SpaceX Starship rocket splashes down in Pacific Ocean

A thunderous lift off, rapid satellite deployments and a fiery ending. That's how SpaceX's 14th launch of its Starship rocket panned out today.

SpaceX - owned by Elon Musk - describes Starship as "the world's most powerful launch vehicle ever developed". SpaceX aims for it to be reusable and eventually take people to the Moon.

It's made up of two parts, the booster, and the top section called the Ship. Minutes after today's launch from the base in Texas, the booster landed in the Gulf of Mexico as planned.

The main goal of today was making the ship section of the rocket orbit Earth for the first time.

An issue with one of the engines prompted discussion over whether the rocket would be sent into orbit, but it was eventually given the go ahead.

However, the craft only managed two laps of the Earth – rather than the six that had been planned – before SpaceX decided to end the mission early and bring it back to Earth.

The reason for this remains unknown, but the BBC has approached the company for comment.

Nonetheless, our climate and science reporter says SpaceX will be "delighted with how today went", as they achieved their orbit goal.