FAA approves Starship Flight 10 after mishap probe, eyes August 24 launch

Date:
Sat, 16 Aug 2025 03:36:42 +0000

Description:
SpaceX has received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct the 10th test The post FAA approves Starship Flight 10 after
mishap probe, eyes August 24 launch appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .

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SpaceX has received clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct the 10th test flight of its Starship rocket, with a targeted
launch date of August 24.

The approval for Flight 10 comes after the closure of an investigation into anomalies during the vehicles previous mission, marking a key step forward in SpaceXs test program.

The FAA announced on Friday morning that it had concluded its review of the mishap from Starships Flight 9, which occurred earlier this year. That test involved Booster 14, making its second flight as the Super Heavy first stage, paired with Ship 35. "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." @FAANews

@SpaceX https://t.co/OWiiz4s4lq pic.twitter.com/Qa0Xua0fXV

Ryan Caton (@dpoddolphinpro) August 15, 2025



Unlike the prior two flights, Ship 35 successfully completed its ascent and reached engine cutoff, a significant return to confidence for the propulsion systems performance in space. However, during the subsequent coast phase, the vehicle lost attitude control, leading to an uncontrolled reentry and destruction upon atmospheric entry.

The incident prompted a mandatory FAA-mandated investigation, requiring
SpaceX to submit a detailed report outlining the failures causes and corrective actions.

In an update posted on its official website following the FAAs announcement, SpaceX revealed that the probable root cause was a failure in the diffuser component of the main fuel tank pressurization system. Located at the top of the forward dome in the methane tank, the diffuser supplies pressurization gases to maintain tank integrity as fuel is depleted during flight.

According to SpaceX, the diffusers failure caused a leak from the methane
tank into the nosecone area, increasing pressure and eventually allowing liquid methane to seep in. This rapidly cooled critical systems, triggering automatic passivation commands that vented all remaining propellant into space.

Engineers replicated the failure mode at the companys test facilities in McGregor, Texas, and have since redesigned the diffuser to reduce structural strain. The updated component has undergone extensive qualification testing
in preparation for future flights. While SpaceX likely completed much of the analytical work quickly, the reports finalization depended on verifying changes through pre-launch testing for Flight 10, thus extending the timeline for conclusions and approval.

This aligns with recent developments, including the completion of Ship 37s testing earlier this week without incident.



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Adding to the programs challenges, SpaceX disclosed details on the loss of Ship 36, originally slated for Flight 10, which exploded during ground
testing in June. Although not requiring an FAA mishap probe since it occurred pre-flight, the company conducted its own internal review.

The update stated: The most probable root cause was identified as
undetectable or under-screened damage to a composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV) in Starships payload bay section, which failed and resulted in structural failure of the vehicle, causing subsequent propellant mixing and ignition.

In response, SpaceX is enhancing inspections, proof tests, and handling protections for COPVs, while also planning to operate them at reduced pressures to mitigate risks. With both investigations resolved, attention now turns to Flight 10. The launch window opens at 6:30 p.m. Central Time on August 24, lasting one hour, and will feature Booster 16 and Ship 37.

SpaceX plans to retry experiments from the last three Block 2 ship flights, including ascent and coast maneuvers on the upper stage, alongside entry and landing tests on the booster similar to those attempted in Flight 9.

While SpaceX has emphasized that each flight builds on lessons from the last, accelerating progress toward operational status, the next two flights with
the Block 2 variation do allow for a focus on data gathering before Version 3 of the vehicle begins launching from Pad 2.

This variant will build on the lessons learned from the previous vehicles and press on toward becoming operational, including from KSCs 39A, which is set
to come online next year.



(Feature Image: Max Evans shot of Flight 9 for NSF).



The post FAA approves Starship Flight 10 after mishap probe, eyes August 24 launch appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com .



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Link to news story: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/08/faa-flight-10-mishap-probe-august-24/


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