Rand Simberg wrote:
Before or after the launch?


You probably want to launch it in some fairly desolate area to be on the safe side.
But you do get the advantage of getting all your engines firing on the pad prior to liftoff, so you can be sure they are operating correctly.
Of course as soon as an engineer sees that they are going to suggest the Atlas engine drop, then suggest dropping the associated tankage as well as the engines, then since that will come to Earth somewhere, it should be on a seacoast... :-D

Pat