FAA Investigates Explosive Landing of SpaceX’s Mars Starship Prototype | The Weather Channel – Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com – The…

The Federal Aviation Administration is overseeing an investigation into the crash of SpaceX's prototype Starship SN9 rocket this week.

The rocket, a prototype of the ship Elon Musk's company hopes will one day carry people to Mars, was undergoing a high-altitude test flight Tuesday.

The shiny stainless-steel rocket reached an altitude of 6.2 miles as planned, but it failed to right itself as it descended and instead slammed into the ground and exploded.

It was the second crash of a Starship prototype in less than three months. The first crash on Dec. 11 also prompted an investigation by the FAA, according to The Verge.

(WATCH: SpaceX Launches a Record 143 Satellites on one Falcon 9 Rocket)

CNN was first to report the latest investigation by the FAA, which regulates and licenses commercial space operations in the U.S.

"The FAA's top priority in regulating commercial space transportation is ensuring that operations are safe, even if there is an anomaly," an agency spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. "The FAA will oversee the investigation of today's landing mishap involving the SpaceX Starship SN9 prototype in Boca Chica, Texas. Although this was an uncrewed test flight, the investigation will identify the root cause of today's mishap and possible opportunities to further enhance safety as the program develops."

Tuesday's launch had actually been delayed by the FAA. SpaceX wanted to launch the SN9 (Serial Number 9) prototype on Jan. 28.

According to The Verge, SpaceX violated the terms of its FAA test license with the launch of the SN8 prototype on Dec. 11.

Reuters reported that SpaceX sought a waiver to exceed the maximum public risk allowed by federal safety regulations. The FAA denied the request, Reuters reported, but SpaceX proceeded with the test, which ended when the rocket exploded while trying to land.

After the SN9 launch was delayed, Musk tweeted, Unlike its aircraft division, which is fine, the FAA space division has a fundamentally broken regulatory structure. Their rules are meant for a handful of expendable launches per year from a few government facilities. Under those rules, humanity will never get to Mars.

In a statement Tuesday, an FAA spokesperson said, "The FAA required SpaceX to conduct an investigation of the incident, including a comprehensive review of the company's safety culture, operational decision-making and process discipline. All testing that could affect public safety at the Boca Chica launch site was suspended until the investigation was completed and the FAA approved the company's corrective actions."

That cleared the way for Tuesday's launch of the SN9 prototype.

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