SpaceX Starship

[interrobang]

This is the SpaceX method. They'll have another test vehicle out on the launch pad pretty much as soon as the debris is cleaned up. I don't know what their plans are for this one, but probably have some more testing with another launch in the next few weeks. Barring any other damage they need to fix at the site first.

If NASA has a failure on their SLS, it could be a couple years until they try it again.

Am still not convinced it is the completely correct way to go about it. If they were just testing the landing it would be better. But seems like they swap out a Raptor every static fire. Just seems like they are testing too much and have multiple failures at the moment.

 

[interrobang]

Picked up the explosion on radar even!

 

[Saul_T]

Keep in mind SpaceX is developing these rockets in full view of the public. When NASA, or private enterprises like ULA have failures with prototypes or their testing programs, something might leak to the public, but you never see it.

Smarter Every Day has a really cool video series with the CEO of ULA where you get to go behind the scenes of their facilities and factory.

 

[CascadeClone]

SpaceX spends more on hardware and testing, but the leadtime reduction is a huge money saver. As pointed out, NASA has been paying people and rent for 10 years, and had one engine test on a test bed. To some extent it is just a different strategy to achieve the goal.

Additionally, Musk is happy to have the press and noise around an explosion, and sells it as a good thing (which is really is). Conversely, NASA has to answer to Congress everytime something goes wrong - because there is always someone there that wants to pull their funding. So they kind of have to be much more risk averse. That probably explains the different approaches.

Time will tell whose strategy works better, but my money is on Elon.

 

[Cloneon]

SpaceX spends more on hardware and testing, but the leadtime reduction is a huge money saver. As pointed out, NASA has been paying people and rent for 10 years, and had one engine test on a test bed. To some extent it is just a different strategy to achieve the goal.

Additionally, Musk is happy to have the press and noise around an explosion, and sells it as a good thing (which is really is). Conversely, NASA has to answer to Congress everytime something goes wrong - because there is always someone there that wants to pull their funding. So they kind of have to be much more risk averse. That probably explains the different approaches.

Time will tell whose strategy works better, but my money is on Elon.

I worked as a government contractor. I was hired because the internal government organization responsible for IT was inadequate. The division which hired me needed a solution for their requirements. I spent 1 year designing a system. It was, correctly, approved each step of the way. Of course, we stepped on a few toes of people entrenched in their own philosophy (much of it bought by a major computer supplier who no longer even exists). My team's proposal was state-of-the-art. It would cost 1.5 times more than another proposed system, but would have a life cycle 20 times longer, would be 10 times more powerful, the ROI would be in 1/10th the time, and it would be completed in 3 months. Enter an 'anonymous' complaint and an internal investigation. God know how much that cost. But, I estimated close to the cost of the entire project. And, in the end, a 20 page report (10 pages of which was purely boiler plate), clearly saying we did nothing wrong, stated they could not consider 'forecasting' more than 5 years, and suggested we start the approval process over. It took 3 years of my well intentioned life to get that far. I quit and subsequently accomplished a similar project in the private sector in only 3 months. Footnote: they went with the other proposal which was antiquated in 5 years (ie has already been replaced), cost 3 times as much, and took 2 years to accomplish. Need I say more. The government is NOT designed to make good decisions. Especially, when it comes to spending your tax dollars.

 

[interrobang]

Didn't get a link to the live stream posted, but they finally landed one!

 

[isutrevman]

Didn't get a link to the live stream posted, but they finally landed one!

Unfortunate the first 100% successful test flight was almost completely hidden by the clouds. Spacex's video kept freezing up too after working flawlessly on past flight attempts. At least we got to see part of the landing.

 

[isutrevman]

Still amazed they not only broadcast these tests live for the world to see, but they openly welcome others like NASASpaceflight, LabPadre and Everyday Astronaut to set up their own cameras to get their own video.

 

[isutrevman]

Starship production facility tour in Boca Chica with Elon Musk and Waterloo's very own Tim Dodd (Everyday Astronaut).

I'm only 12 minutes in and the amount of information in this video is insane. I've had to rewind 5-6 times already to catch things I missed. You don't get this type of information made public with any other space company or agency. It's pretty eye opening.

Everyday Astronaut has a boatload of really informative/awesome videos about rocket technology/space travel on youtube if anyone is interested.

Hopefully we get an orbital launch of starship in the next month or two.

 

[isutrevman]

Part II posted this morning for the only other person that cares, @BigCyFan

 

[Boxerdaddy]

Seeing Starship and booster stacked was mindblowing. That thing is huge.

(In before TWSS)

 

[CYTUTT]

This is te

Starship production facility tour in Boca Chica with Elon Musk and Waterloo's very own Tim Dodd (Everyday Astronaut).

I'm only 12 minutes in and the amount of information in this video is insane. I've had to rewind 5-6 times already to catch things I missed. You don't get this type of information made public with any other space company or agency. It's pretty eye opening.

Everyday Astronaut has a boatload of really informative/awesome videos about rocket technology/space travel on youtube if anyone is interested.

Hopefully we get an orbital launch of starship in the next month or two.

I watched this and found the same thing. At about the 14 or 16 minute mark, when he talks about the 5 pillars of his design/build strategy and how he got to that order, was amazing. Everything is essentially a MVP (minimal viable product) and then they improve it.

So enlightening and mostly doesn’t care if people see or copy!

 

[isutrevman]

This is te


I watched this and found the same thing. At about the 14 or 16 minute mark, when he talks about the 5 pillars of his design/build strategy and how he got to that order, was amazing. Everything is essentially a MVP (minimal viable product) and then they improve it.

So enlightening and mostly doesn’t care if people see or copy!

I love that he's still brainstorming and trying to think of better solutions during the interview. Reminds me of something I heard him say a few years ago. I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like "if the design getting too complicated, then it's wrong, and we need to start over." He's not afraid to scrap a bad idea even if they have millions of dollars into it. It's why they scrapped carbon fiber and replaced it with stainless steel.

 

[NateTheBoss]

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Around 30 min out from first launch of starship super heavy.

 

[wxman1]

10 minutes to go.

 

[wxman1]

JK a pressurization issue is causing them to scrub the launch.

 

[riceville98]

yep Sounds like no flight today but, will use it as a complete dry run. Hope they fly soon!!

 

[isutrevman]

Bummer, but not unexpected. The odds of them going through with the launch on the first attempt with zero delays was pretty small.

 

[jaj040]

Looks like Wednesday at the earliest for a 2nd attempt.

Edit: Now targeting Thursday (4/20 Elon funny number) morning.

 

[interrobang]

Trying again today, stream goes live in an hour.