During SpaceX’s highly anticipated Starship launch last week, the Super Heavy booster caused significant damage to the launch pad below. The immense power generated by the most potent rocket ever made is evident in the photos of the aftermath. However, some speculate that the damage may have been prevented had SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk done more to prepare the launchpad. One viral image shows the top layer of the concrete launchpad almost entirely destroyed, exposing a twisted rebar skeleton. The impact also created a gaping crater, causing water to flood its interior.
Despite the significant damage, the launch tower managed to remain mostly unharmed, providing some relief for SpaceX. Nevertheless, the incident serves as a reminder of the inherent risks involved in rocket launches and the importance of taking all necessary precautions.
Having built launch pads of straw, wood, and brick, @SpaceX is now going to try water-cooled steel. Take THAT, big bad Super Heavy. pic.twitter.com/olhVGcf3X0
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) April 23, 2023
The damage inflicted on the launchpad by the Super Heavy booster during SpaceX’s Starship launch exceeded the expectations of both the company’s engineers and CEO, Elon Musk. Musk had set a “low” bar for success in a Twitter Spaces session leading up to the launch: “Just don’t blow up the launchpad,” he had said, as quoted by Insider.
Having built launch pads of straw, wood, and brick, @SpaceX is now going to try water-cooled steel. Take THAT, big bad Super Heavy. pic.twitter.com/olhVGcf3X0
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) April 23, 2023
After the launch, it quickly became apparent that the launchpad had not remained intact, prompting Musk to provide a tentative analysis of the damage. He suggested in a tweet on Friday that the engines, when they throttled up, may have shattered the concrete rather than merely eroding it, leading to more extensive damage than initially anticipated.
Starship program
The incident highlights the complex nature of rocket launches and the unpredictability of their outcomes, even when the most extensive precautions are taken. As SpaceX continues to develop its Starship program, it will need to pay close attention to the lessons learned from this launch and take steps to ensure that similar incidents do not occur in the future. Elaborated and re-written: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk acknowledged that the damage to the launchpad caused by the Starship’s inaugural launch was more significant than what they had anticipated. Musk admitted that they wrongly assumed that the concrete could make it through one launch based on static fire data. Despite the setback, Musk remains optimistic that SpaceX could launch again in one to two months, but experts have estimated that it may take longer. This could be a costly delay for SpaceX as NASA plans to use the Starship launch system for its crewed Artemis 3 mission to the lunar surface by 2025.
Mistakes
Some experts have pointed out that the damage could have been avoided if Musk had implemented a few precautions widely used in other big rocket launches. For instance, a flame diverter or trench could redirect the rocket exhaust and its massive acoustic energy away from damaging the vehicle and the launchpad. Ironically, in 2020, Musk tweeted that SpaceX was “aspiring to have no flame diverter,” which some argue may have been a mistake. Another solution could be a water deluge system that dampens heat and acoustic energy, which SpaceX has been considering. Musk tweeted that they started building a massive water-cooled steel plate under the launch mount, but it wasn’t ready in time.
According to SpaceFlight Now, NASA’s Space Launch System and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket use flame diverters or water deluge systems, highlighting the lack of precautions taken in the Starship launch. The damage extended beyond the launchpad, as a nearby city was engulfed in a cloud of dust and grime, and a shattered window was reported. The inadequate launchpad could have contributed to significant damage to Starship itself, including the engines, leading to the rocket’s self-destruction. Despite the explosion, the launch has been framed as a learning experience. However, experts note that it is standard procedure to include a flame diverter or water deluge system for large rocket launches, which makes it puzzling why SpaceX chose not to include either solution.
