--- title: "Man Finds Exploded Piece of Starship Five Miles From Launch Site" description: "A nearby spectator was able to recover a piece of SpaceX Starship debris an astonishing five miles from where it launched, according to a CNBC reporter." date: "2021-03-30" modified: "2021-03-30" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/man-finds-exploded-piece-of-starship-five-miles-from-launch-site" categories: - "Space" - "SpaceX" - "Starship" tags: - "elon musk" - "SpaceX" - "Starship" - "the digest" --- # Man Finds Exploded Piece of Starship Five Miles From Launch Site ![A nearby spectator was able to recover a piece of SpaceX Starship debris an astonishing five miles from where it launched, according to a CNBC reporter.]() *\Image: SpaceX\* ## Rapid Disassembly SpaceX's fourth full-scale Starship prototype launched, belly flopped — and promptly smashed into the ground. Heavy fog at the company's test site in Boca Chica, Texas, obscured the view of the event, leading many to question just how much damage ensued. This morning's explosion, however, appears to have been particularly heavy, with debris raining down from the skies a great distance from the launch pad. ## Rocket Shrapnel Case in point, one spectator was able to recover a piece of debris from the lost rocket an astonishing five miles from where it launched, according to *CNBC* reporter Michael Sheetz. https://twitter.com/thesheetztweetz/status/1376910148116082694?s=19 Unofficial livestreams set up by the team at *NASASpaceflight* captured the moments following SN11's demise. The footage shows [large pieces of debris plummeting](), sending up huge sprays of dirt. Even a nearby yucca palm was seemingly chopped in half by a falling piece of rocket. The news comes after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into SpaceX's security practices surrounding the particularly violent launches and ensuing explosions. This morning's launch, for instance, had to be delayed by a day because "FAA inspector unable to reach Starbase in time for launch" on Monday, [according to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk](). If it were up to Musk, an FAA inspector would be available at all times to clear upcoming Starship prototypes for launch. That would probably a good thing: the last thing SpaceX needs on its hands is somebody getting hurt during its next test. **READ MORE:** [SpaceX Starship prototype crashes during landing attempt after another clean, uncrewed launch]() \[*CNBC*\] **More on the launch:** [Starship Prototype Launches in Heavy Fog, Blows Up Dramatically]() ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()