Why was the SpaceX rocket explosion visible in South Florida when it launched from Texas? Meteorologist Steve MacLaughlin breaks down the rocket’s path
SpaceX's launch of Starship from near Brownsville, Texas on Thursday would have been visible from parts of South Florida, even if it had gone as planned.
The original path was for the megarocket to streak across the Gulf, right around or just south of the Keys.
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WATCH HEREBecause of the altitude and the crystal clear skies, many South Floridians may have seen the streak in the sky.
The rocket launched at 6:30 p.m. At 6:38 p.m., several engines appeared to shut off and SpaceX’s Starbase lost communication. At this point, it was just west of Key West, but 90 miles in the air.
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At 6:40 p.m., the explosions were reported in parts of Florida, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos.
Had the launch been successful, after streaking just south of The Florida Keys, the path would have taken it all the way around the world to the middle of the Indian Ocean.
