The US Space Force and NASA are studying the explosive potential of methane-fueled rockets for an attempt to better understand the hazards of an exploding methalox rocket. The development of these engines, which use methane in combination with liquid oxygen, has several advantages such as their ability to handle and leave less behind sooty residue than kerosene. The most powerful of these new engines are the Raptor and BE-4, each capable of generating over half a million pounds of thrust. However, rockets sometimes explode, and this is why NASA is studying these engines to determine how the hazards might differ from other launchers. The launch pads for these types of rockets are now operational or under construction on government property at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, and NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.