SpaceX sent a giant starship for a monumental test flight before the world’s most powerful rocket exploded. (Credit: SpaceX)
A SpaceX Starship rocket that launched earlier this month in southern Texas set fire to land in a state park and sent dust flying for miles around the area.
The Texas Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement that the 3.5-acre blaze had ignited south of the launch pad, but did not specify the cause or how long the fire burned.
The Agency was spread over more than 385 acres belonging to SpaceX and Boca Chica State Park, but debris “thrown thousands of feet away” from the pad was not found on land in the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The land is rented by an agency and managed as part of a shelter.
The Fish and Wildlife Service also said a “plume cloud of shattered concrete” sent material as far as 6.5 miles northwest of the pad site.
SPACEX reveals why Starship exploded minutes after launch
Debris is littered on the ground after the SpaceX Starship took off on April 20, 2023, for a flight test from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, April 22, 2023. (((Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Residents of Port Isabel were reporting dust falling on towns northwest of the launch site.
“The Cameron County Emergency Management Department has confirmed that the dust that fell on Port Isabel this morning was sand and dirt from near the SpaceX launch site that was lifted into the air by the force of takeoff,” the city said. I mentioned it in my book post.
In April, SpaceX’s next-generation Starship spacecraft atop a super-heavy rocket took off from the company’s Boca Chica launch pad in an unmanned test flight before detonating near Brownsville, Texas, where rocks and other debris were detected remotely. Flying around the camera. (Photo by Reuters/Joe Skipper/Reuters)
There was no evidence that the launch or the resulting debris harmed local wildlife.
“At this time, no dead birds or wildlife have been found on land owned or managed by the shelter,” said the Fish and Wildlife Service, which has been in contact with SpaceX and other partner agencies. to “minimize further impacts and mitigate long-term damage to natural resources.”
On April 22, 2023, at the company’s Boca Chica facility near Brownsville, Texas, a large piece of concrete washed up near SpaceX’s launch pad after launching the next-generation Starship and super-heavy rockets. (Photo by Reuters/Steve Nesius/Reuters)
Before the April 20th launch, the American Bird Conservancy accused SpaceX of allegedly damaging important coastal bird habitat.
“SpaceX operations continue to damage critical coastal bird habitat in Boca Chica, Texas,” said Mike Parr, president of the American Wild Bird Conservation Society, in a statement. “Cape Canaveral offers an option with a much lower environmental impact, and despite six active launch pads and the potential for more launches to become available, the Moon is currently We believe it is underutilized with less than one launch per day.”
Debris is littered on the ground after the SpaceX Starship took off for flight tests on April 20 from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, April 22, 2023. (((Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
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After launch, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded Starship and said it would oversee an accident investigation for the test mission, stating that “an anomaly occurred during ascent and prior to phase separation, resulting in the loss of the vehicle.”
Workers replace the SpaceX launch pad fence after the launch of the next-generation Starship and Super Rocket at the company’s Boca Chica facility near Brownsville, Texas, on April 22, 2023. (Photo by Reuters/Steve Nesius/Reuters)
As of April 21, no injuries or damage to public property had been reported, but a video of shrapnel being shot from the rear of the vehicle went viral, according to the administration.
“The Starship/Super Heavy Vehicle return to flight is based on the FAA’s determination that the systems, processes, or procedures associated with the accident do not impact public safety. is standard practice,” the FAA added.
Debris is littered on the ground after the SpaceX Starship took off for flight tests on April 20 from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, April 22, 2023. (((Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
Images of the launch site show debris, including chunks of metal and concrete.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is working with the FAA on site assessments, post-launch event recommendations, and compliance with the Endangered Species Act.
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The ground is littered with debris of concrete blown from the launch pad after the SpaceX Starship took off for flight testing from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on April 22, 2023. (((Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images) / Getty Images)
The largest and most powerful rocket ever built, the nearly 400-foot-tall Starship spiraled out of control, exploding just minutes into flight and crashing into the Gulf of Mexico. The company said the aborted mission was a success. This is a valuable data source prior to future testing.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk said the company plans to install a water cooling system and a steel base for its next attempt. He previously estimated the chances of the spacecraft reaching orbit at 50-50.
NASA has reserved a Starship for its upcoming moonwalking team.
SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
