Overview

• The Volo-9 mission lifted off from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas on May 27 and reached its planned Raptor engine shutdown before deploying eight Starlink simulators.
• About 1 hour and 15 minutes into flight, the Starship upper stage lost control during re-entry and exploded over the Indian Ocean at roughly 60 kilometers altitude.
• The Super Heavy booster separated as planned and was set to attempt a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico instead of being caught by SpaceX’s Mechazilla tower.
• SpaceX reported no significant thermal shield damage and confirmed the successful engine cutoff, noting the flight provided valuable data on reusability.
• Elon Musk pledged to accelerate Starship launches to one every three to four weeks as the company presses ahead with lunar and Mars mission goals.