Starship, the world's most powerful rocket, flew further and faster than ever before during its third test launch Thursday, although it was eventually lost as it re-entered the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean, SpaceX said.
Lift-off from the company's Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas came at 8:25 a.m. local time and was carried live on a webcast watched by millions on X.
The sleek mega rocket is vital to NASA's plans for landing astronauts on the Moon later this decade — and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk's hopes of eventually colonizing Mars.