On its first test flight Thursday morning, SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket cleared the launch pad, soared into the south Texas sky, but ultimately exploded into a trail of smoke.
The rocket — currently the most powerful in the world — lifted off from the company’s launch site near Boca Chica, Texas, around 6:33 a.m. Pacific time. After passing through the moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket, the Super Heavy first-stage booster was set to separate from the Starship spacecraft.
But instead of separating, the still-conjoined rocket tumbled head over head before it ultimately exploded.
