SpaceX's 'Starship' spacecraft destroyed after successful liftoff during test flight
"We can confirm that we did lose the ship," Kate Tice, a company engineer, said.

SpaceX experienced a bittersweet day with the launch of Starship, its colossal interplanetary rocket
It was a day of many emotions, disappointments, and, especially, learning for SpaceX, Elon Musk's company. After a successful liftoff from Texas on a test flight, the "Starship" rocket disintegrated a few minutes after launch, prompting Musk to react on social media. He uploaded a video acknowledging the debris of the craft.
"Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!" Musk stated on his X account.
Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed! ✨
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025
pic.twitter.com/nn3PiP8XwG
Earlier, SpaceX's own X account euphemistically acknowledged that they had lost the spacecraft.
"Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn. Teams will continue to review data from today's flight test to better understand root cause. With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability."
Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn. Teams will continue to review data from today's flight test to better understand root cause.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 16, 2025
With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s…
Kate Tice, a company engineer, was a bit clearer in providing details: "We can confirm that we did lose the ship."
Then, Dan Huot, head of communications at SpaceX, added: "We obviously need to go through all the data. It’s going to take some time. In the next hours, days — we’re going to figure out exactly what happened, come back, fly the next one, get farther (...) Reminder: it's a test of an experimental vehicle."
Starship's disintegration occurred on its most recent test flight on Thursday, after a thrilling capture of the booster back on the pad, a major feat the company had only accomplished once before and was able to pull off again.
Mechazilla has caught the Super Heavy booster! pic.twitter.com/aq91TloYzY
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 16, 2025

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SpaceX detailed that the spacecraft's six engines appeared to have shut down one by one, causing a loss of contact 8 1/2 minutes into the flight. According to the latest data from the spacecraft, Starship reached an altitude of 90 miles and a speed of 13,245 miles per hour.
Originally, the plan was for Starship to fly over the Gulf of Mexico from Texas in a near-circular path around the world, as in previous test flights. But the first flight of this improved, new spacecraft was not completed.
The company said it had loaded the spacecraft with 10 simulated satellites to practice releasing them but that the destruction of the spacecraft does not represent a failure but a learning experience in itself.
NASA's outgoing administrator, Bill Nelson, praised SpaceX and offered words of encouragement after the test launch.
"Congrats to @SpaceX on Starship’s seventh test flight and the second successful booster catch. Spaceflight is not easy. It’s anything but routine. That’s why these tests are so important—each one bringing us closer on our path to the Moon and onward to Mars through #Artemis."
Congrats to @SpaceX on Starship’s seventh test flight and the second successful booster catch.
— Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) January 17, 2025
Spaceflight is not easy. It’s anything but routine. That’s why these tests are so important—each one bringing us closer on our path to the Moon and onward to Mars through #Artemis.
The wreckage of the special spacecraft is causing flight delays.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that flights departing from Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport are being delayed an average of one hour due to a "rocket launch anomaly."
According to CNN, SpaceX will most likely have to wait a bit before its next test flight, as regulatory authorities are going to investigate exactly what happened.
"When rocket launches don’t go exactly according to plan, the Federal Aviation Administration typically launches a mishap investigation. And federal regulators will probably want to understand exactly how, when and why Starship exploded during this mission and how the debris from the event might have affected people or property," the news network reported.