SpaceX Super Heavy and Starship updates

[TrevorLahey]

On 17/01/2025 at 15:22, FloatingFatMan said:

You DO realise that it's YOUR MONEY that's funding Musk, right?  That 300 million dollar explosion? That was aaaaalllll yours...    Take away the government funding and subsidies, and SpaceX hasn't made a single red cent in profit.

 

And guess what? They don't go around blowing (literally) 300 million bucks every time they launch something, unlike Musk, who can't even read a NASA engineering manual... 

Hate blinds you.

[Astra.Xtreme]

On 17/01/2025 at 14:22, FloatingFatMan said:

You DO realise that it's YOUR MONEY that's funding Musk, right?  That 300 million dollar explosion? That was aaaaalllll yours...    Take away the government funding and subsidies, and SpaceX hasn't made a single red cent in profit.

 

And guess what? They don't go around blowing (literally) 300 million bucks every time they launch something, unlike Musk, who can't even read a NASA engineering manual... 

Um what?  Where did you come up with that nonsense?  SpaceX spending money on R&D doesn't mean I'm paying for it.

Funny you mention NASA.  How much money and how long did it take to design SLS?  And remind me, how many launches have they had so far?

If you're going to whine about tax payer money, at least complain about the one what is actually a government and taxpayer funded entity...

[FloatingFatMan]

On 17/01/2025 at 20:38, Astra.Xtreme said:

Um what?  Where did you come up with that nonsense?  SpaceX spending money on R&D doesn't mean I'm paying for it.

It's government money, dear boy.  And where does government get its money from? Oh yeah. Taxes.

 

On 17/01/2025 at 20:38, Astra.Xtreme said:

Funny you mention NASA.  How much money and how long did it take to design SLS?  And remind me, how many launches have they had so far?

Better the money be spent on sane engineering methods than just YOLOing something out of a 1950's scifi comic and blowing it up almost every time you launch it...

 

On 17/01/2025 at 20:38, Astra.Xtreme said:

If you're going to whine about tax payer money, at least complain about the one what is actually a government and taxpayer funded entity...

I am, that'd be SpaceX, or are you just ignorant about where they get all their funding from?

[Astra.Xtreme]

On 17/01/2025 at 14:41, FloatingFatMan said:

It's government money, dear boy.  And where does government get its money from? Oh yeah. Taxes.

 

Better the money be spent on sane engineering methods than just YOLOing something out of a 1950's scifi comic and blowing it up almost every time you launch it...

 

I am, that'd be SpaceX, or are you just ignorant about where they get all their funding from?

Do I need to repeat myself?  What government money?  Show us proof that the US taxpayers are funding Starship development....
I can do a 5 second Google search and it clearly says otherwise.

A Starship launch doesn't cost $300m either, so clearly you're just pulling ridiculous ideas out of your deranged mind...

[TrevorLahey]

On 17/01/2025 at 15:47, Astra.Xtreme said:

Do I need to repeat myself?  What government money?  Show us proof that the US taxpayers are funding Starship development....
I can do a 5 second Google search and it clearly says otherwise.

A Starship launch doesn't cost $300m either, so clearly you're just pulling ridiculous ideas out of your deranged mind...

I'm on your side, but you could say there is some government money.  $2.89 billion contract for the lunar lander (I also seen another site say the total amount was $4.5 billion).  Bezo's got a 3.4 billion contract from the Government for theirs.  There have been other contracts as well, not specifically for Starship.  I seen one place estimate that Starship development could cost 10 billion.

Both contracts are to build something, and not some welfare type handout like he wants to believe.  Other money also comes from the government for a service like launching people to the ISS.

A lot of money also comes from private investors and launch services to other companies.  It's a business and as a tax payer, it's nice to see progress than what we've been used to with the other Government contracts that have been made.  We also don't have to worry or hear the reports similar to SLS being over budget by 6 billion, and 6 years behind schedule.

 

On 17/01/2025 at 15:41, FloatingFatMan said:

Better the money be spent on sane engineering methods than just YOLOing something out of a 1950's scifi comic and blowing it up almost every time you launch it...

Sane engineering like launching a rocket with no re-use like we've done for years?  Sane engineering that takes years to even get a rocket to launch?

