SpaceX Starship Loses Vehicle During Test Flight

SpaceX's latest Starship test flight on Thursday ended in disintegration shortly after launch, marking a significant setback for the rocket program. The spacecraft, designated Ship 33, experienced what SpaceX termed a 'rapid unscheduled disassembly' as multiple engines shut down during ascent, leading to the loss of contact just 8.5 minutes into the flight. Despite this, the Super Heavy booster successfully returned and was caught by the launch tower's mechanical arms, a notable achievement for SpaceX's recovery efforts. Elon Musk indicated that the incident may have been caused by an oxygen/fuel leak and announced plans to enhance safety systems. The mission was intended to deploy 10 dummy satellites for practice but ended in debris falling over the Caribbean. SpaceX plans to continue with its next test flight, scheduled for February, as it aims to improve the Starship's reliability through data analysis from this flight.