Starship fumbled its 3rd flight in a row. It's another setback for Elon Musk.

Elon Musk is pinning his Mars hopes and dreams on Starship.Jim Watson/AFP via Getty ImagesSpaceX's Starship spun out of control in space again on Tuesday, after its two last flights exploded.Starship could revolutionize the space industry and carry out Elon Musk's vision of a city on Mars.The mega-rocket has blown up on every flight this year and it hasn't yet put a payload in orbit.Elon Musk's most ambitious project spun out of control before his eyes once again.SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket launched from its Texas facility on Tuesday evening to make an ill-fated third attempt at a huge milestone: releasing its first payload into orbit.That's the key to Starship bringing in the big bucks to fund Musk's visions of building a city on Mars. To garner paying customers, Starship has to show it can deliver.The first step is releasing a batch of eight mock Starlink satellites into orbit. SpaceX tried to do this twice already — in January and March — only to see Starship explode before it could even try opening its payload doors.Tuesday's flight didn't fare much better. The rocket thundered through the skies to reach space in one piece, but when it came time to release its practice satellites, the payload door would not open. It's not yet clear what caused that first mishap.The hosts on the SpaceX livestream emphasized that the more important test was the vehicle's reentry into orbit, because SpaceX has removed 100 of the spaceship's protective heat-shield tiles to test its limits.A few minutes later, though, that test went out the window too when Starship starting spinning as it cruised above Earth. "We did spring a leak in some of the fuel tank systems inside Starship," Dan Huot, a SpaceX communications manager, said on the SpaceX livestream.He added that, with no control over the spaceship's orientation, it was unlikely SpaceX would be able to test the heat shield. Rather, it would fall uncontrolled into the Indian Ocean, probably breaking apart on the way down.This is Starship's third consecutive problem flight. After being on a promising upward trajectory for nearly two years, SpaceX's vanguard rocket program has backslid.Starship could supercharge the space industryAs a super-heavy-lift vehicle, Starship's appeal to the space industry is its massive power. It can haul giant payloads into space, but that's not worth much if it can't release them into orbit.The Starship-Super Heavy launch system — consisting of the lower-stage Super Heavy booster and upper-stage Starship rocket — promises to be the largest, most powerful, and first-ever fully reusable orbital rocket on Earth.A screengrab from a SpaceX livestream shows Starship sitting atop its Super Heavy booster on the launchpad.SpaceX via XIf it succeeds, some experts and Musk have said it could help cut the cost of spaceflight by an order of magnitude.Musk's interplanetary visions and SpaceX's long-term business plan aren't the only futures on the line. The heft and savings that Starship promises could revolutionize spaceflight and accelerate the space industry at large.Want to build giant hotels in Earth's orbit? Want to mine the moon or asteroids for rare minerals? Want to set up a radio telescope on the far side of the moon? You'll need to haul a lot of stuff into space. The up-front costs will be high, so you'll need to do it for cheap. Enter Starship."In order to have a sustained economy around the moon, I think we need a heavy lift launch vehicle," Steve Altemus, the CEO of Intuitive Machines, which has landed two robotic missions on the moon, previously told Business Insider.Starship has failed 3 times in 2025Starship is still in its testing and development stage, but it has made major strides toward commercial flight.The rocket has flown to space multiple times. Starship has returned in one piece and landed in the ocean with its engines firing — a crucial demonstration before it can try landing on the ground. Its Super Heavy booster even landed smoothly on its launch tower three times.Starship's Super Heavy booster returns to the launchpad during its January flight.AP Photo/Eric GayStarship's luck changed in January, though, when the rocket was first set to attempt a mock satellite deployment.As it soared toward space, the upper-stage Starship exploded and rained down huge chunks of debris in the Caribbean, causing the Federal Aviation Administration to divert aircraft in the area and triggering an investigation.Starship and booster separate during its January test flight.AP Photo/Eric GaySpaceX determined that the propulsion system's hardware had suffered more stress than expected during the flight, causing fuel leaks and fire in the ship's "attic area."The company made upgrades to better vent the attic area, got reapproval from the FAA, and flew again in March — only to watch Starship explode again.On that flight, the vehicle reached space and quickly spun out of control, eventually tumbling back toward Earth and blowing up.In that instance, too, the FAA briefly grounded flights across Florida's east coast to avoid raining rocket debris.According to SpaceX, the ensuing investigation found that a "hardware failure" in one of the ship's Raptor engines had probably allowed its highly reactive propellants to mix and ignite, disabling all the engines. To fix that problem, the company says it improved the engines' plumbing and key joints.SpaceX said on X that the March flight was "a reminder of the value of putting hardware into a real-world environment as frequently as possible."It could be weeks or months before SpaceX shares a verdict on what caused Tuesday's mishap. Starship probably won't launch again until then.Read the original article on Business Insider

Comments

Business News

Trump administration cancels $766 million Moderna contract to fight pandemic flu

ABC News

Nick Lachey co-hosts 'Love is Blind' with his wife Vanessa and says they follow a 'golden rule' to keep their marriage strong

about 2 hours ago

Mark Cuban says Anthropic's CEO is wrong: AI will create new roles, not kill jobs

insider

Comments

Similar News

SpaceX's Starship fails mid-flight in ninth test mission – video

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship Explodes Again But Orbits For 46 Minutes

