Starship SN9 – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX Starship prototype lost in test flight landing mishap

February 2, 2021 William Harwood

SpaceX launched a prototype Starship rocket Tuesday from its Boca Chica, Texas, flight facility, successfully sending the silver booster up to an altitude of about six miles as planned. But the unpiloted test flight ended with a spectacular explosion when the rocket failed to right itself and slow down enough for a tail-first landing.

Second high-altitude Starship test flight ends in landing explosion

February 2, 2021 Spaceflight Now

Starship completed a successful climb to approximately 10 kilometers altitude and then descended horizontally toward the landing site. It appeared to lose control as it was in the process of flipping back to a vertical position and exploded as it bellyflopped onto the landing pad. Watch a replay of the test flight.

FAA approves Starship test after saying SpaceX violated safety rules on last flight

February 2, 2021 Stephen Clark

SpaceX defied public safety rules on its most recent Starship launch over South Texas in December, the Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday as it approved a license for SpaceX’s next high-altitude Starship test flight scheduled for the same day.