SpaceX’s seventh Starship/Super Heavy test flight ended prematurely on January 16th when the Starship upper stage was lost during ascent. The launch, from SpaceX’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, began successfully at 5:37 p.m. Eastern. The Super Heavy booster, with its 33 Raptor engines, propelled the vehicle into the sky.
The booster separated approximately two minutes and 45 seconds after liftoff and returned to the launch pad, where mechanical arms secured it seven minutes after launch, a feat repeated from the fifth flight. However, Starship’s ascent was short-lived. Telemetry showed engine failures; within eight minutes and 25 seconds, only one engine remained operational, and the vehicle’s data stream ceased.
“We had an anomaly with that upper stage,” explained Dan Huot, a SpaceX webcast host, confirming the loss of the vehicle. Social media videos showed debris potentially from Starship burning up over the Turks and Caicos. Aircraft in the area were diverted to avoid debris.
The FAA stated, “The FAA briefly slowed and diverted aircraft around the area where space vehicle debris was falling. A Debris Response Area is activated only if the space vehicle experiences an anomaly with debris falling outside of the identified closed aircraft hazard areas.”
This flight incorporated a “block upgrade” for Starship, including a two-meter extension, larger propellant tanks (25% more capacity), and redesigned avionics. Changes to the thermal protection system, including stress tests, were also implemented to prepare for future landing attempts.
SpaceX planned a space-based engine relight and the deployment of Starlink satellite simulators. Elon Musk attributed the failure to a potential oxygen/fuel leak, stating on X: “Preliminary indication is that we had an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall that was large enough to build pressure in excess of the vent capacity…we will add fire suppression to that volume and probably increase vent area.” He suggested the next launch might occur next month.
However, an FAA mishap investigation is likely, potentially delaying future launches significantly, impacting the planned orbital flights and the crucial in-space propellant transfer demonstration for the NASA Artemis lunar program.