SpaceX Starship breaks up over Indian Ocean in latest bumpy test

SpaceX launches another Starship mega rocket in latest demo after back-to-back explosions

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket tumbles out of control after launch and breaks apart in third setback

SpaceX Planning Starship Launch Today After Last Two Ended In Explosions (Live Updates)

SpaceX to Launch Starship Flight 9: When and How to Watch

Musk’s SpaceX To Launch Starship Flight Test Tuesday — When To Watch

Elon Musk’s Starship Launch Site Becomes Official City Run by SpaceX Employees

Business News

Trump administration cancels $766 million Moderna contract to fight pandemic flu

Trump's push to save coal faces a new hurdle: his own trade war

Asian shares and US futures jump after court rules against Trump's sweeping tariffs

Oil and gas have boomed in New Mexico. Its schools are contending with pollution’s effects

California avocado growers say Mexican imports have helped their sales

Nationwide announces decision on £100 bonus payments on May 29

Scottish retreat ‘surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty' brought to market

Tourism chiefs make strong case for changing 'frustrating' stance

Tennent's chief pins hopes on Scotland's 'resilient' pubs

Nationwide announces record-breaking £2.8bn in returns to customers after merger

Nationwide confirms millions of customers to get £100 direct into bank accounts in DAYS – do you qualify?

Nationwide announces £100 payments for millions - eligible customers confirmed

Shopping writer's top picks from Roman's new boho summer collection

Parcel Compare won't pay for broken £500 synthesizer because the BOX was reused: CRANE ON THE CASE

Can I avoid inheritance tax using loophole of owning a historic listed building?

How cheap communist car maker became one of Britain's best-selling budget brands

Nationwide reveals £100 Fairer Share payment for a third time - do YOU qualify for June's payout?

Warning over pension clawback - could it hit YOU at state pension age?

New speeding penalties laws proposed for specific type of road

Trump's key economic policy has just been undermined - and the president will be seething

A Salesforce exec tells BI there's an even more important skill for employees than coding

Nick Lachey co-hosts 'Love is Blind' with his wife Vanessa and says they follow a 'golden rule' to keep their marriage strong

Mark Cuban says Anthropic's CEO is wrong: AI will create new roles, not kill jobs

Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration after leading effort to slash federal government

South Korea's central bank cuts borrowing costs to nurse the sluggish economy

What happens to Trump’s tariffs now that a court has knocked them down?

Council tax guidance issued to millions of UK households

CBS allowed to distribute Sony's 'Wheel of Fortune,' 'Jeopardy!' during lawsuit appeal

Musk tried to block massive Trump-backed Mideast AI deal unless he was included: report

'I made one change to my meals and lost weight, felt fuller and cut down my caffeine'

Heavy-duty 7-piece gardening tool set worth £150 is discounted to less than £100

U.S. trade court rules against Trump's 'liberation day' tariffs

B&M, H&M and ASOS and what their names actually stand for finally revealed

Growing need for daytime drop-in sites for homeless, B.C. non-profit says

Elon Musk says his time as a government employee is coming to an end and thanks Trump

All Three Phases Click For Tampa Bay Rays During Successful Homestand

How To Watch Grand Slam Track Philadelphia 2025: Stream Info, Schedule

Which Teams Could Trade For Darius Garland Or Jarrett Allen?

‘Karate Kid: Legends’ Reviews: Do Critics Get A Kick Out Of New Movie?

Paramount has offered $15 million to settle CBS lawsuit with Trump: report

Congress is Marching to the Wrong Tune on Pentagon Spending

Breaking The Bank For Bundesliga Star Hugo Ekitike Is A Massive Gamble

Goldman Sachs Predicts Sub-$60 Oil Prices In 2026

Pitching Helps New York Yankees Complete One-Third Of Season In Good Shape

Mavericks’ CEO Rick Welts Discusses Dealing With Franchise’s Reversal Of Fortune

Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ Tariffs Struck Down In Court

Cannes Film Festival & Market Reaffirms One Persisting Trend

Peter Kwong Dies: ‘The Golden Child’ And ‘Big Trouble In Little China’ Actor Was 73

Elon Musk bids farewell to White House but says Doge will continue

Elon Musk, Distanced From Trump, Says He’s Exiting Washington and DOGE

MSPs urged to 'seize historic opportunity' and back Ecocide Bill to jail polluters

Best mattresses, duvets, and pillows named in Good Housekeeping awards – prices start at just £26

Aldi shoppers snap up Baileys dupe for a third of the price with new flavours launched just in time for summer

US court blocks Trump from imposing sweeping global tariffs - claiming he exceeded his authority

Pay by bank becoming a frequent option when shopping online - should you use it?

Seven bizarre property laws you might have broken without realising

Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada, world blocked by U.S. trade court

Federal court blocks Trump's tariffs

Federal trade court blocks Trump from imposing tariffs under emergency powers law

Workers could see £6,000 boost to pension pots under Government plans