SpaceX released an update on the failure of Falcon 9s second stage at the end of the Starlink 11-4 mission that launched February 1:
No Property Damage, No Injuries
It’s important to note that there was no real property damage reported, and that no one was injured as a result of the reentry of the second stage used for this mission.
FAA: No Investigation
On February 24, 2025, the FAA released the following statement:
The FAA determined that all flight events for the SpaceX Starlink 11-4 mission occurred within the scope of SpaceX’s licensed activities and that SpaceX satisfied safety at end-of-launch requirements. Per post-launch reporting requirements, SpaceX must identify any discrepancy or anomaly that occurred during the launch to the FAA within 90-days. The FAA has not identified any events that should be classified as a mishap at this time. Licensed flight activities and FAA oversight concluded upon SpaceX’s last exercise of control over the Falcon 9 vehicle.
SpaceX posted information on its website that the second stage from this launch reentered over Europe. The FAA is not investigating the uncontrolled reentry of the second stage nor the debris found in Poland.
SpaceX may continue licensed Falcon 9 operations.
Recent SpaceX Stage 2 Failures
| Mission | Date |
| Starlink 9-3 | July 11, 2024 |
| Crew 9 | September 28, 2025 |
| Starlink 11-4 | February 1, 2025 |
Falcon 9 Still Extremely Reliable
For 70+ missions the company launched between Starlink 9-3 and Starlink 11-4, S2 of Falcon 9 performed as expected. That more than a 96% success rate, but it is a decrease in reliability from previous years. Undoubtedly, SpaceX is working vigorously to identify and resolve any issues that contributed to recent de-orbit burns.
