Debris blast from SpaceX rocket launch faces environmental scrutiny

The most powerful rocket ever built destroyed its launchpad and sent a plume of concrete dust and rubble into the air

While the spectacle of SpaceX's new Starship rocket blowing up over the Gulf of Mexico riveted the public's attention, it was the explosive nature of the launch at ground level that was drawing heightened scrutiny from the government this week.

The shattering force of last Thursday's launch in south Texas sent a cloud of pulverized concrete raining over a small town nearby, federal regulators said, raising fresh questions about the environmental impact of ramped-up launch operations at the site.