SpaceX lost contact with its Starship mega rocket following explosions during its second test flight.
The two-stage 397ft rocket is the largest and most powerful ever built, and Elon Musk’s company harboured ambitions for an altitude of 150 miles.
Had they succeeded, it would have been high enough for the spacecraft to travel around the globe before landing in the Pacific near Hawaii 90 minutes after lifting off.
Despite the rocket exploding ahead of its loss of contact, Musk has still heralded the test and heaped praise on his company.
It lifted off from the coastal town of Boca Chica, Texas at 7am local time (1pm UK time).
An engineer said his team “lost the data” from the second stage of the flight.
“We have lost data from the second stage” the engineer stated.
NASA Chief Bill Nelson also congratulated SpaceX on X, formerly X, saying: ‘Congrats to the teams who made progress on today’s flight test.
‘Spaceflight is a bold adventure demanding a can-do spirit and daring innovation.
“Today’s test is an opportunity to learn—then fly again.’
Nelson added that together “NASA and SpaceX will return humanity to the Moon, Mars and beyond”.
The next-generation spacecraft Starship is developed to carry astronauts to the moon and beyond.
The second test followed its first attempt to reach space seven months ago, which resulted in its explosion.