The Federal Aviation Administration approved SpaceX for Starship Flight 10 operations after completing its Flight 9 mishap investigation. Flight 9 experienced booster failure during ocean landing attempts and upper stage complications during atmospheric reentry. SpaceX lost the Super Heavy booster when engineers pushed the vehicle beyond normal operational limits with higher attack angles. The company faced additional delays when the designated upper stage exploded during ground testing. Engineers constructed a temporary testing infrastructure to evaluate replacement hardware.
SpaceX plans to launch Flight 10 as early as next Sunday following the three-month operational pause. The mission will test second-generation upper stage systems and attempt tower recovery procedures for the spacecraft. Engineers will deploy Starlink simulator satellites and conduct in-space engine operations during the flight. The booster will perform a controlled water landing after multiple engine configuration evaluations. SpaceX modified fuel transfer systems and upgraded components that caused previous mission failures.
SpaceX plans to launch Flight 10 as early as next Sunday following the three-month operational pause. The mission will test second-generation upper stage systems and attempt tower recovery procedures for the spacecraft. Engineers will deploy Starlink simulator satellites and conduct in-space engine operations during the flight. The booster will perform a controlled water landing after multiple engine configuration evaluations. SpaceX modified fuel transfer systems and upgraded components that caused previous mission failures.
