{"id":9930,"date":"2025-01-18T01:29:25","date_gmt":"2025-01-17T17:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spacex-successfully-catches-super-heavy-booster-loses-starship-upper-stage-during-flight-7\/"},"modified":"2025-01-18T01:29:25","modified_gmt":"2025-01-17T17:29:25","slug":"spacex-successfully-catches-super-heavy-booster-loses-starship-upper-stage-during-flight-7","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spacex-successfully-catches-super-heavy-booster-loses-starship-upper-stage-during-flight-7\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX successfully catches Super Heavy booster, loses Starship upper stage during Flight 7"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_68528\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-68528\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-68528\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_Flight_7_breakup.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"510\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_Flight_7_breakup.jpg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_Flight_7_breakup-300x175.jpg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_Flight_7_breakup-678x395.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_Flight_7_breakup-768x447.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-68528\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A still image taken from video of what is reportedly the remnants of SpaceX\u2019s Starship upper stage as seen from the vantage point of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Image: Alex Davenport<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>SpaceX\u2019s seventh flight of its Starship rocket was a combination of great success and catastrophic loss, with a catch of its Super Heavy booster at the launch tower and the failure of the Starship upper stage as it climbed to space.<\/p>\n<p>Beginning around seven minutes and 40 seconds into the flight, SpaceX\u2019s on-screen telemetry data began to show one Raptor engine after another turn off on the Ship until the telemetry froze at eight minutes and 27 seconds.<\/p>\n<p>In a post to his social media site, X, SpaceX founder Elon Musk described what engineers believe at this early stage to be the issue.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPreliminary indication is that we had an oxygen\/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall that was large enough to build pressure in excess of the vent capacity,\u201d Musk said. \u201cApart from obviously double-checking for leaks, we will add fire suppression to that volume and probably increase vent area. Nothing so far suggests pushing next launch past next month.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/dIMf18fWYrs?si=qsK8yFUPfYxgBdzL\" width=\"678\" height=\"381\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The launch began nominally, with the more than 400-foot-tall rocket lumbering off of the pad at 4:37 p.m. CST (5:37 p.m. EST (2237 UTC). The mission featured the first flight of the Block 2 variant of the upper stage.<\/p>\n<p>The 33 Raptor engines on the booster powered it down range as expected and beginning about two minutes and 30 seconds into the mission, most of them cut off and the six Raptor engines on the Ship sprang to life to begin carrying it towards space.<\/p>\n<p>The booster performed a flip maneuver and another burn to put it on a course towards the launch tower. The Super Heavy booster, B14, performed a final landing burn about 6 minutes and 30 seconds after liftoff and before seven minutes were up, it was caught by the tower.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_68531\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-68531\" style=\"width: 876px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-68531\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_liftoff_AB.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"876\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_liftoff_AB.jpeg 876w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_liftoff_AB-300x182.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_liftoff_AB-678x412.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/20250116_Starship_liftoff_AB-768x466.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 876px) 100vw, 876px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-68531\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">SpaceX\u2019s Starship rocket thunders away from the launch tower at Starbase to begin the Flight 7 mission. Image: Adam Bernstein\/Spaceflight Now<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The elation of the crowds and the commentators didn\u2019t last long before it became apparent that something was amiss on the upper stage.<\/p>\n<p>The engines began shutting off out of sequence and more than a minute prior to the planed engine cutoff, which was scheduled to happen nearly nine minutes into the flight.<\/p>\n<p>Multiple videos posted to social media appeared to show the breakup of the vehicle. The Federal Aviation Administration issued directives to multiple airports to delay or divert traffic to avoid falling debris.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1880027949862384107&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2025%2F01%2F17%2Fspacex-successfully-catches-super-heavy-booster-loses-starship-upper-stage-during-flight-7%2F&amp;sessionId=d084f5e01d4b4fe168676ac2810be1fcb3e86ad5&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1880027949862384107\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782462412131178117=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">First night in Turks and Caicos and we\u2019re on the beach and see this.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" draggable=\"false\" role=\"img\" class=\"emoji\" alt=\"\ud83d\udc40\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/svg\/1f440.svg\"> pic.twitter.com\/CDPlLd70Yn<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 KingDomRedux (@KingDomRedux) January 16, 2025<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Airpots impacted included Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale\/Hollywood International Airport. Shortly before 8 p.m. EST (0100 UTC), the agency issued an all clear.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe FAA briefly slowed and diverted aircraft around the area where space vehicle debris was falling. Normal operations have resumed,\u201d the agency wrote.<\/p>\n<p>The FAA has the purview to activate what\u2019s called a Debris Response Area if there\u2019s a case, like with Flight 7, where there is an anomaly with a space vehicle outside of the previously identified closed hazard areas.<\/p>\n<p>Asked whether the agency will require a mishap investigation into the breakup, the FAA said it was \u201caware an anomaly occurred,\u201d adding that it was still \u201cassessing the operation and will issue and updated statement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1yCG1T06jlk?si=Ul6gIxtAmD9YOQhR\" width=\"678\" height=\"381\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The anomaly prevented SpaceX from executing a number of milestone it planned for S33, including deploying 10 Starlink simulators along a suborbital trajectory and performing and in-space relight of one of the Raptor engines.<\/p>\n<p>Starship\u2019s continued development is key not only for its own corporate ambitions, but also for its role as the lander that NASA will use during the Artemis 3 and 4 Moon landing missions. The first is schedule to take place by mid-2027.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCongratulations to @SpaceX on Starship\u2019s seventh test flight and the second successful booster catch,\u201d said Bill Nelson, the outgoing NASA administrator in a post on X. \u201cSpaceflight is not easy. It\u2019s anything but routine. That\u2019s why these tests are so important\u2014each one bringing us closer on our path to the Moon and onward to Mars through #Artemis.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A still image taken from video of what is reportedly the remnants of SpaceX\u2019s Starship upper stage as seen from the vantage point of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Image: Alex Davenport SpaceX\u2019s seventh flight of its Starship rocket was a combination of great success and catastrophic loss, with a catch of its Super Heavy [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[316,317,1204],"class_list":["post-9930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-spacex","tag-starship","tag-starship-flight-7"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9930"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9930"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9930\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}