New York (KAAB TV) – A SpaceX rocket exploded shortly after liftoff from Texas on Thursday, grounding flights and issuing warnings of debris entering space.

SpaceX confirmed that the rocket experienced an “unintended sudden spill” during launch and lost contact with the ground. The rocket’s Starship, the largest ever built, went out of control shortly after takeoff. Though no injuries or damage were reported, images from the Caribbean islands showed debris falling from the sky.

This marks the eighth test mission for the Starship, and its second consecutive failure.

The 123-meter (403ft) rocket was designed to remain in the air for an hour before returning to Earth. Its heavy booster, which assisted with the lift-off, successfully returned to the launch site.

SpaceX, founded by billionaire Elon Musk, stated that teams immediately began coordinating with security officials to implement their pre-planned emergency response.