You're just making yourself look bad at this point.

[FloatingFatMan]

On 17/01/2025 at 21:17, bguy_1986 said:

Sane engineering like launching a rocket with no re-use like we've done for years?  Sane engineering that takes years to even get a rocket to launch?

Sane engineering doesn't mean it can't be reusable. The shuttle was sane engineering, was way more reusable than SpaceX's rockets, and was designed in the 70's.  The only reason it ended up failing was due to the "lowest bidder wins" mindset, and it was just old.  Also, SpaceX's reusability ain't all that anyway.  Their refurb costs aren't exactly low and nothing like they promised.  They've also missed every single ridiculous deadline they've ever made, by a mile.

[snowy owl]

On 17/01/2025 at 15:17, Astra.Xtreme said:

Believe it or not, this is what they want to happen.  With rapid R&D, you want it to blow up occasionally and return the data. 

Before performing such maneuvers, SpaceX should know the air traffic route so as not to cause threats in the air with their ###### exploding rockets!

 

[TrevorLahey]

On 17/01/2025 at 16:34, FloatingFatMan said:

Sane engineering doesn't mean it can't be reusable. The shuttle was sane engineering, was way more reusable than SpaceX's rockets, and was designed in the 70's.  The only reason it ended up failing was due to the "lowest bidder wins" mindset, and it was just old.  Also, SpaceX's reusability ain't all that anyway.  Their refurb costs aren't exactly low and nothing like they promised.  They've also missed every single ridiculous deadline they've ever made, by a mile.

The shuttle costed a fortune and was not way more reusable. lol. It isn’t possible for it to have the same turn around a falcon 9 has. 

[TrevorLahey]

On 17/01/2025 at 16:43, snowy owl said:

Before performing such maneuvers, SpaceX should know the air traffic route so as not to cause threats in the air with their ###### exploding rockets!

 

 

[snowy owl]

What do you imagine that I don't know that there was an exclusion zone for the flight area of this rocket, the fact is that the debris still disturbed air traffic, since several fell further outside the exclusion zone.

[TrevorLahey]

On 17/01/2025 at 20:39, snowy owl said:

What do you imagine that I don't know that there was an exclusion zone for the flight area of this rocket, the fact is that the debris still disturbed air traffic, since several fell further outside the exclusion zone.

I’m done arguing with people that are so blinded by hate. If anything you said was true (I’ve seen no official reports), the FAA will take care of it. Nobody’s minds are going to be changed over this.  SpaceX will continue flying and will get it straightened out as they did with Falcon 9. 

[snowy owl]

So here are some more details:

On Friday January 17, the day after this 7th test flight, which was seen as a new victory for Elon Musk's American company, the American aviation regulator (FAA) stuck its nose into the explosion affair, ordering SpaceX to open an investigation. And by grounding the private space industry leader for the duration of these investigations.

 SpaceX is well aware that some debris could be found in Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands.

Aircraft diverted and low-Earth orbit threatened

At the same time, in the air, the US Federal Aviation Administration was sounding the alarm, diverting numerous aircraft off course to separate them from the miles of debris strewn across the sky. Without much doubt, some of the debris would reach altitudes accessible to airliners, or even reach the Earth's surface without having fully vanished in time. A great risk, but one that could have taken on an entirely different scale if the ship's explosion had taken place at a higher altitude, and the debris had taken several days or weeks to return to Earth.

By leaving the Earth's gravitational pull, the debris could have ended up in a space known as low orbit, where the slightest threat could trigger a chain reaction of multiple collisions between each gravitating body. A situation underlined by the significant increase in the number of satellites in the sky. The saturation of the levels between 160 and 1000 kilometers in altitude is a growing concern, and SpaceX, with its Starlink constellation, has something to do with it: the overwhelming majority of the stars in orbit today have been produced by the company.

[snowy owl]

On 17/01/2025 at 20:54, bguy_1986 said:

If anything you said was true (I’ve seen no official reports), the FAA will take care of it.

The FAA is taking care of it: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/17/faa-grounds-spacex-starship-reports-property-damage-in-caribbean.html

Quote

Notably, the FAA says it activated a “Debris Response Area” to warn aircraft of debris falling “outside of the identified closed aircraft hazard areas.”

