SpaceX launches new V3 Starlink satellites but suffers another booster failure

SpaceX completed the 13th test flight of its Starship mega-rocket this Friday, achieving a significant milestone for the Starlink program. The mission successfully deployed the new V3 generation of satellites, which promise a potential twenty-fold increase in downlink capacity compared to the existing Falcon 9 fleet. While the upper stage performed well, surviving atmospheric reentry and floating in the Indian Ocean for inspection, the mission faced setbacks with the Super Heavy booster.

The booster failed to ignite the necessary engines during its simulated landing burn in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in an impact and explosion. This marks the second time the V3 version of the booster has encountered issues during landing operations. SpaceX replaced six engines before this launch to address previous aborts, showing the company maintains its high-risk development approach. The ability to reuse this booster remains a critical factor for the long-term economic viability of the project.

Financial markets reacted to the hardware performance. Shares fell roughly 2% in after-hours trading following the news of the booster loss. Since the company went public in June, its stock price has tracked downward, moving from a peak of over 200 dollars per share to 115 dollars at the close of this week. Executives have noted that the lack of full reusability for the Starship system poses a risk to the pace and cost of the Starlink network expansion.

Despite the landing failure, the mission provided valuable data. Engineers used a drone to examine the heat shield tiles on the belly of the Starship upper stage after it touched down in the ocean. The successful communication with the V3 satellites, even though they burned up after deployment, represents a technical success for the Starlink communications team. SpaceX continues to iterate on its hardware to reach the goal of achieving Earth orbit and lowering the cost of space internet delivery.