May 5, 2025 10:49 pm
Full News

SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Lost During Seventh Test Flight

SpaceX encountered an unexpected setback during the seventh test flight of its Starship rocket on January 16, as the vehicle was lost 15 minutes into the mission. This comes after the company had made significant progress during its test flight campaign for the vehicle.

The launch took place at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas at 4:37 PM local time. The Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, was intended to reach near orbital speeds and deploy 10 dummy spacecraft designed to mimic the upgraded SpaceX Starlink satellites. This mission was set to be a crucial milestone, marking the first time Starship attempted to deploy cargo in space.

Despite the loss of communication with the Starship upper portion, SpaceX successfully demonstrated its ability to catch the rocket’s Super Heavy lower portion in midair using giant mechanical arms, a feat accomplished six minutes into the flight. This engineering manoeuvre was previously completed during the rocket’s fifth test flight in October.

Recovering the Starship Super Heavy booster is critical to the developmental progress of the vehicle, which SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has long touted as fully reusable. The successful catch of the booster at the Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach in Texas on October 13 highlights the importance of this capability.

During the rocket’s sixth test flight on November 19, attended by President-elect Donald Trump, SpaceX opted to skip the booster catch due to technical issues. If conditions for the catch are not met, the booster is designed to land in the Gulf of Mexico.

The launch occurred just hours after Blue Origin LLC’s new flagship rocket successfully reached orbit in its inaugural flight. The Jeff Bezos-backed firm aims to challenge SpaceX’s dominance in the launch market.

Elon Musk was quick to congratulate his fellow billionaire on this milestone. SpaceX’s iterative approach to engineering, characterized by its “fly-fail-fix” methodology, has seen previous Starship launches end in explosions and other damages.

For this launch, SpaceX upgraded the rocket’s heat shield to withstand the extreme heat and forces during atmospheric reentry. Additional upgrades included a redesigned propulsion system, a more powerful flight computer, and additional cameras for flight monitoring.

Related News
Earthquake Hits Tibet’s Shigatse City, Tremors Felt in Nepal’s Kathmandu
Pope Francis Installs 21 New Cardinals, Appears with Bruised Chin
Nvidia’s Stock Recovers Amid AI Market Turbulence
Russia-US Meeting on Black Sea Shipping Scheduled for Monday
US Reaffirms Commitment to Philippines Amid South China Sea Tensions
Israeli Forces Kill Hamas Spokesperson in Gaza
Related Posts
Russia-Ukraine Ceasefire Possible “At Any Moment
Pakistan Accuses India of Violating Indus Waters Treaty, Prepares Formal Notice
India Suspends Indus Water Treaty Amid Rising Tensions with Pakistan
Myanmar Junta May Weaponize Nuclear Power Plant, Warns UN Envoy
India-Pakistan Tensions Escalate Following Pahalgam Attack
Trump Announces 100% Tariff on All Foreign Films
More News

Netanyahu in Hospital Underground Amid Rocket Attack Fears

Last Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underwent prostate surgery at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center. Following the procedure, he has remained at the hospital. Due to concerns that Palestinian armed group Hamas or Yemen’s Houthi rebels might launch rocket attacks, Netanyahu has been moved to the hospital’s underground facility. Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the […]

British Police Conduct Controlled Explosion Near US Embassy in South London

London – British police carried out a controlled explosion near the US embassy in south London on November 22 after discovering a suspicious package. The Metropolitan Police confirmed the explosion, stating that it was a “loud bang” caused by the controlled detonation of the package. In a statement on X, the police force confirmed that […]

Messi’s Response To The Mexican Audience By Raising Three Fingers After Two

Lionel Messi scored for the first time in the new year. His team Inter Miami also tasted victory. However, the style of celebrating the goal of the Argentinian superstar is overriding everything. In the first match of the pre-season preparation, the United States team defeated Club America by 32 goals in a tiebreaker on Sunday […]

Hyundai’s Factory Jobs: The New Dream Career for Koreans

Hyundai Motor Company’s recent recruitment drive has sparked a wave of interest among job seekers in South Korea, attracting everyone from fresh high school graduates to professionals seeking a career switch from top chaebols like Samsung and SK. The allure lies in the promise of competitive salaries and an improved work-life balance, reshaping perceptions of […]

Yunus’ Government Imposes Unprecedented Restrictions on Press Freedom and Expression

Pulack Ghatack Freedom of the press and expression in Bangladesh has been severely restricted during the Yunus regime. Even the situation was less terrible under military rule. The Yunus government removed 66 journalists’ press accreditation cards in two rounds based on partisan concerns. Just Yesterday, the administration cancelled the secretariat access cards of 118 more […]

Trump Sentenced to Unconditional Discharge in Hush Money Case, Vindicating Calls for Fairness

Donald Trump, the incoming U.S. President, received what many of his supporters describe as a vindication in the form of an unconditional discharge in his New York hush money case. Convicted on 34 counts of falsifying business records, Trump’s sentencing was conducted virtually from his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida, acknowledging the unique circumstances surrounding his […]

More than 30,000 Syrian Citizens Return from Turkey to Syria

Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, peace is gradually being restored in Syria. As a result, many Syrians who fled to other countries during the civil war are now starting to return to their homeland. Turkey’s Ministry of Interior has stated that, so far, nearly 31,000 Syrian citizens have returned to their country from Turkey […]

Colombia Accepts Trump’s Conditions on Migrants Amid Sanctions

Upon assuming office, U.S. President Donald Trump began deporting illegal immigrants residing in the United States, sending them back to their respective countries via flights. In one instance, Colombia refused to allow two U.S. aircraft carrying deportees to land. In response, Trump threatened strict measures against Colombia, sparking widespread controversy. However, Colombia later agreed to […]

Charlize Theron Joins Christopher Nolan’s New Movie

Charlize Theron is going to be in Christopher Nolan’s new movie. Theron, who has starred in movies like Mad Max and Fast & Furious, is the latest star to join Nolan’s next film. This movie is the follow-up to Oppenheimer, according to Deadline. Theron joins a group of big stars already announced for the movie. […]

Unveiling Roman Grandeur: Pompeii’s “Once-in-a-Century” Discovery Sheds Light on Ancient Luxury

Archaeologists in Pompeii, Italy, have made a landmark discovery beneath layers of volcanic rock and ash—unearthing what is hailed as a “once-in-a-century” find. The recently excavated site includes a sumptuous private bathhouse, believed to be the largest ever found in Pompeii, offering a rare glimpse into the opulent lifestyle of the Roman elite. Discovery of […]