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Starship flight test 8

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Starship flight test 8

Starship flight test 8 was the eighth flight test of a SpaceX Starship launch vehicle. The launch tower successfully caught Booster 15; Ship 34 was destroyed before completing its planned flight, as during its initial burn four of the six engines experienced premature shutdowns that resulted in a loss of attitude control followed by a total loss of telemetry. The vehicle's breakup was observed from the Bahamas, Florida, Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands. It was the second flight and second failure of a Block 2 ship. SpaceX had previously aborted a launch attempt late into the count on March 3, 2025, with a second attempt lifting off on March 6, 2025, at 5:30:31 pm CST (23:30:31 UTC).

Infobox

Mission type
Flight test
Operator
SpaceX
Spacecraft
Starship Ship 34
Spacecraft type
Starship (Block 2)
Manufacturer
SpaceX
Payload mass
8,000 kg (18,000 lb)
Launch date
March 6, 2025, 5:30:31 pm CST (23:30:31 UTC)
Rocket
Super Heavy (Block 2, B15-1)
Launch site
Starbase, OLP-1
Deployed from
Boca Chica, Texas
Disposal
Ship: Flight termination system activated after engine explosion due to hardware failure and fire
Destroyed
Ship: March 6, 2025, 5:40:06 pm CST (23:40:06 UTC)
Landing date
Super Heavy: March 6, 2025, 5:37:33 pm CST (23:37:33 UTC)
Landing site
Super Heavy: Starbase, OLP-1
Regime
Suborbital
Perigee altitude
−3,600 km (−2,200 mi)
Apogee altitude
146 km (91 mi)
Inclination
26.4°
Mass
8,000 kg (18,000 lb)

Tables

· Mission profile
1
1
Attempt
1
Planned
3 Mar 2025, 5:45:00 pm
Result
Scrubbed
Turnaround
Reason
Technical
Decision point
3 Mar 2025, 5:54 pm ​(T−00:00:40 hold)
Weather go (%)
65%
Notes
Multiple undisclosed problems with first and second stages.
2
2
Attempt
2
Planned
6 Mar 2025, 5:30:24 pm
Result
Failure
Turnaround
2 days 23 hours 45 minutes
Reason
Technical
Decision point
6 Mar 2025, 5:39 pm ​(T+00:09:35)
Notes
Hardware Failure in a second stage engine resulting in loss of control and breakup of the vehicle.
Attempt
Planned
Result
Turnaround
Reason
Decision point
Weather go (%)
Notes
1
3 Mar 2025, 5:45:00 pm
Scrubbed
Technical
3 Mar 2025, 5:54 pm (T−00:00:40 hold)
65%
Multiple undisclosed problems with first and second stages.
2
6 Mar 2025, 5:30:24 pm
Failure
2 days 23 hours 45 minutes
Technical
6 Mar 2025, 5:39 pm (T+00:09:35)
Hardware Failure in a second stage engine resulting in loss of control and breakup of the vehicle.
· Mission profile › Flight timeline
−01:15:00
−01:15:00
Time
−01:15:00
Event
Flight director conducts a poll and verifies go for propellant loading
March 3, 2025
Go for propellant loading
March 6, 2025
Go for propellant loading
−00:45:59
−00:45:59
Time
−00:45:59
Event
Starship oxidizer (liquid oxygen) load start
March 3, 2025
Success
March 6, 2025
Success
−00:42:59
−00:42:59
Time
−00:42:59
Event
Starship fuel (liquid methane) load start
March 3, 2025
Success
March 6, 2025
Success
−00:41:22
−00:41:22
Time
−00:41:22
Event
Super Heavy fuel (liquid methane) load start
March 3, 2025
Success
March 6, 2025
Success
−00:35:35
−00:35:35
Time
−00:35:35
Event
Super Heavy oxidizer (liquid oxygen) load start
March 3, 2025
Success
March 6, 2025
Success
−00:19:40
−00:19:40
Time
−00:19:40
Event
Super Heavy and Starship engine chill
March 3, 2025
Success
March 6, 2025
Success
−00:03:20
−00:03:20
Time
−00:03:20
Event
Starship propellant load complete
March 3, 2025
Success
March 6, 2025
Success
−00:02:50
−00:02:50
Time
−00:02:50
Event
Super Heavy propellant load complete
March 3, 2025
Success
March 6, 2025
Success
−00:00:30
−00:00:30
Time
−00:00:30
Event
Flight director verifies go for launch
March 3, 2025
No goLaunch scrubbed at T-00:00:40
March 6, 2025
Go for launch
−00:00:10
−00:00:10
Time
−00:00:10
Event
Flame deflector activation
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
−00:00:03
−00:00:03
Time
−00:00:03
Event
Super Heavy engine ignition
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
+00:00:02
+00:00:02
Time
+00:00:02
Event
Liftoff
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
+00:01:02
+00:01:02
Time
+00:01:02
Event
Throttle down for max q during ascent (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
+00:02:32
+00:02:32
Time
+00:02:32
Event
Super Heavy most engines cutoff (MECO)
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
+00:02:40
+00:02:40
Time
+00:02:40
Event
Starship engine ignition and stage separation (hot-staging)
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
+00:02:45
+00:02:45
Time
+00:02:45
Event
Super Heavy boostback burn start
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Partial failure8 out of 10 engines reignited
+00:04:06
+00:04:06
Time
+00:04:06
Event
Super Heavy boostback burn shutdown
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
+00:04:08
+00:04:08
Time
+00:04:08
Event
Hot-stage jettison
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
+00:06:34
+00:06:34
Time
+00:06:34
Event
Super Heavy landing burn start
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Partial failure12 out of 13 engines ignited
+00:07:02
+00:07:02
Time
+00:07:02
Event
Super Heavy landing burn shutdown and catch
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Success
+00:08:44
+00:08:44
Time
+00:08:44
Event
Starship engine cutoff (SECO)
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
FailureEngines began to fail at T+08:04 and vehicle spun out of control, Ship Destroyed at T+09:35
+00:17:24
+00:17:24
Time
+00:17:24
Event
Starlink simulator satellites deploy demo
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
+00:37:28
+00:37:28
Time
+00:37:28
Event
Raptor in-space relight demo
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
+00:47:22
+00:47:22
Time
+00:47:22
Event
Starship atmospheric reentry
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
+01:03:05
+01:03:05
Time
+01:03:05
Event
Starship is transonic
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
+01:04:20
+01:04:20
Time
+01:04:20
Event
Starship is subsonic
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
+01:06:04
+01:06:04
Time
+01:06:04
Event
Starship landing flip
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
+01:06:06
+01:06:06
Time
+01:06:06
Event
Starship landing burn
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
+01:06:26
+01:06:26
Time
+01:06:26
Event
Starship splashdown
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
Source: SpaceX
Source: SpaceX
Time
Source: SpaceX
Time
Event
March 3, 2025
March 6, 2025
−01:15:00
Flight director conducts a poll and verifies go for propellant loading
Go for propellant loading
Go for propellant loading
−00:45:59
Starship oxidizer (liquid oxygen) load start
Success
Success
−00:42:59
Starship fuel (liquid methane) load start
Success
Success
−00:41:22
Super Heavy fuel (liquid methane) load start
Success
Success
−00:35:35
Super Heavy oxidizer (liquid oxygen) load start
Success
Success
−00:19:40
Super Heavy and Starship engine chill
Success
Success
−00:03:20
Starship propellant load complete
Success
Success
−00:02:50
Super Heavy propellant load complete
Success
Success
−00:00:30
Flight director verifies go for launch
No goLaunch scrubbed at T-00:00:40
Go for launch
−00:00:10
Flame deflector activation
Success
−00:00:03
Super Heavy engine ignition
Success
+00:00:02
Liftoff
Success
+00:01:02
Throttle down for max q during ascent (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
Success
+00:02:32
Super Heavy most engines cutoff (MECO)
Success
+00:02:40
Starship engine ignition and stage separation (hot-staging)
Success
+00:02:45
Super Heavy boostback burn start
Partial failure8 out of 10 engines reignited
+00:04:06
Super Heavy boostback burn shutdown
Success
+00:04:08
Hot-stage jettison
Success
+00:06:34
Super Heavy landing burn start
Partial failure12 out of 13 engines ignited
+00:07:02
Super Heavy landing burn shutdown and catch
Success
+00:08:44
Starship engine cutoff (SECO)
FailureEngines began to fail at T+08:04 and vehicle spun out of control, Ship Destroyed at T+09:35
+00:17:24
Starlink simulator satellites deploy demo
+00:37:28
Raptor in-space relight demo
+00:47:22
Starship atmospheric reentry
+01:03:05
Starship is transonic
+01:04:20
Starship is subsonic
+01:06:04
Starship landing flip
+01:06:06
Starship landing burn
+01:06:26
Starship splashdown
Source: SpaceX

