SpaceX Starship Ninth Flight: Launch, Spin & Updates

SpaceX Starship Achieves Orbit, Followed by Uncontrolled Reentry

SpaceX’s Starship vehicle successfully detached from its Super Heavy rocket booster and attained orbital velocity on Tuesday evening. However, the spacecraft subsequently experienced an issue with its orientation and ultimately made an unplanned reentry into the Indian Ocean.

Prior to the reentry, SpaceX had implemented airspace restrictions in the predicted descent area, as confirmed by the company.

Mixed Results from the Ninth Test Flight

This ninth test flight represented a combination of achievements and setbacks for SpaceX. It marked the most stable Starship test to date, contrasting with the outcomes of the two preceding launches which resulted in explosions.

The Starship, propelled by the Super Heavy booster, initiated its journey from SpaceX’s Texas-based launch complex on Tuesday evening.

Notably, this launch utilized a Super Heavy booster that had previously flown and returned successfully during the seventh Starship flight test.

Challenges Encountered During Flight

The Super Heavy booster performed a successful separation, allowing Starship to enter space. However, the spacecraft was unable to open a side cargo bay door, preventing the deployment of simulated satellites as planned.

Later in the mission, Starship lost its ability to maintain attitude control, hindering its proper orientation for reentry procedures.

Regulatory Approval and Previous Tests

The ninth flight test was authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) just days prior, following the earlier back-to-back explosions this year.

In January, SpaceX successfully captured the Super Heavy booster during its descent for a second time. Starship separated and ignited its engines to reach orbit, but was subsequently lost due to an anomaly.

Debris from the Starship impacted airspace near Puerto Rico, leading the FAA to adjust flight paths for several aircraft.

March Test and Safety Enhancements

Another test was conducted in March, during which the Super Heavy booster successfully separated and was caught by the launch tower in Texas for a third time.

While Starship reached space, it experienced the failure of multiple Raptor engines approximately eight minutes into the flight, initiating a spiraling descent.

Following these two incidents, the FAA broadened the scope of hazard zones in the U.S. and internationally, based on a revised safety assessment submitted by SpaceX.

After investigating the loss of Starship during its eighth test flight, SpaceX implemented several hardware modifications aimed at enhancing system reliability.