SAN FRANCISCO — SpaceX successfully launched its first third-generation Starlink satellites Friday using an upgraded Starship prototype, marking the 13th test flight of the company's mega-rocket. But the Super Heavy booster again failed during a planned simulated landing in the Gulf of Mexico.
The booster lost during an engine relight attempt — the second such failure on a V3 Starship mission. The first V3 flight in May also saw its booster fail, that time during separation from the upper stage.
Consistent booster recovery is central to SpaceX's cost model. Each lost booster represents a direct hardware expense and delays full reusability for the Starship system — a core assumption in Starlink's long-term unit economics.
Starlink's expansion depends on a high launch cadence to grow global coverage and service capacity. Without full vehicle reusability, per-launch costs stay elevated, compressing margins as SpaceX competes against terrestrial broadband providers and satellite rivals.
Despite the booster loss, the Starship upper stage completed a simulated landing after deploying the satellites. The mission came just over a week after a prior launch attempt aborted due to multiple engine failures at ignition.
Two consecutive booster failures on V3 hardware add uncertainty to Starlink's deployment schedule and capital expenditure outlook at a moment when launch reliability is the program's most critical variable.
