>> The test was a partial success, but suffered a failure mid-flight

On Thursday 20th, SpaceX will attempt the first ever flight of its full Starship rocket, which will launch from southern Texas. Unlike previous tests, this launch is aimed to reach space, and will involve both the lower 'Superheavy' booster and upper 'Starship' stage stacked together.

With 33 raptor engines on its lower stage, this rocket far surpasses any previous rocket in the amount of mass it can deliver to orbit. This makes this test the first launch of the most powerful rocket in history. However, they've chosen not to enter orbit on this first test. Instead, Starship will reach only near-orbital velocity and will circle 2/3rds around the world, re-entering in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. It is hoped Starship will survive re-entry but there are no plans to recover it and it will be destroyed upon splashdown. The Superheavy booster will actually attempt a soft landing in the Gulf of Mexico near the launchpad, however it will not be recovered and will be made to sink to the bottom of the ocean.