SpaceX rocket spins out of control on test flight, marking third failure in a row

A test flight of SpaceX's Starship rocket has failed for the third time in a row.

It began spinning out of control about 30 minutes after its launch because of fuel leaks - meaning it broke up on re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

"Our chances of making it all the way down to the Indian Ocean are pretty slim," a SpaceX commentator said during a livestream.

There had been hopes of a successful mission, as the rocket had progressed beyond the point of explosive past failures in January and March.

But plans to release a series of mock satellites after lift-off were abandoned because its payload door failed to open fully.

SpaceX hopes that Starship will one day be used to ferry people and cargo to Mars, but this latest setback plunges Elon Musk's ambitions into doubt.

Failed launches earlier this year disrupted dozens of flights across the US - and the project was grounded for two months while an investigation took place.

Musk was due to update the world on his space exploration ambitions later, in a speech entitled "The Road to Making Life Multiplanetary" - but the event has been delayed without explanation.

Nonetheless, the world's richest man described the latest test flight as a "big improvement".

He also vowed to pick up the pace with future launches - and says the next three flights will take place every three to four weeks.

NASA needs SpaceX to make huge advances with Starship over the next 12 months as the US agency tries to fulfil an ambition of landing astronauts back on the moon.