Here are video reviews of the damage from the SpaceX April 20, 2023 Starship launch.
There was hundreds of tons of dirt and concrete thrown hundreds of feet. There was a lighter layer of dust that went miles.
The winds from the thrust were very powerful within a few thousand feet.
The SpaceX concrete launchpad was built with Fondag concrete. Fondag is formulated using specific alumina binders and synthetic aggregates. Fondag is the most reliable ready-to-use heavy-duty concrete on the market.
SpaceX thought that Fondag would be able to hold up to one 31-engine launch. The Fondag had done fine in the half power hold down test.
The Fondag cracked and then super heated gas went into the cracks and pressure built up rapidly to break more concrete.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
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