Cape Canaveral: SpaceX Starship launches are on hold pending an investigation into last week's test flight.The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Wednesday that the hourlong spaceflight resulted in a mishap based on the performance of the mega rocket's first-stage booster.Minutes after Starship blasted off from Texas on Friday, the booster separated as normal but engines conked out as it made its way back to Earth. Instead of a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, the booster came in hard. There were no reports of injury or property damage, according to the FAA, which will oversee the company's investigation.The spacecraft continued around the world, releasing 20 mock satellites before ending the mission as planned with a fiery splashdown in the Indian Ocean.The 407-foot (124-metre) rocket is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's biggest and most powerful Starship yet, designed to carry crews to Mars. NASA is looking for it to land astronauts on the moon as soon as 2028 and help build a lunar base.
SpaceX's Starship rockets grounded pending investigation after test flight
SpaceX Starship launches are paused. An investigation is underway after a recent test flight. The rocket's first-stage booster experienced engine issues during its return. It did not achieve a controlled splashdown. The spacecraft itself completed its mission with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
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