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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

FAA will require SpaceX to investigate breakup of Starship rocket

By Kelsey Ables and Lori Aratani Washington Post

SpaceX will be required to perform an investigation of why its uncrewed Starship rocket broke apart Thursday night after its ascent, an incident that sent chunks of debris into the Atlantic Ocean, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday.

There were no reports of injuries stemming from the failed test flight, which forced air traffic controllers to briefly divert dozens of commercial airline flights, the agency said. The FAA, however, is working with SpaceX and appropriate authorities to confirm reports of damage to public property on Turks and Caicos.

The FAA-mandated “mishap investigation” is designed to determine the root cause of an incident and identify actions that should be taken to prevent a repeat. While SpaceX will lead the investigation, the FAA will work closely with the company and must approve any corrective actions as well as the final report. SpaceX will not be permitted to launch another Starship until the FAA determines public safety won’t be affected.

“Data review is already underway as we seek out root cause,” SpaceX said in a statement posted on its website. “We will conduct a thorough investigation, in coordination with the FAA, and implement corrective actions to make improvements on future Starship flight tests.”

The FAA briefly slowed and diverted planes around the area where the space vehicle debris was falling after the failed test flight. The agency regularly closes portions of the National Airspace System for space launches and re-entries, but it also can prevent aircraft from flying in “debris response areas,” outside of previously designated zones.

The incident highlights the potential for conflict between airlines and the growing space industry as the number of commercial spaceflights continues to grow. In fiscal year 2024, there were 148 licensed commercial space launches, a 30% increase from the previous year. The FAA estimates that number may more than double by fiscal year 2028.

According to data from the flight tracking website Flightradar24, dozens of commercial airlines flights were diverted to other airports to avoid potential space debris. Departures from two Florida airports, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, also were delayed by about 45 minutes, Flightradar24 said.

Southwest Airlines said about five of its flights were affected, including ones flying from Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Delta Air Lines said four of its flights had to divert to refuel while American Airlines said seven of its flights were affected. The FAA said several aircraft also requested permission to divert because of low fuel levels while holding outside impacted areas.

SpaceX, headed by tech billionaire and Donald Trump acolyte Elon Musk, confirmed in a statement on social media that the Starship experienced “a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn” after the launch from its Starbase site in Texas at 4:37 p.m. Central time. The spacecraft broke apart just moments after a dramatic, successful booster catch at the launchpad.

Communications were lost with the ship about 8½ minutes into the flight, Space X said. Initial data indicates there was a fire in its aft section, the company added.

Musk said on X, his social media site, that the preliminary indication is that there was “an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall.” Fire suppression will be added to the area, he added, along with additional venting and checks for leaks.

Debris from the destroyed craft fell into the Atlantic Ocean, in what SpaceX said was a “designated hazard area.” The test “served as a reminder that development testing by definition is unpredictable,” the company said.

Starship is central to Musk’s hopes to create a space transportation system and eventually colonize Mars.