FAA orders SpaceX to investigate Starship V3 failure

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered SpaceX to investigate why the Starship booster failed during the company’s May 22 flight, according to information released to TechCrunch on Wednesday.

This means that SpaceX will have to suspend other Starship tests until the investigation is completed and the results will be sent to the FAA for approval, reducing the chance of another IPO expected in mid-June.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“After a thorough investigation of the operation, the FAA has confirmed that May 22 SpaceX Starship Flight 12 caused a problem. The damage included the Super Heavy booster when it returned to the Gulf of America after the separation of the stage. There are no reports of injuries to people or damage to public property,” wrote the FAA. “The FAA will oversee the investigation led by SpaceX, participate in the action, and approve SpaceX’s final report, including any corrections.”

The problem with the Starship booster happened minutes into the flight, which was the first launch of SpaceX’s upgraded version of its super-heavy rockets. The first star “V3” passed through the high pressure level and entered the atmosphere, where the booster had to separate from the ship and return to the Gulf to reach the water.

The booster broke away from the boat. But it immediately appeared that the engine had failed – or engine failure – as it attempted the continuous ignition that would bring the booster back to SpaceX’s launch pad in South Texas. This caused the booster to fall into the Gulf before exploding.

SpaceX made many changes to the way Starship works in this third version, with the aim of making the rocket more reliable than it was in the previous 11 versions. This included tweaks to the engine design, the inclusion of third-generation Raptor engines, and upgrades to the Starship vehicle itself.

The starship met its failure after separation, as it lost one of its six raptor engines. This enabled SpaceX to abandon one of its test flight plans, which was rewarming in orbit with Starship.

SpaceX expects that its rockets will fail in various ways during this development, although the goal is to launch a vehicle like the Falcon 9 that is not only reliable, but incredibly reusable. Building reusable rockets is the most important thing is to reduce the costs associated with it and sending heavy payloads into space. Like that details in its IPO filingSpaceX relies heavily on Starship being reliable and reusable to continue expanding its Starlink mission, which is the company’s biggest revenue generator and its only profitable business.

The FAA has ordered SpaceX to investigate several errors during the production of Starship. The federal agency also ordered SpaceX partner Blue Origin to participate as the company develops its cargo rocket, the New Glenn.

Last week, the FAA cleared New Glenn to fly again. Blue Origin is expected to conduct a fourth test at New Glenn in the next month or so.