SpaceX’s Starship breaks up mid-flight, forcing airlines to avoid debris

SpaceX catches a booster as it returns to the launchpad at Starbase near Boca Chica, Texas, on January 16, 2025 [SpaceX via AFP]

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft has broken up mid-flight, forcing airlines to divert flights to avoid falling debris.

While Elon Musk’s company successfully recreated its prior feat of catching a first-stage booster as it returned to Earth on Thursday, its new-generation uncrewed spacecraft was lost.