Hawthorne, CA, February 24, 2025 – SpaceX announced Monday that last month’s catastrophic Starship explosion was the result of a cascading series of events triggered by propellant leaks.
The company stated that the issue, which led to sustained fires and a loss of communication with the vehicle, has been addressed ahead of an anticipated eighth test flight that could launch as early as Friday.
According to SpaceX, the mishap occurred during a January test flight intended to evaluate upgrades on both the Super Heavy booster and Starship. While the flight initially proceeded smoothly - with the booster separating and being successfully caught by the launch-and-catch tower in Texas - problems began approximately two minutes after Starship ignited its rocket engines to achieve orbit.
A flash was observed in the aft section near one of the Raptor vacuum engines, and onboard sensors detected a pressure increase indicative of a propellant leak. Shortly thereafter, another flash occurred, and sustained fires broke out in that section. The resulting fires forced all but one of Starship’s engines to shut down in a controlled sequence, eventually triggering the automatic in-flight abort system. This system, activated due to the fires and the subsequent communications blackout, led to the self-destruction of the vehicle.
The explosion produced a dramatic visual display over the Turks and Caicos islands, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to divert several flights as a precaution. SpaceX reported that all debris fell within the pre-planned Debris Response Area, although local residents captured images of debris on nearby beaches, and at least one vehicle sustained minor damage.
In response to the incident, SpaceX has implemented several modifications. The company has revised the fuel line configurations, adjusted the temperature settings of the propellant, added extra vents, and installed a new purge system to reinforce the affected aft section against future propellant leakage.
SpaceX is currently awaiting either the official closure of the FAA’s “mishap investigation” or special authorization to proceed with the upcoming test flight while the inquiry continues. This marks the first time the company has been subject to such an investigation while CEO Elon Musk and his team, including members of his Department of Government Efficiency, are actively engaging with U.S. government agencies.
The company did not immediately comment further when reached for additional details.
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered an accident investigation into SpaceX’s latest Starship test flight, which ended with the spacecraft spinning out of control and breaking apart over the Indian Ocean.
SpaceX's latest Starship launch from Texas ended in an uncontrolled spin before completing key mission goals, highlighting fresh challenges for Elon Musk’s ambitious Mars program.
SpaceX is preparing to launch its ninth uncrewed test flight of Starship — the most powerful rocket ever built — with liftoff expected during a one-hour window.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted SpaceX regulatory approval to significantly increase the number of Starship rocket launches from its Texas facility, marking a major step forward in the company's efforts to develop its next-generation Mars rocket.
Four private astronauts have completed a groundbreaking SpaceX mission, returning to Earth after orbiting from pole to pole and conducting experiments on human health in space.
Albania’s Parliament has approved a bilateral agreement to enhance security cooperation and provide long-term support to Ukraine, marking a new phase in Tirana’s alignment with Kyiv amid ongoing regional instability.
In a sweeping new proclamation issued late Wednesday night, President Donald Trump has announced an immediate ban on the enrollment of new Chinese and other foreign students at Harvard University.
In a rare direct call, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping addressed escalating trade tensions and a critical minerals dispute that threatens global supply chains. The hour-long conversation, which touched on tariffs, rare earth exports.
In a grey government building near Tiananmen Square, a small team within China’s Ministry of Commerce is quietly shaping the future of the global auto, aerospace, and tech industries—one export permit at a time. With rare earth magnets now under strict export control.
Armenia's unchecked mining pollution poses a severe environmental crisis, imperilling water resources and health across the South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. Heavy metal contamination in shared rivers threatens ecosystems and human well-being, demanding urgent international action.
As peace talks progress, voices from Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Baku reveal hopes, concerns, and expectations for a future shaped by trade, trust, and generational change in the South Caucasus.
A bridge collapse in the Vygonichsky district of Russia’s Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border, caused a train derailment and a traffic accident early Sunday, killing at least seven people and leaving 30 injured, according to emergency services.
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has confirmed it carried out a third targeted attack against the Crimean Bridge, also known as the Kerch Bridge, early Tuesday morning, marking a new escalation in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
A strong 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook Japan’s Hokkaido prefecture early Monday, causing no reported injuries or damage, and no tsunami warning was issued, officials confirmed.
Federal authorities have arrested 14 suspects in Los Angeles linked to an Armenian organized crime ring accused of stealing $30 million in COVID relief and Small Business loans intended to support American taxpayers.
OpenAI is seeing an increasing number of Chinese groups using its artificial intelligence technology for covert operations, which the ChatGPT maker described in a report released Thursday.
Meta is turning to nuclear power to meet its rising energy needs for artificial intelligence and computing.
China’s electric scooter boom is accelerating the rise of salt-based batteries — a cheaper and safer alternative to lithium.
China has taken a major step in deep space exploration with the launch of Tianwen-2, aiming to become the third nation to return samples from an asteroid.
A newly discovered object in the Milky Way is baffling astronomers with bursts of radio and X-rays every 44 minutes.
Albania’s Parliament has approved a bilateral agreement to enhance security cooperation and provide long-term support to Ukraine, marking a new phase in Tirana’s alignment with Kyiv amid ongoing regional instability.
In a sweeping new proclamation issued late Wednesday night, President Donald Trump has announced an immediate ban on the enrollment of new Chinese and other foreign students at Harvard University.
In a rare direct call, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping addressed escalating trade tensions and a critical minerals dispute that threatens global supply chains. The hour-long conversation, which touched on tariffs, rare earth exports.
In a grey government building near Tiananmen Square, a small team within China’s Ministry of Commerce is quietly shaping the future of the global auto, aerospace, and tech industries—one export permit at a time. With rare earth magnets now under strict export control.
Armenia's unchecked mining pollution poses a severe environmental crisis, imperilling water resources and health across the South Caucasus, including Azerbaijan. Heavy metal contamination in shared rivers threatens ecosystems and human well-being, demanding urgent international action.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment