NASA Worries a Possible SpaceX Rocket Explosion Could Stop It Sending Astronauts to ISS

SpaceX is reportedly already looking into ways of making the launch facility in question more resistant to explosions.

US space agency NASA has expressed concern about SpaceX’s intention to launch its Starship rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

As Reuters points out, one of SpaceX's facilities in Florida, the so-called Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, is the only pad approved to launch SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule that NASA depends on to transport astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

Therefore, if an explosion were to occur at the facility during a Starship launch attempt, it would potentially deprive NASA of its only means of sending crews to the ISS.

"We all recognise that if you had an early failure like we did on one of the early SpaceX flights, it would be pretty devastating to 39A," NASA’s space operations chief Kathy Lueders said.

According to the media outlet, SpaceX has already proposed to NASA to outfit another facility, Launch Complex 40, with the capabilities to send astronauts to space. The company is also reportedly looking at ways of making Launch Complex 39A more resilient to potential explosions.

"SpaceX is working with us on those things," Lueders said. "Because it’s also in their best interest that a pretty steady source of income for them is not interrupted."