Elon Musk's SpaceX has successfully launched its Starship V3, the largest and most powerful rocket in history, in a test flight on Friday that lasted about an hour. The climax? A planned splashdown in the Indian Ocean, followed by an explosion that was apparently part of the plan. Because nothing says 'success' like a controlled fireball.
The launch was delayed a day due to a malfunctioning hydraulic pin in the launch tower, proving that even the most advanced rockets can be foiled by a bad pin. The test flight achieved most of its major objectives, though both stages suffered engine failures - because why not keep things interesting?
Meanwhile, in other news that absolutely did not happen at this event, actress Anya Taylor-Joy and designer Donatella Versace delivered tributes to a singer during a ceremony. Experts also say videos released by the US government give no evidence of alien technology - disappointing anyone hoping the explosion was a cover-up.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani noted that intense rainfall, which flooded homes, overwhelmed the city's sewer system. And in unrelated rocket news, officials released footage showing an engine detaching during takeoff as part of an ongoing crash investigation that killed 14 people.
Body cam footage shows a baby thrown from a window and caught by an officer during a house fire - a rescue more dramatic than any rocket launch. The president claims a building is a 'gift' to the US, including a hospital and research facilities. The Sandy Fire in Simi Valley spread across 1,364 acres with minimal containment.
Republican congressman Thomas Massie, who led the release of the Epstein files, faces a Trump-backed primary challenger. Two teenage attackers fatally shot three men at a San Diego mosque in a suspected hate crime before taking their own lives. Sakshi Venkatraman reports from a quiet rail station as an LIRR strike delayed thousands.
Four US Navy crew members ejected safely after a jet collision. A company said its AI-driven vehicles had 'a routing problem' that kept taking them to the same cul-de-sac - because even robots can't escape suburban ennui. A moped was used in a stray-bullet shooting of a 7-month-old in Brooklyn.
Stephen Colbert met with Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon to discuss the end of his late-night show. The BBC's Bernd Debusmann explains why the South Carolina supreme court ordered a new trial for a man convicted of killing his wife and son. The 76-year-old tradition of placing a hat on a greased obelisk saw the New Jersey governor's son claim victory.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo found remains of Rich Preston's great-great-great-uncle John Bridgens. The prime minister met Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen and other crew members in Ottawa. One American passenger from the MV Hondius is now in quarantine in Omaha, Nebraska.