SpaceX launched its Starship rocket on January 16 for its latest test flight, but the spacecraft was destroyed after a dramatic booster catch back at the pad. Several videos showing the exact moment of the explosion have surfaced online.
One video filmed from a cruise ship captured the Starship rocket's explosion, while another clip showed debris from the spacecraft over Turks and Caicos.
Elon Musk took to X (formerly Twitter) to explain the cause of the explosion. "Preliminary indication is that we had an oxygen/fuel leak in the cavity above the ship engine firewall that was large enough to build pressure in excess of the vent capacity," Musk wrote. He added that SpaceX would double-check for leaks, add fire suppression to the affected area, and increase the vent area to prevent future issues.