Jeff Brunfield

The huge Starship rocket shot into space from its launch pad in South Texas.

The rocket's massive booster separated, but its engines failed to steer it back to Earth and it was lost before it could return as planned.

Starship also had some engine trouble, but it made it to space where it released some test satellites.

Then it landed in the southern Indian Ocean.

The mixed outcome of the test comes just a few weeks before SpaceX plans to go public.

Starship is a critical part of its future.

Jeff Brumfield, NPR News.