SpaceX Starship Rocket Breaks Apart During 8th Test Flight, Debris Falls Over the Sky**
SpaceX’s eighth test flight of its Starship spacecraft ended in failure on Thursday, with the rocket breaking apart mid-flight and sending debris through the sky, temporarily halting some flights at Miami-area airports. This marks the second significant setback for the company since its previous test flight in January.
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Just over nine minutes after launch, SpaceX lost communication with the Starship rocket, which led to what the company described as a “rapid unscheduled disassembly,” a term also used after the Starship exploded during its January flight.
The 400-foot spacecraft, which combines the Starship vehicle with the Super Heavy rocket booster, took off at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET. Shortly after launch, the vehicle encountered issues, leading to its disintegration.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded quickly, activating a debris response area to manage the situation. According to a statement from the FAA, it temporarily slowed air traffic and, in some cases, halted departing flights from Miami-area airports. Miami International Airport, specifically, saw delays between 7 and 7:30 p.m. ET due to debris from the Starship launch, though normal operations resumed later in the evening.
As of 8:30 p.m. ET, the FAA listed departure delays at Miami International related to “space launch debris” but confirmed that air traffic resumed once the airspace cleared. The FAA also emphasized that operations returned to normal by Thursday night.
Despite the unfortunate outcome of Thursday’s test, SpaceX did manage to achieve a key milestone. The company successfully completed the third return and catch of the rocket booster at the launch pad, though it did not complete a test involving the deployment of a Starlink payload. The Starship vehicle, which was meant to land in the Indian Ocean, failed to complete its mission. SpaceX’s Dan Huot, speaking during the livestream of the launch, acknowledged the setback but emphasized that the team would continue to analyze the data and learn from the experience. “Obviously, a lot to go through, a lot to dig through, and we’re going to go right at it,” Huot said.
This failure comes after a similar incident on January 16, when the Starship vehicle was lost during its suborbital flight, ending in a fiery explosion. Mission control had lost contact with the spacecraft after just 8 ½ minutes, and SpaceX confirmed that the vehicle was destroyed in a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.” Social media footage from that flight showed the remains of the spacecraft breaking apart, creating a stunning display that looked like a meteor shower across the sky.
Following the January mishap, SpaceX conducted an investigation in collaboration with the FAA. The investigation determined that the failure was caused by a series of propellant leaks and fires in the aft section of the Starship vehicle. This led to the shutdown of all but one of the engines, triggering the communication loss and the rocket’s self-destruct sequence.
Despite the setbacks, SpaceX remains committed to improving its technology and pushing forward with its Starship program. The company’s efforts to master reusable rocket technology, including the successful booster recovery, offer valuable insights for future flights. However, the road to success continues to be challenging as SpaceX works to refine its spacecraft for future missions.