The seventh test of SpaceX's huge Starship rocket was nothing short of exhilarating, with a fiery explosion and a successful booster catch.

SpaceX, the private space technology company owned by Elon Musk, is asking federal authorities to approve a new round of tests for a prototype reusable rocket, but some of them may never make it back to the surface intact and will crash in the ocean.

Evasive Maneuvers While it may have provided an eye-popping spectacle for spectators on the ground, the mid-flight explosion of SpaceX's Starship on Thursday evening posed a serious threat to nearby aircraft.

An American tourist who was visiting Turks and Caicos was left shocked when he caught the explosion of SpaceX's Starship rocket on camera while relaxing on a beach

The SpaceX Starship - developed by Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX - blasted off from Texas on Thursday for its seventh test flight, but it encountered difficulties

The last time a Starship upper stage failed was in March last year, as it was reentering Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.

SpaceX mission control in Texas lost contact with Starship eight minutes into flight after it separated in space from its Super Heavy first stage booster.

The "rapid unscheduled disassembly" was likely caused by a propellant leak, Elon Musk said, and was captured on video by spectators on the ground.

SpaceX’s ambitious Starship rocket program faced another challenge as its latest test ended with the spacecraft disintegrating mid-air. The uncrewed rocket, launched from SpaceX’s South Texas facility,

The US has grounded SpaceX's Starship rocket while an investigation is carried out into why one exploded during its latest test flight

While Jeff Bezos has spent $14 billion to achieve his first space launch, his billionaire rival has built a thriving business, mostly with other people’s money.