# SpaceX Starship launches are on hold pending an investigation into last week's test flight.

*aerospace · news · 2026-05-28 · Phys.org*

## Key points

- The FAA has paused all SpaceX Starship launches following a mishap in last week's test flight.
- Starship's booster engines failed during return, causing a hard impact instead of a controlled splashdown.
- Despite booster issues, Starship released 20 mock satellites and completed its own splashdown in the Indian Ocean.
- FAA confirms there were no injuries or property damage, but now oversees SpaceX's investigation into the mishap.

SpaceX Starship launches are on hold pending an investigation into last week's test flight. The Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday that the hourlong spaceflight resulted in a mishap based on the performance of the mega rocket's first-stage booster. Minutes after Starship blasted off from Texas on Friday, the booster separated as normal but engines conked out as it made its way back to Earth. Instead of a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, the booster came in hard. There were no reports of injury or property damage, according to the FAA, which will oversee the company's investigation. The spacecraft continued around the world, releasing 20 mock satellites before ending the mission as planned with a fiery splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The 407-foot (124-meter) rocket is SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's biggest and most powerful Starship yet, designed to carry crews to Mars. NASA is looking for it to land astronauts on the moon as soon as 2028 and help build a lunar base. © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

**Companies:** SpaceX
**Countries:** United States

[Read the full story on Phys.org](https://phys.org/news/2026-05-spacex-starship-rockets-grounded-pending.html)

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