A SpaceX Starship rocket disintegrated spectacularly just minutes after liftoff, raising questions about the risks of modern space exploration. The incident caused disruptions in air traffic and highlighted the challenges private space companies face.

The rest of the 400 landings have come courtesy of SpaceX's powerful Falcon Heavy, whose first stage consists of three modified Falcon 9 boosters. (The Heavy can notch three landings on a single mission, but it has flown just 11 times to date.)

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 incident highlights the growing issue of tensions between rocket launches and commercial aviation.

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Just 11 seconds before liftoff, the launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 was postponed after officials feared a plane had strayed into its restricted airspace.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk made light of Starship's fiery end. "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!" he said on X.

After exploding, the craft sent blazing debris across the sky and forced multiple aircraft flying over and near the Caribbean to divert.

Dramatic footage showing streaks of light zipping across the sky surfaced online following Elon Musk's Starship explosion over the Atlantic Ocean.

Shortly after Friday's rehearsal, SpaceX pushed Starship's seventh test flight to Wednesday. See the new schedule for the rocket's first 2025 flight.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 27 Starlink craft is scheduled to lift off from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base Sunday, during a four-hour window that opens at 10:13 a.m. EST (1513 GMT; 7:13 a.m. local time). SpaceX will webcast the action live via its X account, beginning about five minutes before launch.

After the successful booster recovery, SpaceX officials reported losing contact with the spaceship toward the end of the ascend.