From aboard the International Space Station (ISS), an astronaut was able to spot the SpaceX Starbase space complex in Boca Chica, Texas, which was approximately 400 km below at the time of the photograph. Japanese astronaut Koiti Wakata captured the sight as the orbital outpost passed over the state. The astronaut posted the photo on Twitter and asked followers if they could find the Starbase far below.
Of course, if you do not live in this area, it will be very difficult to find this object. Therefore, in order to help you discern the SpaceX Starbase Launch Control Center in the photo, we highlighted it with a red circle. It is also home to SpaceX‘s so-called “Rocket Garden,” where several Starship spacecraft are on display, most of which are older designs that have never been launched.
The green circle shows the launch site for the upcoming first tests of SpaceX’s next-generation Super Heavy rocket. This launch vehicle will attempt to launch the Starship spacecraft into orbit during a short test flight, and NASA hopes to use both vehicles for future crewed missions to the Moon and even Mars. SpaceX has yet to confirm a date for the Super Heavy’s first launch, although it is expected to happen in the coming months.
If the Super Heavy takes off, it will be the most powerful rocket ever created by mankind. It will be more powerful than NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) — mega-rocket, which recently sent the Orion spacecraft to the Moon. Earlier we reported that Elon Musk showed a 140-meter tower Mechazilla for “catching” Starship.
