The Federal Aviation Administration is He ordered SpaceX to conduct an accident investigation to find out what caused the company’s Starship rocket explode in mid-flight on January 16th. Until the FAA approves SpaceX’s reported investigation, the company will not be allowed to conduct any further Starship missions.
SpaceX’s launch appeared to be going as planned before the explosion. Starship successfully made it off the launch pad and SpaceX was even able to capture the ship’s boosters. But then, just eight and a half minutes after takeoff, the Starship spacecraft exploded, they say SpaceX’s post-launch blog post. In response to the sudden explosion, the FAA activated one “Debris reaction area” and surrounding flights slowed or diverted to prevent further accidents, resulting in significant delays to flights on several airlines, accordingly CNBC.
The FAA’s statement said no one was injured by the falling debris, but it was working to “confirm reports of damage to public property in Turks and Caicos.” The mishap investigation conducted by SpaceX must determine not only what caused the explosion, but also what corrective measures the company needs to take to prevent it from happening again. “Initial data indicates that a fire has developed in the rear of the ship,” SpaceX says.
This isn’t the first time Starship has experienced an explosive ending. Several Starship launches ended with a SpaceX launch boosterThe spaceship or both explodes. However, the company appears to be getting better at capturing and reusing its Super Heavy boosters. The successful catch, which preceded the Jan. 16 explosion, is only the second time SpaceX has accomplished this. His first successful Super Heavy catch was in October 2024.
