The incident happened just days after the SN8 was launched on its first major test flight and reached an altitude of about 12.5km before the belly fell to the ground.
Despite the accident, the rocket was destroyed and looks ready to be in good condition.
Photographer Austin Barnard, who followed the SN9’s journey to the launch pad, tweeted, “We live in the first moments of human history where we will inhabit other worlds.”
And Michael Baylor of NASASpaceflight.com tweeted, “Starship SN9 is launching today at the launch site of Boca Chica.
“If all goes well, he could perform a flight test within a few weeks.”
In another tweet, he said that SN9 is expected to be subjected to cryo-evidence, static fire and flight tests “in the coming weeks”.