The latest test of Space X’s giant Starship rocket failed minutes after launch.
Officials at Elon Musk’s company said the upper stage was lost after problems arose after takeoff from Texas on Thursday.
But the Super Heavy booster managed to return to its launch pad as planned, prompting an eruption of applause from ground control teams.
The mission came hours after the first flight of the Blue Origin New Glenn rocket system, with the support of Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.
Both tech billionaires want to dominate the space vehicle market.
“Starship experienced a rapid unplanned disassembly during ascent. Teams will continue to review data from today’s flight test to better understand the root cause,” SpaceX announced on X.
“With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship reliability.”
Unverified footage shared on social media shows what appears to be a rocket disintegrating in flames.
And footage showed orange orbs of light flying across the sky over Haiti’s capital Port-Au-Prince, leaving a trail of smoke behind.
“Success is uncertain, but fun is guaranteed!” Mr Musk posted on X, sharing a video showing a trail of fire stretching across the sky.
He also said that “enhanced versions” of the ship and carrier were “already awaiting launch”.
“Preliminary indication is that we had an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship’s engine firewall that was large enough to create a pressure greater than the capacity of the hatch,” Musk said briefly, adding that “there is nothing at this time to indicate pushing the next launch next month “.
The launch footage has garnered 7.2 million views, according to SpaceX’s live stream.
The Starship system lifted off from Boca Chica, Texas at 17:38 EST (22:38 GMT) on the company’s seventh test mission.
The Starship’s upper stage separated from its Super Heavy booster nearly four minutes into flight as planned.
But then SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot reported in a live broadcast that the mission teams had lost contact with the craft.
The Super Heavy booster managed to return to its launch pad about seven minutes after liftoff as planned, prompting an eruption of applause from ground control teams.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was aware that “an anomaly occurred” during the SpaceX mission.
“The FAA briefly slowed and diverted aircraft around the area where the spacecraft debris was falling. Normal operations have resumed,” the statement said.
It comes a day after a SpaceX rocket lifted off from Florida carrying two privately constructed lunar landers and a micro rover to the moon.
An uncrewed Falcon 9 launched Wednesday from the Kennedy Space Center.
And Bezos’ company Blue Origin successfully launched a rocket into orbit for the first time.
It was a big step forward for Bezos and his company, which had spent years getting to the point of sending a rocket into orbit.
