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FAA briefly stops the flights to Florida airports after the failure of the SpaceX test

SpaceX 'Mega Rocket Starship stands out for a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

Eric Gay | AP

The Federal Aviation Administration briefly stopped the flights to several airports in Florida on Thursday evening after a SpaceX starship test.

The incident marked the second time this year that SpaceX experienced a mishap during a flight test of the spaceship, which led to the fact that debris was regulated down and cultivated flights were disturbed.

The affected airports included Miami International Airport, which is one American airlines Hub and airports who operate Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando, Florida.

In an explanation on Thursday, the regulatory authority said that SpaceX is now asking to “carry out a misconception of the loss of the Starship vehicle during the starting operation on March 6”.

During the event, according to the FAA, she activated “a rubble reaction area and slowed down the aircraft outside the area where Space vehicle stores fell, or stopped aircraft at her departure location. Normal operating processes have resumed.”

SpaceX said on Thursday evening in a post on X: “During the rise of the starship burning, the vehicle experienced a quick unscheduled disassembly and the contact was lost. Our team immediately started coordinating with security officers to implement planned emergency answers.”

The aviation company and defense entrepreneur led by Elon Musk have also planned to “check the data from today's flight test” in order to better understand the basic cause of the misfortune.

The Starship started from the company's room camp near Brownsville, Texas, at 6:30 p.m. ET for his eighth test flight.

In a live stream that shows the test flight, several engines seemed to be cut out when the starship vehicle in the upper stage still rose. The company then lost communication with the spaceship, but was able to successfully use the arms of his starting tower to catch the super heavy booster of the rocket.

On January 16, dozens of flights were distracted after SpaceX's rocket set off from SpaceX, and the faa warned of “Space Vehicle Debris”. The regulatory authority had warned the pilots in front of “dangerous areas of falling ruins of the rocket spaceship”.

Commercial airlines, private aircraft and the space industry compete for airspace, especially in the overloaded area of ​​Florida.

SpaceX worked on a misfortune examination on what caused the earlier incident, i.e. the FAA was allowed to continue with the eighth test flight before the request was completed.

SpaceX did not immediately respond to a request for further information.

The highest and most powerful rocket that has ever been brought onto the market is of crucial importance for SpaceX's ambitions. When it is stacked on the super heavy booster, the spaceship is 403 foot high and has a diameter of about 30 feet.