SpaceX has carried out the ninth Starship test. This time the company managed to avoid exploding the spacecraft during the launch. However, its control was lost before it even entered the atmosphere.
The main objective of the ninth flight was to demonstrate Starship’s increased reliability. Two previous tests ended in similar accidents that occurred shortly after the Super Heavy booster separated. So, it was vital for the company to avoid a third consecutive failure. In addition, the ninth mission was the first time SpaceX reused a Super Heavy booster that had previously flown into space.
These tasks have been accomplished with variable success. Unlike previous flights, this time SpaceX was not going to return the Super Heavy: it was planned to be used as a flying testbed for a number of tests. And the booster accomplished the key task, successfully working its flight section. However, during the final section of the descent, engineers were unable to restart its engines, preventing the planned tests from taking place. As a result, the booster was destroyed by falling at high speed into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico/Gulf of America.
As for Starship, this time the spacecraft managed to get to the intended trajectory without exploding. However, SpaceX’s successes ended there. The live broadcast footage showed that the spacecraft was losing fuel and slowly lurching. Because of this, SpaceX almost lost control of the vehicle and refused to re-engage one of the Raptor’s engines.
The ninth flight plan also called for opening the payload bay door and launching eight Starlink satellite mockups. They were to enter the atmosphere with Starship. However, the payload bay door failed to fully open and the mockup release was canceled. It is unknown at this time if this situation is related to a fuel leak.
As for the spacecraft itself, SpaceX decided to “passivate” it by releasing the remaining fuel. Shortly thereafter, the Starship, which had lost control, entered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean and disintegrated.
The ninth flight was the third consecutive mission in which Starship failed to make a controlled re-entry followed by a soft splashdown. Two previous failures were due to separate problems with the spacecraft’s propulsion system. The third accident raises new questions about SpaceX’s ability to fulfill its promises, including the planned mid-2027 landing on the Moon as part of the Artemis III mission.
It’s also worth noting that after the failure, Elon Musk inexplicably canceled an announced presentation about multiplanet life and Mars colonization. At the same time, the billionaire promised that new Starship tests would be conducted at monthly intervals.
