SpaceX banned from flying after explosion during test flight
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned SpaceX’s Starship rocket from flying. The reason is the explosion of the spaceship over the Atlantic during the last test flight. We are now investigating what went wrong and whether debris caused damage.
The next setback for SpaceX in the test flight
The most recent Starship test flight ended in a complete loss and the rocket exploded. About eight and a half minutes after liftoff from the SpaceX site in Texas, the rocket’s upper stage ruptured and burst into flames. The debris fell into the sea in the Caribbean, possibly over inhabited areas.
No flight and investigation ordered
In response to the incident, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has imposed a temporary grounding of the Starship system. SpaceX must now conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident. Only after the FAA has checked the results and approved possible corrections will the rocket be allowed to take off again.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk expressed confidence despite the setback. On his social media platform X, he wrote:
Early indications point to an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship’s engine wall. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX
He assumes that the next launch attempt could take place as early as next month. As the BBC reports the FAA activated a so-called “Debris Response Area” after the explosion. Air traffic in this area was temporarily restricted or diverted to prevent collisions with falling debris. As a result, several aircraft had to divert to other airports due to a lack of fuel.
Possible damage is being investigated
There are reports of possible property damage in the Turks and Caicos Islands from falling rocket parts. The FAA is working with local authorities to verify these reports. No injuries have been reported so far.
Starship: Largest rocket of all time
The Starship system, consisting of the Super Heavy launch vehicle and the eponymous spaceship, is 123 meters high and is the largest rocket ever built. SpaceX plans to use them for manned missions to the Moon and Mars.
NASA is also using a modified version as a lunar module as part of its Artemis lunar missions. However, the latest failure shows that the ambitious missile system is not yet ready for regular operations. It was the seventh test flight since 2023 in which problems occurred.
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