SpaceX Working to Resume Starship Launches

SpaceX is preparing to resume Starship launches, but the company says the timeline still depends on the FAA investigation into a recent test-flight mishap.

A June 12 report said SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell described the company as working toward a return to flight for Starship, the heavy-lift rocket at the center of SpaceX's future launch plans. Shotwell said the company still has to wait for the FAA review to finish before flying again.

What happened

The return-to-flight effort follows a May 22 Starship V3 maiden flight that ended in a booster splashdown mishap. A separate late-May report said the FAA grounded the vehicle and ordered a full investigation after the incident.

That report said the upper stage completed its mission and reentered successfully, while the Super Heavy booster did not complete its planned soft splashdown.

SpaceX's next steps

According to the June 12 report, SpaceX is planning longer orbital missions once Starship returns to the pad. The company is also considering a first Starship launch from Florida.

Those steps would mark an important next phase for the program, which SpaceX has positioned as central to its broader launch business and long-term development goals.

Why it matters

Starship is SpaceX's next-generation rocket system and a key part of plans tied to Starlink growth, future AI satellite deployment and NASA's lunar ambitions.

Any delay in return to flight could slow the program's test cadence and push back work on the vehicle's operational path. For now, the main open question is when the FAA will finish its investigation and allow the rocket to fly again.