SpaceX ordered to investigate Starship booster mishap

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered SpaceX to investigate the cause of its Starship booster losing control and crashing into the Gulf of Mexico during a test flight last week, the agency announced Wednesday.

Following an assessment of the Starship Flight 12 launch, the FAA determined the launch "resulted in a mishap" and that the failed operation was the result of a mishap involving the Super Heavy booster that flew back to the Gulf of Mexico after stage separation Thursday.

The agency added that there were no reports of injuries or damaged property.

The FAA said it will oversee the company-led investigation and must approve SpaceX's final report as well as any corrective actions before its spacecraft can launch again. The agency said the mishap investigation is meant to determine the cause of the failure and to ensure similar issues do not pose a risk to public safety in future launches.

The Hill reached out to SpaceX for comment.

SpaceX's Starship spacecraft is a key part of CEO Elon Musk's plans to expand the company's space travel capabilities and eventually carry humans to Mars. NASA is also tapping into a modified version of Starship for its Artemis lunar missions.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman had cheered SpaceX for its test launch.

"Congrats @SpaceX team and @elonmusk on a hell of a V3 Starship launch. One step closer to the Moon ... one step closer to Mars," he posted to social platform X.

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