The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. April 21, 2023 Texas Residents Report Environmental Fallout from SpaceX Launch After Rocket Explodes in Flight ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Space X is claiming success after the first launch of its massive new rocket, dubbed "Starship." The two-stage prototype lifted off Thursday morning from Space X's sprawling base on Texas's Gulf Coast near the U.S. border with Mexico, becoming the largest and heaviest machine ever to fly under its own power. At least six of the rocket's 33 engines failed during flight, and the vehicle self-destructed over the Gulf of Mexico about four minutes after liftoff. Residents of Port Isabel, near the launch site, reported particulates rained down on their neighborhoods. The fiery end to the launch was the latest in a series of explosions around Space X's launch site near the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. After headlines, we'll go to Brownsville, Texas, for the latest. .