The PIAs granted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have raised the cap on Starship launches in Texas from five to 25. This decision likely foreshadows an increase of testing on the ground. Despite this regulatory lift, the program has so far failed to produce positive results. In January, this time from the SpaceX side, Starship exploded on its seventh test flight after liftoff. It suffered a similar fate in March during another test. The first eight tests, up until the May test, were still yielding relatively low marks. The ninth test in May, however, was a dramatic improvement. Despite flying farther than ever before, Starship failed to deploy the dummy Starlink satellites it was carrying.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, has consistently downplayed any negative impact to the future of Starship. He indicated that the company is developing a larger “Version 3” of the spacecraft, which he claimed could fly as early as 2025. Musk himself touted a “50/50” chance of sending a Starship to Mars by 2026. This brief, yet action-packed statement underscores his extremely serious commitment to ambitious interplanetary goals.
SpaceX has had amazing success in catching Starship boosters during landings even after hitting obstacles. Sadly, they recently lost the ship to an anomaly in space during a test flight. The company has assured the public that there were “no hazards to residents in surrounding communities” following the recent explosion.
As SpaceX continues to navigate these hurdles, the focus remains on achieving a successful test flight that could pave the way for future missions.