The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered SpaceX to investigate the failure of its Starship booster during the company’s May 22 test flight, adding new uncertainty to the development timeline of the world’s most powerful rocket system.
The investigation order means SpaceX will be unable to conduct another Starship test launch until the inquiry is completed and federal regulators approve the company’s final report and corrective actions.
The FAA said the mishap occurred after stage separation when the Super Heavy booster attempted to return toward the Gulf of America following launch operations.
“After a thorough assessment of the operation, the FAA has determined the May 22 SpaceX Starship Flight 12 launch resulted in a mishap,” the agency said in a statement.
According to the FAA, no injuries or public property damage were reported during the incident.
The federal regulator stated it would oversee every stage of the SpaceX-led investigation and review all proposed corrective measures before authorizing future launches.
The incident could significantly affect SpaceX’s short-term launch schedule as the company pushes forward with development of its next-generation rocket system ahead of a widely anticipated initial public offering expected in mid-June.
SpaceX did not immediately comment on the FAA order.
The failed mission marked the first launch of SpaceX’s upgraded “V3” version of Starship, which includes extensive design changes intended to improve reliability and performance after several previous test failures.
Starship successfully launched from SpaceX’s Starbase facility in South Texas and managed to pass through the phase of maximum dynamic pressure before reaching space.
The mission initially appeared to proceed according to plan as the Super Heavy booster separated from the upper-stage spacecraft.
However, the booster encountered major problems moments later during a sustained engine burn intended to guide it back toward the launch area for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf.
The booster appeared to suffer either a major engine failure or multiple engine failures during the maneuver.
Video footage from the test flight showed the booster losing stability and tumbling uncontrollably toward the Gulf before likely exploding upon impact.
The upper-stage Starship vehicle also encountered technical problems during the mission.
SpaceX said the spacecraft lost one of its six Raptor engines after separation from the booster, forcing the company to abandon plans for a secondary sustained engine burn while in orbit.
That burn was considered one of the key testing objectives for the mission because it would have demonstrated improved orbital maneuvering capabilities for the upgraded spacecraft.
The failed test underscores the enormous technical challenges SpaceX continues to face as it attempts to build a fully reusable heavy-lift launch system capable of transporting cargo and astronauts to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
Starship is central to nearly every major long-term objective outlined by SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
The rocket system is designed to eventually carry massive payloads into orbit at dramatically lower costs than current launch vehicles.
SpaceX also plans to use Starship to expand deployment of its Starlink satellite internet constellation, which has become the company’s primary source of revenue and currently its most profitable operation.
The company has repeatedly emphasized that achieving full reusability is essential for reducing launch costs and scaling Starlink’s infrastructure globally.
In recent years, SpaceX has adopted an aggressive test-and-fail development approach, frequently accepting launch failures as part of the process of rapidly improving rocket technology.
Executives have previously argued that repeated testing accelerates engineering progress and allows the company to identify weaknesses more quickly than traditional aerospace development programs.
Still, the latest setback raises concerns about how quickly SpaceX can achieve operational reliability for Starship, particularly as competitors accelerate their own heavy-lift rocket programs.
The V3 version of Starship introduced major changes across both the booster and spacecraft.
Those upgrades included redesigned booster structures, third-generation Raptor engines, and additional modifications intended to improve durability and flight efficiency.
The company hoped the new design would significantly improve upon the previous 11 Starship test flights, several of which ended in explosions or partial mission failures.
Despite those upgrades, the latest flight showed that substantial engineering risks remain unresolved.
The FAA has already required SpaceX to conduct several mishap investigations during the Starship program’s development.
Federal regulators have increasingly tightened oversight of large commercial rocket systems as launch activity expands rapidly across the private space industry.
The agency has also imposed similar investigation requirements on other launch companies developing next-generation rockets.
Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, has likewise been required to complete FAA investigations while developing its heavy-lift New Glenn rocket.
Last week, the FAA cleared Blue Origin to resume New Glenn operations after completing its latest review process.
Blue Origin is expected to attempt another New Glenn launch within the coming weeks.
The growing rivalry between SpaceX and Blue Origin reflects intensifying competition in the commercial space sector, particularly in the race to dominate future satellite launches, lunar missions, and deep-space exploration programs.
Both companies are competing for lucrative government contracts from NASA and the US Department of Defense while also targeting rapidly growing commercial launch demand.
NASA is heavily dependent on Starship for its Artemis lunar exploration program.
Under current plans, a modified version of Starship will transport astronauts from lunar orbit to the Moon’s surface during future Artemis missions.
Any major delays in Starship’s development could therefore affect NASA’s broader lunar exploration timeline.
SpaceX has already secured billions of dollars in NASA contracts tied to lunar landing systems and deep-space transportation capabilities.
The company is also working toward eventually making Starship fully reusable, allowing both the booster and spacecraft to return safely after missions and fly repeatedly.
That goal remains one of the most ambitious engineering challenges in modern aerospace development.
The success of Falcon 9, SpaceX’s partially reusable rocket, demonstrated that reusable launch systems can dramatically reduce launch costs and increase launch frequency.
Starship is intended to expand that concept on a much larger scale.
Unlike Falcon 9, which can carry medium-weight payloads, Starship is designed to transport extremely heavy cargo, large satellite batches, and eventually human crews for interplanetary missions.
SpaceX believes the vehicle will ultimately become the backbone of future global space transportation infrastructure.
The company has continued to attract strong investor interest despite repeated Starship setbacks.
Investors view the rocket program as critical to SpaceX’s long-term valuation because of its potential to transform satellite deployment economics and unlock future Mars exploration ambitions.
The latest FAA investigation, however, may temporarily slow momentum as engineers work to determine the precise cause of the booster failure.
Regulators are expected to closely examine the performance of the upgraded Raptor engines, flight software systems, structural components, and booster return procedures during the review process.
SpaceX must now submit detailed findings and corrective actions before federal authorities will allow another Starship launch attempt.
Until then, the company’s next major milestone remains on hold as the world watches the future of one of the most ambitious rocket programs ever developed.