Quote

The regulator noted in a statement that, while there have been “no reports of public injury,” it has received “reports of public property damage on Turks and Caicos” islands in the Caribbean.

SpaceX must complete the investigation and put in place any required corrective actions before the FAA issues the company with a new license to launch Starship again.

Happy now?

Edited January 18, 2025 by snowy owl

[adrynalyne]

On 18/01/2025 at 14:28, snowy owl said:

The FAA is taking care of it: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/17/faa-grounds-spacex-starship-reports-property-damage-in-caribbean.html

Happy now?

Just don’t call him sunshine. 

[FloatingFatMan]

On 18/01/2025 at 21:28, snowy owl said:

The FAA is taking care of it: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/17/faa-grounds-spacex-starship-reports-property-damage-in-caribbean.html

Happy now?

Several people, including the well known SpaceX supporter and streamer Scott Manley, are making the argument that the main problem was the triggering of the flight termination system which likely destroyed the vehicle when it malfunctioned. They argue that if it had deorbited in one piece it would have been far less dangerous and caused less damage. 

 

Something to consider.

[snowy owl]

We must admit, it's impressive what they've achieved so far. We'll have to wait and see the results of the investigation into this accident to find out the real cause.

 

On 19/01/2025 at 09:36, FloatingFatMan said:

They argue that if it had deorbited in one piece it would have been far less dangerous and caused less damage.

I also share this view. And most probably the debris would have fallen in the areas delimited by the FAA, whether or not the rocket had exploded. Thus avoiding all the commotion that followed the explosion.

The investigation will tell us, at least I do hope so?

[anthdci]

On 1/19/2025 at 3:44 PM, snowy owl said:

The investigation will tell us, at least I do hope so?

you can bet they will consider it. 

[DocM]

On 17/01/2025 at 15:22, FloatingFatMan said:

You DO realise that it's YOUR MONEY that's funding Musk, right?  That 300 million dollar explosion? That was aaaaalllll yours...    Take away the government funding and subsidies, and SpaceX hasn't made a single red cent in profit.

And that's a total crock. The vast majority of the money spent on developing Starship comes from the $billion$ they are raking in from Starlink, which is already several $billion per year.

So far the NASA contract is $2,9 billion, and that is being spread out over several years in milestone payments. Each milestone SpaceX meets, they get a small payment. The contract will not be completed until they have landed on the moon twice, once with a crew. 

 

On 17/01/2025 at 15:22, FloatingFatMan said:

And guess what? They don't go around blowing (literally) 300 million bucks every time they launch something,

Starship launch does not cost $300 million. Not even close, and they are well on the way to having reusable boosters which is 2/3 of the cost.

 

On 17/01/2025 at 15:22, FloatingFatMan said:

unlike Musk, who can't even read a NASA engineering manual... 

He's enough of an engineer to be elected by his peers into the National Academy of Engineering. He's also in the Royal Academy. How about you?

[DocM]

On 18/01/2025 at 06:22, snowy owl said:

So here are some more details:

On Friday January 17, the day after this 7th test flight, which was seen as a new victory for Elon Musk's American company, the American aviation regulator (FAA) stuck its nose into the explosion affair, ordering SpaceX to open an investigation. And by grounding the private space industry leader for the duration of these investigations.

Only Spacex\X's Starship is under investigation, their Falcon rockets continue to launch.

The FAA investigation is standard procedure, and SpaceX will do the investigation and file a report. This will probably be a fast one because Starship has thousands of sensors and cameras monitoring every aspect of the flight. They knew what caused it within an hour of the launch. They have even discussed what the fix will be.

FAA can accept the report or reject it, and they rarely reject SpaceX reports. They believe theirs more than they do Boeing's. 

Meanwhile, the vehicles for Flight 8 are in flown for a likely launch in February or March.

New Glenn may not fly again until mid-2025

Edited January 21, 2025 by DocM

[snowy owl]

On 21/01/2025 at 02:26, DocM said:

Only Spacex\X's Starship is under investigation, their Falcon rockets continue to launch.

I think that according to the reference I quoted it was very clearly “Starship” that was grounded, it's all in the title, isn't it? And not the “Falcon9”.

