SpaceX’s Starship rocket experienced another launch setback on March 6, just two months after a similar incident. The test flight began successfully from Texas’ Starbase launch site. SpaceX’s “Mechazilla” tower captured the Super Heavy booster, marking its third successful retrieval.
However, nine minutes into the flight, the spacecraft lost communication and control. The upper stage veered off course, leading to a “rapid unscheduled disassembly”.
Debris was observed falling over Florida, including near Cape Canaveral. This prompted flight diversions and ground stops at several airports.
SpaceX acknowledged the failure, emphasizing their commitment to learning from each test. They plan to analyze the incident to enhance future mission reliability.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has initiated an investigation. SpaceX must address the findings before conducting another Starship launch.
Despite these challenges, SpaceX remains focused on developing Starship as a fully reusable launch system for future lunar and Martian missions.
