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Elon Musk’s SpaceX made waves on Thursday with the successful launch of the incredibly powerful rocket, Starship. In a typical SpaceX manner, the inaugural flight of Starship concluded with a dramatic explosion, or as commonly known, a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.”
Despite the destruction in mid-air, the scene on the ground at Starbase was equally spectacular. Starship’s powerful Super Heavy rocket obliterated the launchpad entirely. The forceful thrust from the rocket’s engines pulverized the concrete pad, sending debris flying over a quarter mile away and unfortunately demolishing a Dodge Caravan in the process.
Screengrab via YouTube | LabPadre
Two large debris fragments struck the minivan almost simultaneously. One particularly stubborn rock made contact with the rear hatch, causing the D-Pillar to collapse. The van surged forward upon impact, shattering the rear windows, at least one taillight, and twisting the liftgate into mangled metal.
Another less conspicuous fragment was not visible hitting the van but was observed exiting through the front bumper, accompanied by a spurt of fluid, presumably coolant from the radiator. By the end of the footage, a pool of liquid had formed beneath the front of the vehicle.
Multiple smaller debris pieces made contact with the van during liftoff. Some even struck the high-end equipment mounted on the roof of the van and the nearby cameras arranged to document the launch.
The Dodge Caravan was parked in a location off Boca Chica Boulevard, approximately 1,400 feet away from the launch pad. Despite being shielded by a wall and positioned more than a quarter mile from the launch site, the minivan, along with other nearby camera equipment, was struck by crumbling debris.
The rock fragments traveled even farther than expected. Another SpaceX video showed concrete chunks landing far into the waters of the nearby Boca Chica beach. According to Google Maps, some debris was projected up to 2,000 feet from the launchpad.
Reddit and Twitter posts suggest that the minivan belonged to NASA Spaceflight and was parked there to document the Starship launch. While we attempted to verify this information, no response has been received as of now.
Thankfully, the minivan was apparently unoccupied. Safety protocols require all individuals to evacuate the vicinity during launches due to potential hazards, including flying debris. Consequently, all cameras stationed around the site are operated remotely to avoid risks, especially considering the massive rocks that caused such havoc.
The Super Heavy rocket not only boasts the title of SpaceX’s strongest rocket but also holds the record for the world’s tallest and most powerful rocket ever constructed. The 33 primary engines collectively produced just under 17 million pounds of thrust, approximately double the power output of NASA’s SLS rocket used in the Artemis program. Given these astounding specifications, it’s no surprise that significant debris was observed during liftoff.
Regarding the Orbital Launch Mount, it seems Starship caused considerable excavation beneath it. The launch site’s concrete slab was reduced to rubble by the rocket’s engine force, leaving a crater in its wake. Perhaps someone could have foreseen this outcome.
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