The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has demanded an accident investigation into a recent out-of-control test flight of SpaceX’s Starship rocket. The incident occurred on Tuesday, when the spacecraft made it halfway around the world to the Indian Ocean but broke apart in a spin before landing.
No injuries or public damage were reported by the FAA, which oversaw the extreme testing that led to the failure. The first-stage booster, recycled from an earlier flight, also burst apart during its descent over the Gulf of Mexico. However, this was part of a deliberately tested scenario approved by the FAA in advance.
All wreckage from both sections of the 403-foot rocket came down within designated hazard zones, according to the FAA. SpaceX’s CEO Elon Musk expressed his desire to accelerate Starship test flights, with the goal of launching them to Mars.
SpaceX will conduct its own investigation, which must be completed before another Starship launch can take place. The incident highlights the risks involved in developing advanced space technology and underscores NASA’s reliance on the Starship for future lunar missions.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-faa-408ee8e6fe05caa867b90970ecf439dd