FAA requires SpaceX-led mishap investigation before resumption of Starship launches

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The FAA has required SpaceX to complete a mishap investigation before Starship can fly again after Flight 12. The agency said the Super Heavy booster’s off-nominal performance counted as a mishap and that it will oversee SpaceX’s investigation and corrective actions. SpaceX’s latest pause could delay Flight 13 and slow testing of Starship Version 3 hardware, including Raptor 3 engines. The incident matters commercially because SpaceX has tied Starship’s scale-up to Starlink deployment and other growth plans. The article also notes that SpaceX has faced similar mishap reviews after earlier Starship flights.

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