SpaceX’s Starship rocket reached orbit on Tuesday evening during its ninth test flight but later lost control and made an uncontrolled re-entry into the Indian Ocean.
Despite the rough ending, the mission marked major progress for the company following two back-to-back explosions earlier this year.
The launch took place from SpaceX’s Starbase in southern Texas, using a flight-proven Super Heavy booster for the first time. The rocket lifted off successfully, and Starship separated smoothly from the booster—a critical milestone in the mission.
However, the spacecraft failed to open a side hatch meant to simulate satellite deployment, and it later lost its ability to maintain orientation, leading to a loss of control during re-entry.
