SpaceX to Launch 9th Starship Test After Explosive Failures, Will Reuse Booster for First Time

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Summary

After Back-to-Back Flops, SpaceX Says Starship's 9th Test Flight Is a Go

This will be the ninth test flight for this heavy-lift rocket, a key part of SpaceX’s mission to eventually send humans to Mars and a critical component of NASA’s Artemis Moon program. We’ll be paying closer attention than usual this time given that the last two launches did not go so well. The seventh test flight in January ended with Starship’s upper stage exploding roughly eight-and-a-half minutes after launch. The rocket met a similar fate during its eighth test flight in March. Things went smoothly for its Super Heavy booster, which the 400-foot-tall Mechazilla tower’s “chopstick” arms successfully caught. But toward the end of the upper stage’s ascent burn, six of its nine Raptor engines died, sending the vehicle into a tumble. SpaceX lost contact with Ship 9 minutes after launch, and it exploded shortly thereafter. The incident prompted the FAA to conduct a safety review of Starship. This week, the agency announced that SpaceX is good to go for its next test flight—the ninth so far.

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Gizmodo

SpaceX to test new objectives during Starship launch

SpaceX announced that it will be testing out some new objectives and experiments during its ninth Starship launch on Tuesday. And one of those experiments is having the booster rocket being used for a second time, which is a first for Starship. The famed 397-foot-tall (121 meter) Starship will take off from the company’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, on Tuesday, SpaceX stated. The launch window will open at 7:30 p.m. ET, for the suborbital test flight.

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Freespoke Staff

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News Results

SpaceX prepares mega rocket for Starship’s ninth flight test

The spacecraft went through two explosive mishaps earlier this year, causing debris to rain down over the Caribbean and the Atlantic.

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4d ago

What time is SpaceX's Starship Flight 9 launch on May 27?

SpaceX is aiming to launch its Starship Flight 9 test mission no earlier than Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT) It comes after two failed launches this year, Flight 7 and Flight 8, in January and March. On those flights, SpaceX successfully returned its Super booster to Earth in back-to-back flights.

MIDDLE

4d ago

SpaceX set to conduct ninth Starship launch - UPI.com

SpaceX is set to conduct its ninth test flight of its Starship spacecraft after the vessel that it plans to ultimately use to send humans to space exploded in the sky during the two previous tests.

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4d ago

SpaceX cleared to launch Starship after 2 explosions

The Federal Aviation Administration has authorized SpaceX’s Starship to resume flights as early as next week. The FAA conducted a safety review following the SpaceX Starship Flight 8 mishap, which resulted in debris scattering across multiple locations, including Florida. Another explosion sent flaming debris raining down on Turks and Caicos, 10 minutes after lifting off.

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4d ago

FAA: Airplanes should stay far away from SpaceX’s next Starship launch

FAA gives green light for SpaceX's next test flight of its Starship mega-rocket. The flight could happen as soon as Tuesday, May 27. The rocket will lift off from Starbase, Texas, SpaceX's privately owned spaceport near the US. Starship is central to SpaceX's long-held ambition to send humans to Mars.

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4d ago

Starship Plans a Tuesday Launch

SpaceX is set to launch its ninth unmanned test flight on Tuesday. The company's last two rockets exploded midair, sending debris down on Earth. The FAA says SpaceX has addressed the causes of the last "mishap" The flight will place the Starship aircraft atop a previously launched 400-foot booster rocket.

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4d ago

SpaceX to launch 9th flight test of Starship spacecraft after last 2 sent debris falling back to Earth

SpaceX to launch 9th flight test of Starship spacecraft after last 2 sent debris falling back to Earth. The launch for the ninth flight test is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has made no secret of his desire to send humans to Mars.

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4d ago

Musk’s SpaceX To Launch Starship Flight Test Tuesday — When To Watch

SpaceX will launch its ninth flight test of the Starship vehicle and Super Heavy booster on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. The launch from SpaceX’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, comes as CEO and chief engineer Elon Musk scheduled to a livestream X/Twitter on May 27.

MIDDLE

4d ago

SpaceX to launch 9th flight test of Starship spacecraft after last 2 sent debris falling back to Earth

SpaceX has scheduled a ninth test flight of its Starship spacecraft. The company lost control of the craft in March after an engine failure. The launch is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The goal is to send humans to Mars by the end of the decade.

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4d ago

The FAA is taking extra precautions for SpaceX’s next Starship test flight

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finally cleared SpaceX for a 9th test which could take place as soon as next week. The FAA is taking extra precautions for SpaceX’s next Starship test flight. The 9th flight will have to be scheduled during non-peak travel periods.

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8d ago