SpaceX lost contact with its Starship rocket during a test flight on Thursday, minutes after liftoff, leaving the spacecraft’s fate uncertain. The 403-foot (123-meter) rocket blasted off from Texas shortly before sunset, marking another attempt after a previous test ended in an explosion nearly two months ago.
While SpaceX successfully recovered the first-stage booster using massive mechanical arms at the launch site, the upper-stage spacecraft encountered issues as it streaked eastward. Several of its engines shut down prematurely, preventing a controlled descent over the Indian Ocean as planned.
The mission, expected to last an hour, was unable to deploy its four mock satellites. The spacecraft had climbed nearly 90 miles (150 kilometers) in altitude before losing stability. It remains unclear where it ultimately came down.
“Unfortunately, this happened last time too, so we have some practice at this now,” SpaceX flight commentator Dan Huot said from the launch site.
SpaceX has ambitious plans for Starship. Nasa has selected it for future lunar landings, while company founder Elon Musk envisions the rocket eventually transporting humans to Mars.
Like the previous test, this mission carried four simulated satellites resembling SpaceX’s Starlink internet satellites. They were meant to be briefly released into space before falling back to Earth.
To enhance reusability, SpaceX had redesigned Starship’s flaps, onboard computers, and fuel system, aiming for a future where the spacecraft could return to the launch site—similar to how the booster was recovered.
During the last test, SpaceX successfully caught the booster at the pad, but the spacecraft exploded minutes later over the Atlantic. No injuries or significant damage were reported.
An ongoing investigation into the previous failure determined that a fuel leak triggered a series of fires, leading to engine shutdowns. As designed, the onboard self-destruct system was activated.
After the incident, SpaceX implemented several upgrades, and the Federal Aviation Administration recently cleared Starship for another launch.
Starship flights originate from Texas’ southernmost tip near the Mexican border. Meanwhile, SpaceX is building a second Starship launch facility at Cape Canaveral, Florida, alongside its existing Falcon rocket operations, which handle crewed and satellite missions.