SpaceX's Starship experienced its third consecutive failed test flight on May 27th. The mission, designated Flight 9, launched from Starbase, Texas at 7:36 p.m. Eastern, but suffered a loss of attitude control after reaching space.
A pre-launch delay occurred due to a ground equipment issue requiring a reset of the countdown. While the Starship's six Raptor engines performed nominally during the initial burn, a propellant leak was subsequently reported.
“We are in a little bit of a spin. We did spring a leak in some of the fuel tank systems inside of Starship,” Dan Huot, a SpaceX webcast host, explained. “At this point, we’ve essentially lost our attitude control with Starship.”
This loss of control prevented a controlled reentry. SpaceX opted to passively vent remaining propellant before reentry, which occurred over the Indian Ocean. Telemetry was lost approximately 47 minutes after liftoff. "Leaks caused loss of main tank pressure during the coast and re-entry phase. Lot of good data to review," Elon Musk tweeted.
Further complicating matters, the payload bay door failed to open, preventing the release of simulated Starlink satellites. Plans to relight a Raptor engine in space and conduct tests on heat shields were also abandoned due to the uncontrolled reentry.
The Super Heavy booster, Booster 14, also met its demise. While initial tests appeared successful, it was destroyed during a final landing burn. This launch utilized a previously flown booster, and a return to the launch site wasn't attempted as planned.
The failure raises concerns about Starship's development progress and its readiness for future missions, notably the Artemis 3 lunar landing. Jared Isaacman, a nominee for NASA administrator, commented, “Appreciate the transparency–and bringing us space enthusiasts along through the highs and lows of a test program.” He emphasized the long-term potential of such ventures, stating that "the lows will become a chapter in a much longer story."