On May 27, 2025, SpaceX conducted its ninth Starship test flight from Starbase, Texas. While the mission concluded with both the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage being lost, the flight achieved several significant milestones that mark progress in the development of SpaceX’s next-generation launch system.

Much was riding on Flight 9 for Elon Musk’s giant moon and Mars rocket after debris from January and March flights fell into the Atlantic Ocean, disrupting air travel.

The final concept, which was unveiled in 2019, consisted of a Starship composed of stainless steel instead of carbon fiber (per the original proposal), with reusable heat shield tiles on the windward side (similar to the Space Shuttle).

Southern California residents heard a sonic boom on Saturday. It was caused by SpaceX Dragon spacecraft re-entering Earth's atmosphere. The spacecraft carried research and supplies from the International Space Station.