Elon Musk's SpaceX on Tuesday launched its ninth Starship test flight from Starbase, Texas, but the rocket tumbled out of control and crashed into the Indian Ocean.
The explosion lead to fuel leaks, which caused the rocket to begin spinning uncontrollably.
SpaceX said its flight team had lost attitude control as the vehicle continued its atmospheric re-entry.
Musk noted in a post on X it was a "big improvement" from the two previous demos, which ended in flaming debris over the Atlantic.