SpaceX Starship explodes in Indian Ocean after splashdown

SpaceX launched its upgraded Starship V3 rocket from Starbase, Texas, on Friday in the latest test of the world’s largest and most powerful rocket system.

Video showed the spacecraft descending into the Indian Ocean before exploding after splashdown, a result SpaceX said was planned.

The roughly hourlong flight achieved most of its key objectives, including the deployment of mock Starlink satellites, although both rocket stages experienced engine failures during the mission.

Crowds gathered in Texas cheered as the launch successfully lifted off after a one-day delay caused by a hydraulic issue at the launch tower.