Seven minutes later, Starship's huge first-stage booster, known as Super Heavy, returned to Starbase for a dramatic catch by the launch tower's "chopstick" arms. It was the third time that SpaceX has demonstrated this jaw-dropping technique.

Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, was set to lift off during a one-hour window that opened at 5:30 p.m. CT. During its last test run, the spacecraft exploded over the Caribbean, raining debris over populated islands.