On April 20, 2023, Starship launched—successfully. But the real story was underground. The base of the launch pad—Stage Zero—was obliterated. Concrete, earth, and debris were flung half a kilometer.

Imagine watching a slow-motion explosion that has been unfolding for over four centuries. In 1604, the astronomer Johannes Kepler looked up and saw a "new star" burning in the night sky. Today, we ...