STARBASE, Texas — SpaceX launched its ninth Starship test flight Tuesday evening from its Starbase facility near Brownsville, achieving several important goals—even though the mission ended with both stages lost during landing and reentry.
The giant 403-foot rocket lifted off at 6:36 p.m., watched by thousands of spectators along South Padre Island and Port Isabel. This flight marked the first time SpaceX reused a Super Heavy booster, an important step toward making space travel cheaper and more sustainable.
The booster, known as Booster 14, successfully separated from the upper stage and began a controlled descent. But it failed to land properly and crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, the upper stage (Ship 35) reached space and conducted test maneuvers before suffering a propellant leak during reentry. That caused the ship to spin out of control and break apart over the Indian Ocean.
Despite the loss of both rocket stages, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called the mission a success in terms of gathering flight data. “We’re learning fast. Each test gets us closer to our goal,” Musk said in a post on X.
This was the fourth time Starship has reached space. The rocket is being developed to support future missions to the Moon and Mars, including NASA’s Artemis program. More test flights are expected soon, as new vehicles are already being prepared at Starbase.
The launch also brought another wave of visitors and excitement to the Rio Grande Valley, with local businesses reporting boosts in tourism and spending during launch events.
Watch the Launch:
For those interested in viewing the launch, a recording is available here: