FAA orders SpaceX to investigate Starship V3 booster failure in Texas

The US Federal Aviation Administration has grounded SpaceX's Starship rocket pending an investigation into why the first V3 booster failed during its inaugural test flight. SpaceX must identify the cause of the failure before flights can resume. The incident occurred at the SpaceX launch facility in Texas.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered SpaceX to conduct a full investigation into the failure of its first Starship V3 booster, effectively grounding the vehicle until the cause is determined. The failure occurred during the booster's inaugural test flight at SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas.

The FAA's grounding order means that no further Starship flights can take place until SpaceX completes its investigation and the agency is satisfied with the findings. This is standard procedure following anomalies during commercial spaceflight operations, and the FAA has applied it consistently to SpaceX's Starship program throughout its development.

The V3 booster represents a significant upgrade over previous iterations of the Super Heavy rocket that powers Starship into orbit. The failure during its very first test flight is a setback for SpaceX, which has been pushing to increase the cadence of Starship launches in support of both commercial and NASA missions. The company has not yet disclosed technical details about what went wrong.

SpaceX has previously navigated FAA investigations following earlier Starship anomalies and has each time returned the vehicle to flight after implementing corrective measures. The company is expected to submit its findings to the FAA once the internal review is complete, after which regulators will decide whether to lift the grounding order.