SpaceX's Starship explodes during flight test

A SpaceX Starship prototype exploded minutes after launching from Texas on Thursday.

The explosion forced airline flights over the Gulf of Mexico to alter course to avoid falling debris.

The rocket lifted off from the company's Boca Chica, Texas, launch facilities at 5:38 pm EST in the company's seventh test mission, and first such test this year.

SpaceX mission control in Texas lost contact with Starship eight minutes into the flight after it separated in space from its Super Heavy first stage booster, SpaceX Communications Manager Dan Huot said on a live stream.

"We did lose all communications with the ship - that is essentially telling us we had an anomaly with the upper stage," Huot said, confirming minutes later that the ship was lost.

SpaceX CEO Musk posted a video on X showing the debris field and said: "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!"