Key facts
- SpaceX's Starship experienced a propulsion system malfunction during its orbital debut on Monday.
- The engine failure occurred after Starship separated from its lower-stage booster rocket.
- Starship is a key component for NASA's Artemis program, aiming for a crewed moon landing by 2028.
- The malfunction could impact the timeline for astronaut missions to the moon.
- SpaceX is competing with Blue Origin to provide the first crewed lunar lander for Artemis.
- NASA's Artemis II mission successfully sent astronauts around the moon and back.
The orbital debut of SpaceX's Starship spacecraft on Monday was marred by an engine failure, a development that could complicate NASA's timeline for astronaut missions to the moon. Starship, designed to carry large payloads, is one of two vehicles NASA plans to use for crewed lunar landings as early as 2028, a feat not achieved since 1972.
Despite accomplishing several key objectives during the test flight from Texas, the mission was cut short by several hours due to a malfunction in its propulsion system. One of Starship's three main Raptor engines shut down unexpectedly after separating from its lower-stage booster rocket. Flight controllers proceeded with sending the spacecraft to orbit for its first-ever commercial satellite deployment.
The investigation into the engine glitch is critical for SpaceX's commercial ambitions, including its Starlink satellite network. However, the stakes are higher for NASA, as a Starship moon-landing vehicle would utilize the same engine system for transporting astronauts to and from the lunar surface. The severity of the setback depends on whether the failure is an isolated incident or indicative of a larger design problem requiring fleet-wide upgrades, according to aerospace engineer Dean Sladen.
Any delay in subsequent flights, including planned tests for catching the ship with launch tower arms after re-entry, could impact the schedule. Raptor engine and propulsion system issues have contributed to previous Starship setbacks. SpaceX is competing with Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin to provide the first crewed lunar lander for NASA's Artemis program. NASA aims to return astronauts to the moon by 2028, ahead of China's planned 2030 landing. A functioning lunar lander is also needed for the precursor Artemis III mission, scheduled for summer 2027, to test rendezvous and docking maneuvers.