References

  1. McDowell, Jonathan [@planet4589]
    https://x.com/planet4589/status/1897805482443591708
  2. NBC News
    https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/spacex-loses-starship-rocket-test-flight-prior-explosion-rcna194923
  3. Space.com
    https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/watch-fiery-spacex-starship-flight-8-debris-rain-down-over-the-bahamas-video
  4. CNN
    https://www.cnn.com/science/live-news/spacex-starship-flight-8-launch-03-03-25/index.html
  5. "Standing down from today's flight test attempt. Starship team is determining the next best available opportunity to fly"
    https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1896710779761758449
  6. This Is How It Ends. That's Going To Do It
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1LYWzFnf3c&t=291s
  7. Booster Catch, Ship Failure & The Path to Starship Flight 8. Starbase Update
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLMxpXP9FHc&t=261s
  8. Booster 15 Ready For Testing Ahead of Starship Flight 8
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvx0XZGqSFI&t=639s
  9. SpaceX Performs Testing with Booster 15 for Starship Flight 8
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AozAHAQTbGs&t=3961s
  10. Starship Flight 8 Testing Begins With A 33 Engine Static Fire
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxIayuCj5d4&t=255s
  11. SpaceX Performs Static Fire with Ship 34 for Starship Flight 8
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2ExgpezyuE&t=4630s
  12. SpaceX
    https://www.spacex.com/updates/#flight-7-report
  13. SpaceX Rolls Booster 15 Ahead of Flight 8
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arl6XbdwwE0
  14. The Stacking of Ship 34 and Booster 15 – Countdown to Launch
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWLExMk0CMI
  15. Ars Technica
    https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/01/fire-destroys-starship-on-its-seventh-test-flight-raining-debris-from-space/
  16. Associated Press
    https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-launch-accident-e69d04467e2def65d2bc6b0e9645d715
  17. Federal Aviation Administration
    https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/statements/general-statements
  18. MarketWatch
    https://www.marketwatch.com/story/spacexs-starship-blew-up-elon-musk-says-its-barely-a-bump-in-the-road-20250116
  19. FAA.gov
    https://drs.faa.gov/browse/excelExternalWindow/DRSDOCID173891218620231102140506.0001
  20. SpaceX.com
    https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-8
  21. "FLY. LEARN. REPEAT"
    https://www.spacex.com/updates/#flight-8-report
  22. Space.com
    https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/faa-investigating-spacex-starship-flight-8-explosion-that-disrupted-commercial-flights
  23. FAA
    https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/statements/general-statements
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