SpaceX Starship rocket explodes during test launch

The spacecraft lifted off Thursday evening from SpaceX’s Starbase near Brownsville, Texas in the company’s eighth launch test. Minutes into the flight, the Super Heavy booster detached from the Starship and maneuvered back to the launch site. There, the catch tower’s arms grabbed the booster, marking the company’s third successful catch.

Meanwhile, the Starship continued ascending along its planned trajectory for a while before losing control. SpaceX said an energetic event in the craft caused several of its Raptor engines to lose power. Controllers lost contact with the craft about nine and a half minutes after liftoff and it broke apart over the gulf waters.

Did the failed launch affect anyone on the ground? The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily issued ground stops at airports in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Orlando while debris fell. Flights throughout the area were diverted. Residents in Florida and parts of the Caribbean reported seeing the explosion. As of Friday morning, there were no major reports of debris falling on land. The FAA will require SpaceX to complete a mishap investigation into the incident.

Dig deeper: Read Elizabeth Russell’s report about a different Texas company landing the first private craft on the moon.