WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A SpaceX Starship rocket broke up in space minutes after launching from Texas on Thursday, forcing airline flights over the Gulf of Mexico to alter course to avoid falling debris and setting back Elon Musk's flagship rocket program.

Elon Musk, the genius billionaire behind Tesla, SpaceX, and now the Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E), has vowed to cut wasteful spending in

President Donald Trump's new administration is likely to do away with the White House's National Space Council, a cabinet policy panel that lobbyists at Elon Musk's SpaceX have been pushing to axe, according to three people familiar with the plans.

SpaceX said the ship experienced “a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn,” moments after a dramatic, successful booster catch at the launchpad.

WASHINGTON - SpaceX lost its Starship rocket during its seventh test flight on Jan 16, an unexpected setback after the company had made steady progress during its test flight campaign for the vehicle.

The incident in which a SpaceX rocket broke up after launch demonstrates the challenges the FAA will face as the number of commercial space flights increases.

Flawed rocket launches by SpaceX and Blue Origin still leave both companies in position to dominate the space sector.

A SpaceX Starship prototype failed in space on Thursday, minutes after launching from Texas, setting back the company's speedy rocket development efforts in a mission that was expected to debut a key satellite deployment demonstration.

Elon Musk has questioned the microchip claims made by DeepSeek AI, a fast-emerging player in the artificial intelligence pool, which is starting to challenge the United States' control over the AI industry. Newsweek has reached out to DeepSeek via email and Musk via X's press department for comment.

SpaceX's Starship Explodes in Flight Test, Forcing Airlines to Divert By Joey Roulette WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A SpaceX Starship rocket broke up in space minutes after launching from Texas on ...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A SpaceX Starship rocket broke up in space minutes after launching from Texas on Thursday, forcing airline flights over the Gulf of Mexico to alter course to avoid falling ...

President Donald Trump struck a deal for the replacement aircraft during his first term. Boeing is working with Trump advisor Elon Musk on ways to deliver delayed, overbudget Air Force One replacements sooner, CEO Kelly Ortberg said Tuesday.