Giant SpaceX rocket leaves crater, serious damage at Texas base

By Agence France-Presse

Apr 24, 2023 9:51 am

Starbase, United States: Flying chunks of concrete, twisted metal sheets, craters blasted deep into the ground: the thunderous power of SpaceX's first test flight of Starship -- the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built -- inflicted serious damage on its Texas launch site.

Repairing the damage from Thursday's unmanned test flight is expected to take months, potentially delaying further launch attempts and slowing the development of a rocket NASA plans to use on its upcoming Moon missions.

A member of the public walks through a debris field at the launch pad on April 22, 2023, after the SpaceX Starship lifted off on April 20 for a flight test from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. AFP

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