SpaceX launched the latest test of its mega rocket Starship on Tuesday night and completed the first-ever deployment of a test payload — eight dummy satellites — into space. After just over an hour coasting through space, Starship splashed down as planned in the Indian Ocean. Starship blasted off from Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site in South Texas, just after 6:30 p.m. It was the 10th test for the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket, which SpaceX and NASA hope to use to get astronauts back on the moon.

After setbacks in its last three flight attempts, Elon Musk’s company has a lot riding on the latest trip of its Starship prototype.

SpaceX wants to put the two-stage rocket's massive booster through its paces. The flight test comes as the multibillion-dollar Starship program has suffered a streak of failures…