SpaceX successfully performed a third test flight of the giant spacecraft Starship. The spacecraft reached orbit at an altitude of about 230 km above the Earth's surface.
However, data indicates that contact with the spacecraft was apparently lost during its return to Earth. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it was investigating a "malfunction" that affected the spacecraft and the booster rocket. The maiden flight in April 2023 ended in abject failure when the rocket exploded about 4 minutes after launch. The second flight, which took place in November 2023, was a partial success.