On 21/01/2025 at 02:26, DocM said:

FAA can accept the report or reject it, and they rarely reject SpaceX reports.

However, Musk does not agree that the next test should be postponed until he receives the report on his investigation and the FAA's conclusions. That's where I have a problem with this case.

Ref.: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/spacex-starship-explosion-1.7434001

On 21/01/2025 at 02:26, DocM said:

They believe theirs more than they do Boeing's. 

I understand why, and it's one of the reasons why last year I avoided any flight involving a Boeing aircraft, preferring to travel on board an Airbus instead.

 

On 21/01/2025 at 02:26, DocM said:

Falcon rockets continue to launch.

According to this website (https://everydayastronaut.com/falcon-9-block-5-starlink-group-11-8/), the next Falcon9 launch is scheduled for January 21.

[DocM]

On 21/01/2025 at 07:23, snowy owl said:

.However, Musk does not agree that the next test should be postponed until he receives the report on his investigation and the FAA's conclusions. That's where I have a problem with this case.

FAA doesn't. After their last long delay NASA got involved because this is part of  NASAs Artemis project. FAA had also been criticized for extended delays not only by the rest of the industry but by Congress, which holds their leash.

As a result, Congress is considering removing FAA from the launch management business and giving it back to the Dept. of  Commerce. 

Since, FAA has been more...cooperative.

 

On 21/01/2025 at 07:23, snowy owl said:

Ref.: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/spacex-starship-explosion-1.7434001

Pfftttt... Mostly outdated info and poor assumptions. Typical Mass media.

The degree fall was within the preassigned debris area, and ahead of the flight all aircraft were given a zone to keep out of. Big deals to FAA and SpaceX met their obligations.

Flight 8 marches on

 

[snowy owl]

On 22/01/2025 at 01:23, DocM said:

The degree fall was within the preassigned debris area

So the Turks and Caicos Islands were included in the preassigned area, inhabited areas, while Musk claimed that all the debris had fallen into the Atlantic, show a little more seriousness!

One lady testifies that she alone picked up 8 lb of debris (see link below).

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/spacex-starship-explosion-debris-lands-on-tropical-island-229691461579

On 22/01/2025 at 01:23, DocM said:

and ahead of the flight all aircraft were given a zone to keep out of.

This is perfectly normal since it's part of every rocket launch 🤪!

On 22/01/2025 at 01:23, DocM said:

Pfftttt... Mostly outdated info and poor assumptions. Typical Mass media.

I have consulted several media of different sizes, and they are unanimous on the results, and falling debris area from this explosion.

But of course, stay in front of your TV and watch Fox News! Which is nothing but disinformation!

Even if the launches are interrupted for the duration of the investigation, there's nothing to stop them being ready for the next launch 🤷🏻‍♂️!

 

Edited January 22, 2025 by snowy owl

[TrevorLahey]

On 22/01/2025 at 07:33, snowy owl said:

One lady testifies that she alone picked up 8 lb of debris (see link below).

https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/spacex-starship-explosion-debris-lands-on-tropical-island-229691461579

I only skimmed that video, because I don't care to argue with somebody who is just here to troll.  But what I seen was there was debris washing up on beaches.  This doesn't sound like as big of a deal that you're trying to make it.  It seems kind of obvious to me that you would have that.

[snowy owl]

On 22/01/2025 at 08:05, bguy_1986 said:

But what I seen was there was debris washing up on beaches.

What about the other testimonials?

And that there is an investigation to confirm or not that debris may have damaged property?

These are the facts, if you don't like them, there's nothing I can do about it 🤷‍♂️?

[TrevorLahey]

On 22/01/2025 at 08:29, snowy owl said:

What about the other testimonials?

And that there is an investigation to confirm or not that debris may have damaged property?

These are the facts, if you don't like them, there's nothing I can do about it 🤷‍♂️?

Then I'm sure it will show up in a FAA report or SpaceX's report. 

What did they do when the shuttle exploded across the states?  They attempted to fix it and continued on, which is what they will do with Starship whether debris landed where it was supposed to or wasn't supposed to.

 

What are you hoping to see happen?  For the Government shut Musk/SpaceX down?