The world's most powerful rocket aced a critical test launch this week, and the images from liftoff are stunning.

Starship Flight 10 lifted off from SpaceX's Starbase site in South Texas on Tuesday evening (Aug. 26). The rocket met each of its objectives, ending a streak of subpar performance that had plagued the developing launch vehicle since the beginning of 2025.

Starship's three previous launches this year all resulted in the premature destruction of the vehicle's Ship upper stage. SpaceX suffered another setback in June, when Ship 36, which was being prepped to fly on Flight 10, exploded during propellant loading on a Starbase test stand. Ship 37 entered as 36's replacement, and, along with its Super Heavy booster, was able to cross out the mission's entire checklist.

Starship is

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