The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is calling for an investigation into SpaceX’s recent Starship test flight that went out of control.
Tuesday’s launch from Texas lasted longer than SpaceX’s previous two failed attempts, which both ended with explosions over the Atlantic Ocean. This time, the spacecraft traveled halfway around the world to the Indian Ocean before spinning out and breaking apart.
The FAA confirmed on Friday that no injuries or public property damage occurred during the flight.
The first-stage booster, reused from an earlier mission, also broke apart during its descent over the Gulf of Mexico. However, this was part of a planned, extreme test that had FAA approval beforehand.
All debris from the massive 403-foot (123-meter) rocket fell within designated safety zones, according to FAA officials.
The FAA will supervise SpaceX’s investigation, which must be completed before the company can proceed with another Starship launch.
Elon Musk, SpaceX’s CEO, expressed his desire to increase the frequency of Starship test flights, aiming to eventually send missions to Mars. NASA plans to use Starship as the vehicle for landing astronauts on the moon within the next few years.