The upper stage of SpaceX's Starship rocket exploded minutes after launch from Texas on Thursday, leading the aerospace company to declare the vessel a "loss" in the seventh test flight of the heavy-lift spacecraft.

The uncrewed Starship spacecraft was apparently destroyed during its first flight launch of 2025 that blasted off from south Texas.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a launch license for the next Starship flight test on Dec. 17, clearing the way for SpaceX to once again launch the world's largest rocket from south Texas. Ever since, SpaceX has been rapidly preparing for the seventh overall flight test of the 400-foot-tall Starship.

Hundreds of spectators gathered at the South Texas Ecotourism Center in Laguna Vista to watch the seventh SpaceX Starship launch. People were excited as the rocket lifted off and the heavy super booster came back down.

SpaceX is counting down to its seventh Starship test flight from South Texas. A 60-minute launch window opens at 4 p.m.

"Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn. Teams will continue to review data from today's flight test to better understand root cause. With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability," it read.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and officials from the Turks and Caicos Islands have launched probes into SpaceX's explosive Starship rocket test that sent debris streaking over the northern Caribbean and forced airlines to divert dozens of flights.

A SpaceX Starship rocket broke apart shortly after launch on a test flight from south Texas on Thursday, January 16, causing airplanes to be diverted away from any potential falling debris. Footage via Storyful from Cailen Rotz shows the rocket's breakup over Turks and Caicos.

SpaceX suspects a fire may have caused its Starship to break apart during liftoff and send trails of flaming debris near the Caribbean.

Commercial airlines had to divert or delay their flights to avoid debris from the SpaceX Starship spacecraft that exploded Thursday during a flight test.