SpaceX Starship Disintegrates Over Indian Ocean After Ninth Test Flight

SpaceX's ninth test flight of its Starship rocket ended in failure on May 27, 2025, when the spacecraft spun out of control and disintegrated over the Indian Ocean. Launched from the company's Starbase facility in Texas, the mission marked the first use of a previously flown Super Heavy booster.

While the initial ascent and stage separation proceeded as planned, the upper-stage Starship encountered a fuel leak approximately 30 minutes into the flight, leading to a loss of attitude control. This malfunction prevented the deployment of mock Starlink satellites and resulted in an uncontrolled re-entry. 

Despite the setback, SpaceX highlighted several achievements, including successful engine shutdown in space and improved performance over previous tests.

CEO Elon Musk emphasized the importance of iterative testing and announced plans for the next launch within three to four weeks. The Starship program is central to SpaceX's ambitions for interplanetary travel and is slated to play a key role in NASA's Artemis program, aiming for a crewed lunar landing in 2027. Bundle