Starship completed a nerve-wracking, hour-long flight, reaching a maximum altitude of 124 miles (200 kilometers) above Earth's surface, before its upper stage splashed down in the Indian Ocean. Earlier, after separation, the rocket's Super Heavy booster landed in the Gulf of Mexico.

SpaceX's Starship rocket soared to new heights for 2025, ending a streak of explosive failures for the Mars-bound vehicle during its latest test flight from Texas. Billionaire Elon Musk and the company he founded in 2002 were in need of a win after three disappointing Starship missions in 2025 and one unexpected fiery mishap in June on the ground before the upper stage vehicle was mounted to the lower-stage booster.