SpaceX tested its huge Starship launch system for the eighth time on Thursday. The company caught the booster out of midair, but lost another upper stage in space.

Starship successfully launched on Wednesday for its eighth suborbital flight test in Boca Chica Beach, Texas. (Credit: SpaceX)

SpaceX’s Starship Flight 8 suffered another dramatic failure - but why? Just like Flight 7, the upper stage exploded in space, scattering debris over the Bahamas. What went wrong this time, and what does it mean for future Starship flights?

The Starliner, which was supposed to establish itself as a viable alternative, has faced issues that have raised questions about its reliability.