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Starship's Sixth Flight Test

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Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#431

Post by jmward01 »

ihumanable wrote: post #422
jmward01 wrote: post #410

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there is an honest debate here for the tech side of the house and its implications/risks/etc, but my point is, I think, more broad than 'will we move too fast elsewhere'. I worry he will bring twitter like problems, 'free speech is important, if it is approved by me', to space and Mars. I can easily imagine a future where the Moon, Mars and space are accessible, so long as you are approved by Musk to be in sp…

I agree with this, especially when you consider that it is us, the taxpayer that is largely subsidizing musk to build out this toll booth. It is not crazy to believe that in the medium term that SpaceX will be one of the only viable ways for America to access space. In that position SpaceX will have a lot of leverage and ability to extract concessions from anyone wanting to go to space. Why my tax dollars should go t…

It may seem a bit trite, but the answer right now is 'because SpaceX is actually doing it'. Space was in a massive rut. SpaceX is breaking that rut and I don't begrudge a single penny that has gone towards that. But a core issue that successful people have is that they assume that because they had success in x they are right in everything else. There is good and bad with Musk, as there is with everyone. I personally would like to kick start the conversation about how cheap access to space can be about society and not about money and personality. We are on the cusp of truly being a space based species and we are just letting it happen instead of guiding it. Now that the technology is rapidly progressing again, it is time to have the conversation about society and space and not just how cool the tech is.

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#432

Post by panick21_ »

ceejayoz wrote: post #268
JacobThreeThree wrote: post #240

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can argue that all government contracts are a different form of subsidy, but in common parlance people do not use the term subsidy when describing government contracts.

A government contract paying to send up student payloads on an untested in-development launcher with no requirement for a successful launch (and there were three failures) is absolutely a subsidy.

That contract financed tiny part Falcon 1 and was likely given to the government for an extremely cheap price. Yes, you can call that a subsidy but its one of very few things you can really call that for SpaceX.

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#433

Post by mpweiher »

2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #424
mpweiher wrote: post #415

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> you can't compare SLS to Falcon 9 I just did, so you clearly can. And it is also meaningful. In theory, a heavier vehicle should have lower cost to orbit, not higher , all else being equal, as some costs are constant overhead. And this theory turns out to be true when you have a comparable vehicle, the Falcon Heavy: Falcon Heavy: $ 2,100 / kg to LEO (fully expended) SLS: $ 37,000 / kg to LEO Payload capacity is 68t…

> Then comes Starship That's my whole damn point. It ain't here yet. You're comparing SLS to a fantasy rocket. Starship needs to materialize before we compare IMO. I personally don't think Starship will ever deliver humans to the moon (but I wouldn't mind being wrong).

> You're comparing SLS to a fantasy rocket.

Incorrect. I also compared SLS to both (a) Falcon 9 and (b) Falcon Heavy. Both of which dramatically outperform it in regular commercial flight.

Whereas SLS has had exactly one test flight.

And of course Starship exists. It has flown 5 times, which is 4 times more than SLS. And has landed both parts at least once, which is infinitely many times more than SLS ever will.

So which of these is the "fantasy rocket"?

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#434

Post by HideousKojima »

roflyear wrote: post #387
HideousKojima wrote: post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should have seen his Lex Fridman interview then where he talks about exactly that and brings up things like the need to kidnap a seal (twice!), strap it to a board, and force it to listen to sonic boom noises to comply with braindeas government environmental regulations.

I can't watch every one of these interviews

Then how did you see enough of what he said to state "Maybe. I don't see Elon saying that much. Mostly it's politically charged crap."?

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#435

Post by njarboe »

shirro wrote: post #318
ranger207 wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Didn't SpaceX launch Europa Clipper to Jupiter a few weeks ago?

Clipper is a massive payload for a planetary science mission as well. SLS was the only other operational US vehicle with the payload capacity.

The Clipper was planned to be launched on the SLS, but due to delays in the SLS program and its massive cost ($2+ billion per launch), it was decided to use the Falcon Heavy to launch it even though the Falcon Heavy is a bit smaller and it will take 5 years instead of 3 to get to Jupiter.

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#436

Post by 2OEH8eoCRo0 »

mpweiher wrote: post #433
2OEH8eoCRo0 wrote: post #424

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Then comes Starship That's my whole damn point. It ain't here yet. You're comparing SLS to a fantasy rocket. Starship needs to materialize before we compare IMO. I personally don't think Starship will ever deliver humans to the moon (but I wouldn't mind being wrong).

> You're comparing SLS to a fantasy rocket. Incorrect. I also compared SLS to both (a) Falcon 9 and (b) Falcon Heavy. Both of which dramatically outperform it in regular commercial flight. Whereas SLS has had exactly one test flight. And of course Starship exists. It has flown 5 times, which is 4 times more than SLS. And has landed both parts at least once, which is infinitely many times more than SLS ever will. So w…

SLS has flown to the moon and back. Starship hasn't yet flown to orbit.

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#437

Post by jryle70 »

righthand wrote: post #417
shkkmo wrote: post #393

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Next time please bother reading my comment if you are going to reply. I listed spefic gains from lower launch costs that are not theoretical and directly improve the lives of everyday people. As I said before, you don't actually want an answer here.

No I got answers. As I’ve been saying before, to which YOU don’t want to listen to my perspective. None of what you list would be halted or forfeited by the discontinuation of Starship. None of what you list would affect my personal day to day. It is very clear YOU don’t want to consider any other perspective than “of course everything is perfect and good from Starship”. I will gladly eat my words when it is proven o…

> None of what you list would affect my personal day to day.

You've made up your mind so I'm not going to convince you. I'm only trying to debunk that for the sake of other readers.

More precise, more timely weather forecast will definitely affect your day. Better crop, more efficient cargo transport definitely have the potential to improve your life, your health, and lower your cost of living.

Starlink V2 is capable of gigabit internet, and it can only be launched on Starship. That can potentially affect your quality of life.

Starlink cell services can potentially save your life, if you're stranded on Everest. Maybe that isn't your game, but still.

Next time, when consider what may affect your life, think a bit deeper. The world is a lot more than just you.

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#438

Post by silexia »

We all recognize Elon Musk is brilliant and big hearted person putting humanity first in many areas of life: business, programming, science, etc. Why is it so hard to recognize his brilliance and good heartedness in politics just because he is across the aisle?

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#439

Post by Animats »

mrguyorama wrote: post #425
rodiger wrote: post #408

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not true! The ISS has functioned as an outpost for science- 3,000+ experiments and counting https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/five-space-station-res...

And most importantly for anyone who cares about space the way Elon claims to: The ISS has done pretty much all the research we have on how humans survive in space.

The hazards of living in zero-G were understood at the end of the Mir era.

Re: Starship's Sixth Flight Test

#440

Post by taneq »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #286
taneq wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Literally anything but the metric system, huh? ;)

I applaud GP's effort at also avoiding shipping cliches like Olympic-size swimming pools.

It was classy, for sure. At least seven or eight hundred milliClass. :D
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