SpaceX Loses Starship Upper Stage; Debris Prompts FAA to Divert Flights

Jan 17, 2025, 05:42 AM

SpaceX's seventh test flight of its Starship rocket ended with the loss of the spacecraft's upper stage after disintegrating over the Caribbean, following a successful launch and booster recovery. The Starship lifted off from SpaceX's Texas facility on January 16, 2025, carrying its first test payload of mock satellites. All 33 Raptor engines fired at liftoff, and the Super Heavy booster, known as Booster 14, completed a boostback burn and was successfully caught by the launch tower's 'chopsticks' mechanism, marking SpaceX's second successful booster catch during a flight. However, approximately eight minutes into the flight, SpaceX lost contact with the Starship upper stage. Preliminary data suggest that an oxygen/fuel leak above the engine firewall caused pressure beyond vent capacity, leading to a fire in the aft section of the ship and its subsequent disintegration. Debris from the spacecraft fell over the Caribbean, including near the Turks and Caicos Islands, with the FAA confirming it had to divert some flights due to falling debris. SpaceX stated that any surviving pieces of debris would have fallen within the predefined hazard areas.