SpaceX Starship Launches from Starbase, Texas on May 27, 2025 – Powerful Test Flight of World’s Largest Rocket (Photo: AP/Eric Gay)
SpaceX’s Starship Test Flight Ends in Disintegration, FAA Orders Investigation
SpaceX's ambitious Starship program hit another turbulence as its fourth test flight ended in partial failure, prompting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to mandate a full accident investigation. The latest flight, which launched on May 27, 2025, from Starbase in Texas, managed to achieve more distance than its predecessors—but ended in disintegration over the Indian Ocean.
Despite this dramatic end, no injuries or property damage were reported, and all debris landed within pre-approved hazard zones.
A Test Flight with High Stakes
Starship, hailed as the world’s most powerful rocket at 403 feet (123 meters), is central to both Elon Musk’s Mars ambitions and NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon. Tuesday’s test was the third attempt to successfully complete a suborbital trajectory and reentry sequence.
The spacecraft managed to travel halfway across the globe before losing control and breaking apart mid-spin. The first-stage booster, which was recycled from an earlier launch, also disintegrated during descent over the Gulf of Mexico. This, however, was part of a planned extreme test sequence that had already received FAA approval.
FAA Steps In with Oversight
In a statement released on May 30, 2025, the FAA confirmed it would oversee SpaceX's internal investigation into the incident. Until the findings are reviewed and approved, no further Starship launches can take place.
“The FAA is requiring a full accident investigation before SpaceX proceeds with its next Starship launch attempt,” the agency stated.
This is standard procedure for incidents involving launch vehicle failures, especially when public safety, airspace regulations, and future missions are at stake.
What’s Next for Starship?
While the recent test was far from perfect, it did mark a significant milestone in distance and operational duration. Elon Musk remains undeterred, expressing his desire to increase the pace of Starship flights to accelerate development.
NASA, too, has high hopes pinned on Starship for its upcoming lunar missions. The pressure is now on SpaceX to learn from each test and deliver a reliable spacecraft for both governmental and interplanetary missions.
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