SpaceX's Starship rocket has exploded shortly after launch, for the second time in a row.
In what some are describing as a 'blow' to SpaceX owner Elon Musk's plans to launch humans to Mars, the uncrewed Starship lost control shortly after launch, undergoing a 'rapid unscheduled disassembly', a statement from the company said.
This is the second consecutive unplanned explosion of a Starship rocket, the last occurring in January 2025.
No injuries have been reported as a result of the explosion, but images shared on social media show wreckage debris visible from the ground in the sky over Florida.
BBC News reported "the accident briefly halted flights at several Florida airports, including in Miami and Orlando, over concerns about flaming debris."
Reports say the first-stage booster – responsible for lifting the spacecraft off the launch pad – was successfully captured with mechanical arms and returned to launch pad.
This was previously seen during a test flight back in October 2024.
The technique is part of SpaceX's strategy to introduce more reusability into rocket launches, rather than disposing of first stage boosters during each launch.
The spaceship was then due to enter Earth orbit over the Indian Ocean, during the one-hour flight.
A test flight, the Starship had mock satellites that it was to release once the spacecraft reached orbit.
The flight was intended as a practice for future missions to release more of SpaceX's Starlink satellites, which provide internet access around the world.
These mock satellites would then have fallen back to Earth following the test deployment.
Currently there are nearly 7,000 Starlink satellites in Earth orbit, which supply global internet services.
However, many astronomers warn that satellite constellations like Starlink are impeding our view of the night sky.
Before the Starship's controlled entry over the Indian Ocean, the ground crew lost contact and the spacecraft went into an uncontrolled spin.
Final contact with Starship came 9 minutes and 30 seconds after liftoff.
SpaceX says the Starship spacecraft was flying within a "designated launch corridor to safeguard the public both on the ground, on water and in the air."
The company says it has begun to coordinate with Federal Aviation Authority and air traffic control following the explosion.
"With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability," SpaceX said.
"We will conduct a thorough investigation, in coordination with the FAA, and implement corrective actions to make improvements on future Starship flight tests."
