SpaceX’s Starship rocket exploded again during a test flight on Tuesday, making it the third failure in a row for the company. This test was the ninth uncrewed mission of the Starship system, which SpaceX is developing to carry people and cargo around Earth, to the Moon, and eventually to Mars.

During the launch from Starbase, Texas, the Super Heavy booster exploded shortly after takeoff. The upper Starship stage leaked fuel, spun out of control, and blew up during its return to Earth. SpaceX lost contact with the spacecraft as it likely broke apart over the Indian Ocean. However, the FAA confirmed there were no injuries or property damage.

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, commented on X (formerly Twitter), saying the rocket successfully reached its scheduled engine cutoff point—an improvement from previous tests. He also mentioned that the rocket did not lose many heat shield tiles during ascent. The main issue, according to Musk, was a loss of pressure caused by fuel leaks during the coasting and reentry phases.

Despite the setback, SpaceX plans to increase its launch frequency, aiming to send a new Starship into space every three to four weeks. Earlier this month, the company received approval from the FAA to raise its annual limit of Starship launches from five.

In a social media post, SpaceX emphasized that each test, even failed ones, helps them improve the system’s reliability as part of their mission to make life multi-planetary.

Besides leading SpaceX, Musk also runs Tesla, AI startup xAI, and heads the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has reduced funding for oversight agencies like the FAA and EPA.

SpaceX has received over $19 billion in U.S. federal funding since 2008, and the company is expected to win major contracts under President Donald Trump’s planned “Golden Dome” missile defense system.