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Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship launches but ends in explosion

Elon Musk's company SpaceX has launched Starship - the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built.

The un-crewed spacecraft took off from Boca Chica, Texas.

20 April 2023

Human spaceflight

Space exploration

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Composite image of Donald Trump and Elon Musk alongside the Starship taking off

Trump joins Musk to watch Starship test launch

A multicoloured stream of light emanates from a rocket in the night sky.

SpaceX rocket launch creates stunning light display

Astronaut Matthew Dominick squirting ketchup into his mouth on the International Space Station

Ketchup in space: 'You gotta squirt it out'

A female is holding onto a check with Elon Musk next to her.

Elon Musk gives $1m to a rally attendee

A cluster of boats is seen circled in red at night on the left with a teary-eyed bearded man on the right of a split screen

Tearful lifeguard recounts off-duty rescue of teen lost at sea

A comet is seen passing through the sky.

Timelapse captures rare comet passing by Hawaii

SpaceX's Super Heavy booster fires out of its exhaust at the bottom of the rocket itself while it lands into the rocket launcher holder that it fired out of, during SpaceX Starship's fifth flight test, in Boca Chica, Texas, U.S., October 13, 2024

Watch: Why is the latest SpaceX rocket test a big deal?

Science & Environment

SpaceX Starship booster caught in mid air

Watch astonishing moment Starship booster caught in mid-air 'chopsticks manoeuvre'

Science & Environment

The BBC's Lily Jamali is on the left of a split screen with a driverless Tesla taxi on the right

Musk promises self-driving Tesla taxis, but are they safe?

Jules King stand with her arms out holding a Welsh flag grinning with a cowboy hat on. Standing next to her is gold and silver medalists.

How CrossFit helped woman curb Parkinson's

A rocket launches with fire and plumes coming from its base

Spacecraft launches to investigate asteroid threats to Earth

Crew on board the ISS

Joyful welcome by stranded astronauts for SpaceX capsule crew

Starlink terminal outdoors

Is Elon Musk’s Starlink a game changer for Africa?

Scientist picks up lava with shovel

Scientists collect lava from Kilauea volcano eruption

Bodycam footage of a child climbing out of window at night

Children thank officers for saving them from burning home

Tall jet of fire in residential area

Pipeline explosion in Texas causes pillar of fire

The moment the Crew Dragon capsule splashes down and returns to Earth

'Splashdown confirmed' - SpaceX crew arrives back on Earth

Sarah Gillis emerges from a capsule into dark space

Watch: Key moments from first non-professional spacewalk

Science & Environment

Astronauts sit in cockpit as rocket launches

SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission blasts off

Two satellite images of hurricanes

Two Pacific Ocean hurricanes seen from space

Crowds of people walking streets at night

Thousands rush to US border before Trump takes office

Migrants from Central America are making their way to the US to avoid new immigration controls.

World's tallest woman and shortest woman standing next to each other

Moment world's tallest woman and shortest woman meet

The pair shared afternoon tea in London in celebration of Guinness World Records Day 2024.

Biden stands in front of the podium.

Biden first US president to visit Amazon rainforest

The president on Sunday signed a declaration making 17 November International Conservation Day.

Vladimir Putin speaking holding a pen

Putin congratulates 'courageous' Trump on election win

The Russian president says he was impressed by Trump's reaction to the first assassination attempt against him.

Katty Kay wearing a black jacket with her arms folded

Katty Kay: Democrats are feeling 'pretty depressed'

The BBC's US special correspondent reports on the mood inside the Harris camp.

Gunfire is being exchanged in the vehicle.

Rare footage of a cartel gun battle near US-Mexico border

Texas law enforcement said the shootout was between factions of the Gulf Cartel.

King Charles holding a black cup next to Queen Camilla

King Charles drinks kava during ritual in Samoa

The monarch was declared a "high chief" of the archipelago during his trip to the country.

CCTV footage of a man with a gun seen by a security gate

Videos show how Ankara attack unfolded

Two attackers are seen arriving in a car before firing their guns and approaching the building.

Time capsule being opening and object on display

100-year-old time capsule unearths Bible and declaration of war

Crews in Kansas City, Missouri had to drill through 18 inches of concrete and limestone to get to the century-old box.

Donald Trump sitting on white chair being interviewed

Watch: Trump sidesteps question on Putin phone calls

When asked if he'd spoken to Putin since leaving office, the former US president said: "If I did, it's a smart thing".

The BBC's Nick Beake amidst rubble in northern Israel

Watch: BBC reporter in the midst of rocket fire into Israel

The BBC's Nick Beake reports from northern Israel, where Hezbollah continues to fire rockets into Israel.

Bomb goes off at airport

Hidden runway bomb explodes just after plane takes off

A bomb, probably dropped in WW2, goes off at an airport, about a minute after a passenger plane passed by.

Gust of flame as military ship launches missile interceptor

Moment US warship engages Iranian missile targeting Israel

Video from aboard the USS Bulkeley Destroyer stationed on the Eastern Mediterranean shows it firing an interceptor.

Russian jet mid-air within feet of US aircraft

Moment Russian fighter jet swoops past US aircraft

Newly released video shows a Russian fighter jet fly within feet of a US aircraft near Alaska.

Group doing pukana faces

Largest haka breaks world record in New Zealand

Thousands took part in a Maori haka dance famously performed by the All Blacks before rugby matches.

Donald Trump standing in front of American flags at Trump Tower

BBC asks Trump what he would do differently in the Middle East

The former president says the conflict in Lebanon is "unacceptable" and must end "one way or the other".

Kamala Harris and Volodymyr Zelenskyy hold a press conference

Ros Atkins on... Why the US election is crucial to Ukraine

The BBC's analysis editor looks at why Volodymyr Zelensky is presenting his 'victory plan' to US political leaders.

Oleg Kononenko

Watch: Space crew returns to Earth after longest stay on ISS

Two Russian cosmonauts, who spent 374 days in space, were aboard the Soyuz capsule.

Ukrainian armed forces truck driving off road as it attempts to evade Russian fire

'We were surrounded by Russian troops - but escaped'

A small group of Ukrainian soldiers found themselves encircled in the village of Komyshivka.

Vladimir Putin

Watch: Grinning Putin says he will support Kamala Harris

The Russian president spoke about Donald Trump, Kamala Harris and Joe Biden at the Eastern Economic Forum.