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SpaceX's Starship experienced another setback as it broke apart during its eighth test flight on Thursday (March 6). The uncrewed spacecraft, part of the most powerful launch system ever built, launched from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas at 5:30 p.m. CT. The vehicle was riding atop a 232-foot-tall Super Heavy rocket booster, which successfully separated and landed back at the launch site using SpaceX's "chopstick" arms.
However, less than 10 minutes into the flight, the Starship began to experience issues. Several of its engines shut down, causing the spacecraft to lose attitude control and tumble. SpaceX lost contact with the vehicle shortly after, and it eventually broke apart in a dramatic shower of debris visible from parts of Florida and the Caribbean.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted flights at several Florida airports due to falling debris, causing delays at Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. The FAA has ordered a mishap investigation to determine the root cause and prevent future incidents.
This marks the second consecutive failure for the Starship, following a similar incident in January when the vehicle exploded over the Turks and Caicos Islands. SpaceX stated that the recent failure was due to an "energetic event" in the aft portion of Starship, leading to the loss of several Raptor engines and ultimately, communication with the spacecraft.
SpaceX remains committed to learning from these tests to improve Starship's reliability. The company aims to return to flight status soon, although the FAA's investigation may delay future launches.