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SpaceX's ninth test flight of its Starship spacecraft, launched on May 27 from the company's Starbase facility in Texas, ended in failure shortly after liftoff.
The mission aimed to deploy eight Starlink simulator satellites and test the vehicle's reentry system with 100 removed heat-shield tiles.
Despite a successful launch and initial ascent, the spacecraft began spinning uncontrollably due to a fuel system leak, rendering the heat-shield test unfeasible.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted on X following the flight test, writing, "Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big improvement over last flight! Also, no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent."
The SpaceX Starship rocket launches from Starbase, Texas, as seen from South Padre Island on May 27, 2025. SpaceX mission control lost contact with the upper stage of Starship as it leaked fuel, spun out of control, and made an uncontrolled reentry after flying halfway around the world, likely disintegrating over the Indian Ocean, officials said. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images)
Shortly after reaching space, the booster stage, critical for the spacecraft’s reentry, was lost during its return to the atmosphere. Additionally, the payload door failed to open during the flight.
Remaining parts of the ship which do not disintegrate from the heat of reentry are expected to land in the Indian Ocean, according to the company.
This marks another setback for SpaceX's Starship program, which has faced challenges in previous tests. SpaceX has previously experienced issues with the Starship system, including an aborted flight earlier this year in April.
In a statement following the incident shared via X, SpaceX acknowledged the failure and emphasized the importance of learning from each test. "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s test will help us improve Starship’s reliability as SpaceX seeks to make life multiplanetary," the company said.
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A plume of exhaust from the rocket boosters is left behind after the SpaceX Starship rocket launched from Starbase, Texas, as seen from South Padre Island on May 27, 2025. SpaceX mission control lost contact with the upper stage of Starship as it leaked fuel, spun out of control, and made an uncontrolled reentry after flying halfway around the world, likely disintegrating over the Indian Ocean, officials said. (SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been notified of the incident and is expected to conduct an investigation to determine the cause of the failure and assess any potential impact on future launches.
"The FAA is aware an anomaly occurred during the SpaceX Starship Flight 9 mission that launched on Tuesday, May 27, from Starbase, Texas, and is actively working with SpaceX on the event. There are no reports of public injury or damage to public property at this time," the FAA wrote in a statement.
SpaceX has not yet announced a timeline for its next test flight but has indicated that the company will continue to refine the Starship system based on the data collected from this mission.
Fritz Kocher sits in the back of his Tesla Cybertruck while waiting on South Padre Island to watch the SpaceX Starship rocket launch from Starbase, Texas, on May 27, 2025. SpaceX mission control lost contact with the upper stage of Starship as it leaked fuel, spun out of control, and made an uncontrolled reentry after flying halfway around the world, likely disintegrating over the Indian Ocean, officials said. (Photo by SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images)
"Developmental testing by definition is unpredictable," SpaceX stated on their website. "But by putting hardware in a flight environment as frequently as possible, we’re able to quickly learn and execute design changes as we seek to bring Starship online as a fully and rapidly reusable vehicle."
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SpaceX did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Jasmine is a writer at Fox News Digital and a military spouse based in New Orleans. Stories can be sent to [email protected]
