SpaceX Starship fails; Booster explodes after launch

SpaceX’s ninth Starship test ended in failure as the Super Heavy booster exploded during splashdown, and the upper stage spun out of control due to a fuel tank leak. Elon Musk confirmed the leak caused pressure loss during re-entry.

The payload bay door failed to open, blocking the deployment of eight Starlink simulator satellites. Despite the failure, Starship reached orbit for the first time—an achievement Musk says offers key data for future flights.

After the launch, Musk had planned an all-hands-style talk with employees at 8 p.m. local time out of the company's newly incorporated city, Starbase, in South Texas. As of 9 p.m., it hadn't started, and there was no word on why. The mission came as Musk, the world's richest person, says he is stepping back from his political work in Washington and focusing on his business empire.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses Starship flights, stated that it was aware "an anomaly occurred" and is actively working with SpaceX on the event. There are no reports of public injury or damage to public property, it added.