SpaceX’s Starship megarocket suffered another setback during its eighth test flight, losing contact with the upper stage about eight minutes after launch.

The rocket lifted off from Starbase in Texas but appeared to experience engine failures before communication was lost.

Debris from the explosion was reported over Florida, Jamaica, and Turks and Caicos.

Despite the failure, the Super Heavy booster successfully executed its “catch” landing, a key step toward reusability, NBC News has reported.

This marks the second consecutive test flight failure for Starship, which is crucial for NASA’s Artemis III moon mission in 2027 and future Mars missions.

Written by B.C. Begley