SpaceX Starship ninth test flight ends in dual vehicle loss
SpaceX’s ninth Starship test flight on May 27, 2025, resulted in the failure of both the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage. A propellant leak and uncontrolled spin led to the upper stage’s destruction during re-entry, while the booster was lost during its landing attempt.
Starship test flight (IFT-9) launch from Starbase, Texas, at 18:36 CT (23:36 UTC) on May 27, 2025. Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX launched its ninth integrated Starship test flight (IFT-9) from Starbase, Texas, at 18:36 CT (23:36 UTC) on May 27. The rocket, comprising the Super Heavy booster and Starship upper stage, aimed to test reusability and reentry capabilities. All 33 Raptor engines on the booster and six on the upper stage ignited successfully during ascent, marking the first use of a previously flown Super Heavy booster.
The booster separated successfully and followed a steep descent trajectory to test control under high stress. It maintained stability using grid fins during the high-angle descent, transmitting valuable telemetry data. However, the booster was destroyed during the landing burn when 13 Raptor engines failed to reignite properly.
The Starship upper stage reached its planned suborbital trajectory, achieving engine cutoff as intended. However, a door mechanism failure prevented the deployment of simulated Starlink satellites, a key mission objective.
During the coast phase, a propellant leak caused a loss of main tank pressure, leading to an uncontrolled spin and eventually the vehicle’s breakup during reentry over the Indian Ocean.
The following video shows Starship IFT-9 reentry over Namibia:
This was the third Starship upper stage loss in 2025, following failures in January and March.
SpaceX reported no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent, showing progress in tile durability. The in-space engine restart test was aborted due to the propellant leak and spin. CEO Elon Musk stated the company aims to accelerate testing, planning flights every three to four weeks. The data from IFT-9 will guide future design improvements.
The Starship program is critical for NASA’s Artemis lunar missions and SpaceX’s Mars goals. The test flight operated under an experimental license, allowing for higher failure risks. Regulatory scrutiny has increased, with the FAA imposing non-peak launch windows to reduce aviation disruptions. The dual failure provides engineers with data to address recurring reliability issues.
References:
1 Starship’s Ninth Flight Test – SpaceX – May 27, 2025
2 SpaceX launches first flight-proven Super Heavy booster, loses control of Starship mid-flight – Spaceflight Now – May 28, 2025
Reet is a science journalist and researcher with a keen focus on extreme weather, space phenomena, and climate-related issues. With a strong foundation in astronomy and a history of environmental activism, she approaches every story with a sharp scientific lens and a deep sense of purpose. Driven by a lifelong love for writing, and a curiosity about the universe, Reet brings urgency and insight to some of the most important scientific developments of our time.
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