SpaceX believes a fire caused its Starship to break apart during liftoff, sending flaming debris over the Caribbean. Elon Musk indicated that leaking fuel created pressure, triggering a fire above the engine firewall.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered an investigation, though no injuries were reported.

The 400-foot rocket launched from Texas on a test flight, but communication was lost 8.5 minutes into the flight, with debris falling over the Atlantic.

The flight had been intended for a controlled entry over the Indian Ocean, the Associated Press has reported.

The FAA must approve SpaceX’s findings and corrective actions. Despite the failure, Musk remained optimistic about future Starship missions.

Written by B.C. Begley