SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket records first successful test flight

The hour-long test flight of the world's most powerful rocket was followed by a splashdown in the Indian Ocean

Starship, the mighty space rocket designed by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, recorded its first fully successful test flight on Thursday, splashing down in the Indian Ocean minus any fiery explosion that ended previous attempts.

The demonstration mission from the Boca Chica launch complex in Texas sent Starship to almost 130 miles (210km) of altitude, at a speed above 16,000mph (25,700km/h), showcasing the capability of the world's most powerful rocket that Nasa is banking on to one day send humans to Mars.