FAA Concludes Blue Origin and SpaceX Mishap Investigations

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

On March 31, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the closure of two significant mishap investigations involving Blue Origin and SpaceX. These investigations stemmed from separate incidents that occurred during test flights in January 2025, highlighting the challenges of pushing the boundaries of space travel. This article breaks down what happened, why the FAA got involved, and what comes next for these two major players in the commercial space industry.

The Incidents: What Went Wrong

The story begins on January 16, 2025, a busy day for spaceflight with two ambitious test launches occurring just hours apart. Blue Origin, a company founded by Jeff Bezos, launched its New Glenn rocket for the first time from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The rocket successfully reached orbit, marking a historic achievement as the first commercial rocket to do so on its debut flight. However, the plan to recover the first stage—the reusable lower part of the rocket—didn’t go as hoped. The booster, intended to land on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean, failed to restart its engines for the reentry burn. As a result, it was lost, triggering an FAA investigation.

Later that same day, SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, conducted the seventh test flight of its massive Starship rocket from its Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas. The launch started strong: the Super Heavy booster separated cleanly and returned to the launch site, where it was caught by mechanical arms in a groundbreaking maneuver. But the upper stage, known simply as Starship, encountered trouble. About eight and a half minutes into the flight, it exploded over the Caribbean near the Turks and Caicos Islands, scattering debris and prompting another FAA probe. While no one was hurt, the incident disrupted air traffic and raised questions about property damage on the islands.

Why the FAA Steps In

The FAA’s role in these events isn’t about punishing companies—it’s about ensuring safety. The agency oversees all commercial space launches in the United States, setting rules to protect people on the ground, in the air, and even at sea. When something goes wrong during a launch, like a rocket failing to land or exploding mid-flight, the FAA labels it a “mishap” and requires an investigation. These reviews focus on figuring out what happened and making sure it doesn’t pose a risk to the public in the future.

For Blue Origin and SpaceX, this meant leading their own investigations under FAA supervision. The companies had to dig into the causes of their respective failures and propose fixes, which the FAA then reviewed. This process isn’t quick, but it’s thorough, designed to keep spaceflight safe as it becomes more common.

Blue Origin’s Findings and Fixes

For Blue Origin’s New Glenn, the investigation pinpointed the problem: the first stage couldn’t restart its engines after separating from the upper stage. Without this reentry burn, the booster couldn’t slow down or steer properly, leading to its loss in the ocean. The company identified seven corrective actions to address this, focusing on improving how the rocket manages its fuel and controls its engine systems during flight. Blue Origin has said it plans to test these changes and attempt another booster landing on its next flight, tentatively scheduled for late spring 2025.

The FAA has accepted these findings and cleared New Glenn to fly again, provided Blue Origin follows through on its fixes and meets all other licensing requirements. This green light is a big step forward for the company, which has been working to compete with SpaceX and others in the race to launch satellites and, eventually, people into space.

SpaceX’s Starship Challenges

SpaceX’s Starship investigation revealed a different issue. The upper stage’s explosion was traced back to unexpectedly strong vibrations during flight. These vibrations put too much stress on the propulsion system, causing hardware to fail and the vehicle to break apart. The company came up with 11 corrective actions to strengthen the system and reduce those vibrations, which it implemented before its next test flight—Flight 8—on March 6, 2025.

Unfortunately, that flight didn’t go smoothly either. The Starship upper stage was lost again, under similar circumstances, and a new investigation is now underway. The FAA closed the Flight 7 case on March 31, 2025, confirming that SpaceX’s fixes for that incident were sound. However, the rocket remains grounded until the Flight 8 review is complete. This back-and-forth shows how tricky it can be to perfect a vehicle as complex as Starship, which SpaceX hopes will one day carry humans to the Moon and Mars.

What Happens Next

With the FAA’s approval, Blue Origin can move forward with its next New Glenn launch, aiming to prove its booster landing technology works. Success here could open doors to more contracts, like those with NASA for Mars missions or Amazon for its satellite internet project. The company’s ability to recover and reuse its rockets will be key to keeping costs down and staying competitive.

SpaceX, meanwhile, faces a longer road. The ongoing Flight 8 investigation means no Starship launches until the FAA gives the all-clear. Each test flight builds on the last, and while setbacks like these are part of the process, they delay SpaceX’s ambitious timeline. The company’s goal is to make Starship a reliable, reusable spacecraft, but ironing out these issues takes time and patience.

The Bigger Picture

These investigations highlight the growing pains of commercial spaceflight. Both Blue Origin and SpaceX are testing cutting-edge technology, and failures are a natural part of that journey. The FAA’s oversight ensures that as these companies push limits, they don’t put people at risk. For the public, it’s a reminder that space travel, while exciting, is still a work in progress.

The closure of these probes doesn’t mean everything’s solved—it’s more like a checkpoint. Blue Origin can press ahead with confidence, while SpaceX has more hurdles to clear. Together, their efforts are shaping a future where space becomes more accessible, one launch at a time.

Summary

The FAA’s decision on March 31, 2025, to close the Blue Origin and SpaceX mishap investigations marks a key moment for both companies. Blue Origin’s New Glenn is back on track after addressing its booster landing failure, with plans to fly again soon. SpaceX resolved issues from Starship’s seventh flight but must now tackle a new investigation after its eighth test faltered. These steps reflect the FAA’s focus on safety and the ongoing challenges of advancing space technology. For anyone watching, it’s a front-row seat to the evolving story of human space exploration.

Last update on 2025-12-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API