FAA Grounds SpaceX Starship After Booster Crashes in Gulf

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded all SpaceX Starship launches following a mishap during the 12th prototype test flight on May 22, 2026. While the mission debuted the Version 3 rocket and a new launch tower at Starbase, Texas, the Super Heavy booster experienced an engine failure during its return to Earth. The booster's 33 Raptor engines cut out during the planned flip and boostback maneuver, causing the vehicle to tumble and crash into the Gulf of Mexico rather than performing a controlled splashdown.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. successfully achieved other mission goals, as the Starship upper stage orbited the globe, deployed 20 mock satellites, and completed a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Despite these successes, the FAA officially classified the booster failure as a mishap on May 27. The agency is requiring SpaceX to conduct a full investigation into the anomalies, which the FAA will oversee and approve before authorizing a return to flight.

The grounding occurs as SpaceX prepares for a planned $1.75 trillion IPO and continues its partnership with NASA for lunar landings by 2028. Separately, nearly 80 homeowners in Brownsville, Texas, have filed a lawsuit seeking over $1 million in damages, alleging that previous Starship tests caused structural damage to their homes through sonic booms and vibrations.