The upper portion of the rocket system broke up in the area over the Gulf of Mexico or Caribbean Sea after SpaceX lost contact with Starship.
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk shared a comment about X, writing: “Success is uncertain, but fun is guaranteed!“
“Preliminary indications are that we have an oxygen/fuel leak in the space above the engine firewall of the ship, which is large enough to create pressure that exceeds the capacity of the vent,“ Musk added later.
The company said it would make some changes, including improving its fire suppression system, but would not adjust plans for upcoming launches.
Aboard the Starship, which is still in testing for flights to the Moon, there has been none.
Starship is the most powerful rocket ever built, standing 400 feet (122 m) tall and consisting of two parts: the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage spacecraft.
The spacecraft is expected to play a critical role in NASA's efforts to return to the Moon. The agency has selected SpaceX to carry astronauts to the lunar surface during NASA's planned Artemis III mission, scheduled to launch in 2027. Elon Musk has also said that Starship could be used for future missions to Mars.
SpaceX has previously launched two lunar rovers simultaneously.