SpaceX's Starship Launch Causes Destruction and Chaos at Texas Base.
SpaceX's first test flight of Starship rocket caused serious damage to its Texas launch site, leaving a huge crater and twisted metal sheets. Repairing the damage 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. The launch tower is still standing while the rocket mount, which supports Starship before liftoff, is damaged but still intact. SpaceX engineers may have underestimated the damage that Starship's 33 first-stage rocket engines would do.