SpaceX Starship prototype fails in space after Texas launch

By Joey Roulette

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A SpaceX Starship prototype failed in space on Thursday minutes after launching from its rocket facilities in Texas, cutting short a test mission that was to include a debut attempt to deploy satellites.

SpaceX’s Starship system, a heavily upgraded version standing roughly 37 stories tall, had lifted off from the company’s Boca Chica, Texas, launch facilities at 5:38 p.m. EST (2238 GMT) in the company’s seventh test mission and first such test this year.

The Starship upper stage, two meters (6.56 feet) taller than previous versions, separated from its Super Heavy booster nearly four minutes into flight as planned. But minutes later SpaceX Communications Manager Dan Huot reported on a live stream that mission teams had lost contact with the ship.

“We did lose all communications with the ship – that is essentially telling us we had an anomaly with the upper stage,” Huot said, confirming minutes later the ship was lost .

The towering Super Heavy booster, meanwhile, returned to its launchpad roughly seven minutes after liftoff, as planned, slowing its descent from space by reigniting its Raptor engines as it hooked itself on giant mechanical arms fixed to a launch tower.

The landing success was SpaceX’s second across three attempts.