Starship Breaks Up Over Ocean in Ninth Test

SpaceX launched its Starship rocket for the ninth test flight from Starbase, Texas, aiming to deploy mock Starlink satellites and using a recycled Super Heavy booster. The mission, more ambitious than prior attempts, ended prematurely when the upper-stage Starship lost attitude control, spun uncontrollably, and broke apart over the Indian Ocean, while the booster was also lost during its Gulf of Mexico descent. Despite the failure, the flight demonstrated advances such as upgraded heat shield tiles and improved recovery hardware. The Federal Aviation Administration approved the test following expanded safety measures, and NASA continues to monitor Starship's development for its Artemis lunar missions. Elon Musk has committed to increasing the frequency of Starship test flights as SpaceX analyzes the latest results. Starship remains central to SpaceX's future plans for Moon and Mars exploration.