{"id":293456,"date":"2025-08-18T02:30:54","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T09:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teslarati.com\/?p=293456"},"modified":"2025-08-18T02:30:56","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T09:30:56","slug":"faa-clears-spacex-starship-flight-10-after-probe-flight-9-mishap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teslarati.com\/faa-clears-spacex-starship-flight-10-after-probe-flight-9-mishap\/","title":{"rendered":"FAA clears SpaceX for Starship Flight 10 after probe into Flight 9 mishap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Federal Aviation Administration has closed its review of SpaceX\u2019s Starship Flight 9 mishap, clearing the way for the next launch attempt as soon as August 24. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flight 9 ended with the loss of both the Super Heavy booster and the upper stage, but regulators accepted SpaceX\u2019s findings that a fuel component failure was the root cause. No public safety concerns were reported from the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starship recovery lessons<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

SpaceX noted that Flight 9<\/a> marked the first reuse of a Super Heavy booster. Unlike prior attempts, the company did not try a tower \u201cchopsticks\u201d recovery, opting instead for an offshore return that ended in a destructive breakup. The upper stage was also lost over the Indian Ocean.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As per the FAA in its statement, \u201cThere are no reports of public injury or damage to public property. The FAA oversaw and accepted the findings of the SpaceX-led investigation. The final mishap report cites the probable root cause for the loss of the Starship vehicle as a failure of a fuel component. SpaceX identified corrective actions to prevent a reoccurrence of the event.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SpaceX also highlighted that Flight 9\u2019s debris did not harm any wildlife. \u201cSpaceX works with an experienced global response provider to retrieve any debris that may wash up in South Texas and\/or Mexico as a result of Starship flight test operations. During the survey of the expected debris field from the booster, there was no evidence of any floating or deceased marine life that would signal booster debris impact harmed animals in the vicinity,\u201d the private space company noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Watch Starship's tenth flight test \u2192 https:\/\/t.co\/UIwbeGoo2B<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/gbQv9akMO9<\/a><\/p>— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 15, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>