SpaceX Starship Flight 9 Overview

Key Objectives of Flight 9

• Reuse of Superheavy booster (Booster 14)
• Test payload door mechanism for deploying Starlink simulator satellites
• Conduct heat shield test with 100 removed tiles
• Achieve controlled re-entry and landing burn

Launch and Ascent

• Launched May 27, 2025, from Starbase, Texas
• All 33 Raptor engines ignited successfully
• Booster 14 demonstrated progress in reusability but lost during landing due to likely Raptor engine explosion
• Starship upper stage (Ship 35) reached space, completed scheduled engine cut off

Mid-flight Issues

• Fuel system leak led to loss of attitude control
• Affected reaction control system (RCS)
• Prevented planned objectives, including payload door operation
• Ship 35 disintegrated during uncontrolled re-entry over the Indian Ocean

Payload Door Failure Analysis

• Failure to open payload door prevented deployment of 8 Starlink simulator satellites
• Possible causes for failure:
  • Fuel System Leak: Loss of attitude control prevented necessary conditions for door opening
  • Mechanical/System Malfunction: Potential jam or electrical failure
  • Debris Obstruction: Speculated but not confirmed
  • Software/Command Issues: Disrupted sequence of commands needed to open door

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reaction

• FAA investigating incident focusing on booster loss and ship disintegration
• Standard procedure for anomalies during licensed launches
• FAA had increased allowed launches at Starbase from 5 to 25 annually
• Ongoing investigation; no specific statements on payload door failure yet

SpaceX Program Progress

• Successful reuse of Superheavy booster despite landing loss
• Reaching SECO (Second Engine Cut Off) with Ship 35 marked progress

Blue Origin Lunar Lander Updates

Blue Origin Lunar Lander Projects

• Updates from lunar surface innovation consortium meeting on May 19
• Blue Moon Mark 2 lander for NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS)
• Introduction of specialized transporter vehicle

Transporter Vehicle Development

• Aggregates and transports cryogenic propellants from low Earth orbit to moon
• Enables Blue Moon Mark 2 lander to execute lunar landing
• Transitioned from collaborative development to in-house

Technical Advancements and Challenges

• Use of New Glenn rocket for transporter launch
• Zero boil-off technology for cryogenic propellants
• Significant progress in creating systems to maintain stable storage of propellants
• Prototypes integrated and testing underway with flight-ready units by December 2025

Conclusion:

• Starship Flight 9 provided valuable data despite setbacks, highlighting areas needing improvement in control during coast phases and reliability of payload mechanisms.
• Blue Origin is making aggressive advancements in its lunar mission architecture, focusing on efficient fuel management and streamlined production processes.