A SpaceX Starship rocket broke up in space minutes after launching from Texas, forcing airline flights over the Gulf of Mexico to alter course to avoid falling debris and setting back Elon Musk's flagship rocket program.

SpaceX lost communication with its Starship spacecraft as it was heading into space during its seventh test flight on Thursday. According to SpaceX, the Starship experienced "a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn" after it launched from Boca Chica, Texas.