, Jan 19, 2025, 10:28 AM ET (1528 GMT)
A SpaceX Starship vehicle broke apart on its latest test flight Thursday, dealing a setback to the company. The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off from SpaceX's Starbase facility at Boca Chica, Texas, at 5:37 pm EST (2237 GMT) on the seventh test flight of the system. The Super Heavy booster was able to return to the launch site for a "catch" by the launch tower, repeating a feat first accomplished on a flight in October. However, contact was lost with the Starship upper stage nearly eight and a half minutes after liftoff, after telemetry showed that several of its Raptor engines had shut down. SpaceX later confirmed the vehicle was lost, and videos on social media showed debris from the vehicle falling through the skies above the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. Dozens of airline flights in the region had to be rerouted to avoid the debris, which caused no damage. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said a propellant leak like triggered a fire in the vehicle.
A SpaceX Starship vehicle broke apart on its latest test flight Thursday, dealing a setback to the company. The Starship/Super Heavy vehicle lifted off from SpaceX's Starbase facility at Boca Chica, Texas, at 5:37 pm EST (2237 GMT) on the seventh test flight of the system. The Super Heavy booster was able to return to the launch site for a "catch" by the launch tower, repeating a feat first accomplished on a flight in October. However, contact was lost with the Starship upper stage nearly eight and a half minutes after liftoff, after telemetry showed that several of its Raptor engines had shut down. SpaceX later confirmed the vehicle was lost, and videos on social media showed debris from the vehicle falling through the skies above the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean. Dozens of airline flights in the region had to be rerouted to avoid the debris, which caused no damage. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said a propellant leak like triggered a fire in the vehicle.
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