US regulators and government officials in Turks and Caicos are looking into reports of property damage in the island nation caused by debris falling after a SpaceX Starship vehicle exploded over the ocean during a test mission Thursday,

SpaceX pulled off its “chopsticks” catch of a Super Heavy rocket booster but lost the Starship spacecraft on Thursday during the vehicle’s seventh uncrewed test flight.

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

The Super Heavy booster, meanwhile, was successfully caught in the launch tower's mechanical arms for only the second time

The rocket company said the space vehicle came apart during its ascent. Videos posted to social media showed debris streaking through the sky.

Starship's previous six test flights occurred in April and November of 2023 and March, June, October and November of last year. SpaceX aimed to conduct a chopsticks catch of Super Heavy on Flight 6 as well, but a communication issue with the launch tower nixed that try, and the booster diverted for a Gulf of Mexico splashdown.

Elon Musk's company saw mixed results today, with Starship's booster sticking the landing while the upper stage failed during ascent.

SpaceX's seventh Starship test flight will now launch no earlier than Thursday, Jan. 16, at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT).

The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered SpaceX to carry out a formal investigation into the breakup of its Starship rocket during a test flight Thursday that sent a spectacular shower of flaming debris plummeting back to Earth,

On6, 2025, in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, @GregMunch1 shared a video showing fiery debris falling from the sky after a SpaceX Starship rocket exploded during its test flight. The video captures people watching in awe as the debris descends,

This week, explore the latest chapter of the new moon race, uncover extinct creatures that may be revived, get up close with tiny seahorses, and more.