Overview

• The Starship vehicle lost attitude control about 30 minutes into flight following fuel leaks, resulting in a rapid unscheduled disassembly over the Indian Ocean.
• For the first time a flight-proven Super Heavy booster was used, detaching as planned but losing contact and crashing into the Gulf of Mexico.
• A payload-bay door malfunction prevented the release of eight dummy Starlink satellites, halting key on-orbit objectives.
• Elon Musk hailed the mission as a “big improvement” over prior demos and said SpaceX will target launches every three to four weeks for the next three flights.
• NASA’s 2027 lunar landing plans remain tied to Starship’s progress, with the FAA continuing to adjust safety measures for upcoming launches.