SpaceX debuted the current generation of Starship vehicles in January, following a clean run of test missions with a slightly scaled-down version of the rocket in 2024.
But 2025 has proven to be a very trying year for the program.
During two separate test flights in January and March, the vehicle exploded near populated islands east of Florida, creating debris that hit roadways in Turks and Caicos and washed up onto Bahamian islands.
On another test flight in May, the launch system performed notably better, but the Starship spacecraft ultimately spun out of control as it headed toward its landing site. Even the Super Heavy booster, which was meant to make a controlled splashdown in the Gulf, was smashed into smithereens.
Following those three incidents — each of which triggered months-long investigations overseen by federal regulators — SpaceX hit another setback when a Starship spacecraft exploded during a ground test in June.
Engineers likely breathed a deep sigh of relief when the last test flight in August appeared to go smoothly, concluding with controlled splashdowns of both the Super Heavy booster and Starship spacecraft.
Still, the company has long sung the same refrain about errors during test missions: “With a test like this, success comes from what we learn.”
That’s because SpaceX employs an engineering approach called “rapid iterative development,” which emphasizes building relatively low-cost prototypes and launching frequent test flights.
The goal? Hash out rocket designs faster and at cheaper price points, rather than relying on slower, more methodical engineering approaches.
