FAA official announcements, legal documents

FAA Orders SpaceX to Probe Starship Explosion Over Turks and Caicos, No Injuries Reported

Jan 17, 2025, 09:01 PM

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered SpaceX to conduct a mishap investigation following the explosion of its Starship spacecraft during its seventh test launch, known as Starship IFT-7, on January 16. The incident occurred over the Caribbean, with debris reportedly falling on Turks and Caicos. The FAA confirmed there were no reports of public injuries, but it is working with SpaceX and local authorities to verify reports of public property damage in the area. The explosion, described by SpaceX as a 'rapid unscheduled disassembly,' happened approximately eight and a half minutes after takeoff, leading to the activation of a Debris Response Area by the FAA, which resulted in the diversion or delay of some flights in the region. SpaceX has stated that initial data suggests a fire in the aft section of the Starship, caused by an oxygen/fuel leak, led to the explosion. Despite the incident, SpaceX successfully caught the Super Heavy booster with the Mechazilla tower, and the company is preparing for future launches, aiming to implement corrective measures.