** The Official Space Flight Thread - The Space Station and Beyond **

[Colonel_Klinck]

$22 million per full stack is what I read recently.

I would have thought it was more than that. Those raptor engines aren't cheap and it has 39 in total doesn't it? Maybe that is how much he is hoping it will cost when they have perfected the engineering.

 

[Sankari]

It's the 21st century, Musk has been building rockets for 20 years, and they're still blowing up on launch.

If I was the Texan government (which has gifted SpaceX at least $15 million in subsidies) I'd be asking what all the taxpayers' money is being spent on.

 

[Vulcan]

It's the 21st century, Musk has been building rockets for 20 years, and they're still blowing up on launch.

The prototype rocket was detonated after it launched in the march of engineering progress. Meanwhile, the productuction rocket, the Falcon 9, is the most reliable and successful orbital rocket every built. Currently the only U.S company that can actually send astronauts to the I.S.S, where all other U.S. companies haven't succeeded despite being around longer.

 

[Malevolence]

It's the 21st century, Musk has been building rockets for 20 years, and they're still blowing up on launch.

If I was the Texan government (which has gifted SpaceX at least $15 million in subsidies) I'd be asking what all the taxpayers' money is being spent on.

Is this just an act for the internet or do you honestly not know how testing works?

 

[Sankari]

The prototype rocket was detonated after it launched in the march of engineering progress.

It wasn't 'detonated', it exploded spontaneously.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649053838958301188

The climb didn't last long, however. The 165-foot-tall (50 m) Starship upper stage was supposed to separate from the Super Heavy first stage about three minutes after liftoff, but that never happened. The two vehicles remained connected, and the stack began to tumble, ultimately exploding — or experiencing a "rapid unscheduled disassembly," as SpaceX terms it — just under four minutes after launch.

Meanwhile, the productuction rocket, the Falcon 9, is the most reliable and successful orbital rocket every built. Currently the only U.S company that can actually send astronauts to the I.S.S

The Space Shuttle regularly carried astronauts to the ISS until it was retired in 2011. NASA didn't bother to build a new vehicle for this purpose because Soyuz took on the role, so there was no need.

where all other U.S. companies haven't succeeded despite being around longer.

How many other US space vehicle companies exist? How many of them have tried building a vehicle for ISS astronauts? Where are all these other US companies allegedly failing to produce functional space rockets?

Is this just an act for the internet or do you honestly not know how testing works?

I understand how testing works. Apparently you don't know what failure looks like.

 

[Chuk_Chuk]

seemed like quite a delay between the engines starting to burn and the thing moving upwards.

I believe this was intentional. They may have wanted to test something before letting it go.

 

[danlightbulb]

So the big penis rocket has exploded I see.

Would you really want to trust you life to a rocket from a company like Musk's on a manned flight? I wouldn't.

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

It wasn't 'detonated', it exploded spontaneously.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649053838958301188

I'm not sure on that. I think that it was likely the flight termination system that destroyed it once they knew it wasn't staging.

 

[Vulcan]

It wasn't 'detonated', it exploded spontaneously.

How many other US space vehicle companies exist? How many of them have tried building a vehicle for ISS astronauts? Where are all these other US companies allegedly failing to produce functional space rockets?

I understand how testing works. Apparently you don't know what failure looks like.

It was remotely detonated ("flight termination") some 20km up after it was obvious there would be no stage separation.

Boeing/Lockheed (ULA), Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin etc. These companies have either failed to win contracts, won contracts but not yet sent astronauts to the I.S.S or just aren't as competative as SpaceX which offers cheaper price on it's very reliable and successful rocket.

Everything fails, the important part during testing is to gather the data, the rocket was going to hit the sea one way or another, they didn't want it back.

 

[Fuzz]

I believe this was intentional. They may have wanted to test something before letting it go.

lighting 33 engines in sequence isn't instant and added to that you have to wait for the shock to dissipate through the structure before letting it rip

 

[Chuk_Chuk]

So the big penis rocket has exploded I see.

Would you really want to trust you life to a rocket from a company like Musk's on a manned flight? I wouldn't.

They've literally been taking people to the international space station on the dragon capsule since 2020. So Nasa clearly trusts them.

It seems like a number of people have gotten lost on the way to the twitter thread.

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

So the big penis rocket has exploded I see.

Would you really want to trust you life to a rocket from a company like Musk's on a manned flight? I wouldn't.

The Falcon 9/Dragon capsule I would, especially as it has an in flight abort system if something goes wrong with the rocket. If something goes wrong with Starship you are screwed much like with the Space Shuttle.

 

[Malevolence]

I understand how testing works. Apparently you don't know what failure looks like.

How was it a failure? The Flight Termination System worked as intended. Perhaps you shouldn't take any stead in clickbait headlines in the future.

 

[Roar87]

It's the 21st century, Musk has been building rockets for 20 years, and they're still blowing up on launch.

If I was the Texan government (which has gifted SpaceX at least $15 million in subsidies) I'd be asking what all the taxpayers' money is being spent on.

Could be one of the dumbest posts I've ever seen.

I was actually in awe at seeing that 120 meter rocket lift off, incredible. Having seen the Space Shuttle, which is 1/3 the size, in person at Space Centre Kennedy I can't imagine how immense that thing must be. Incredible feat of engineering and really cutting edge for our species as a whole.

 

[VincentHanna]

Firing for what?

It was a joke based on reports of his firing twitter employees.

 

[Colonel_Klinck]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1649112098344140800

 

[Chojin]

Missed the launch as the BBC website said it had been delayed again.

Caught a replay and it's quite surreal to see it go up in the air. The Falcon Heavy launch and landing that they did back in 2018 (with Bowie music) is still the most memorable for me though.

 

[Monkeynut]

Great test. I was hoping for full success, but I guess I was being greedy given all goals were achieved.

 

[N0ddie]

Missed the launch as the BBC website said it had been delayed again.

Caught a replay and it's quite surreal to see it go up in the air. The Falcon Heavy launch and landing that they did back in 2018 (with Bowie music) is still the most memorable for me though.

100%. Seeing the Falcons land side by side was mesmerising. We have to remember though. Falcon Heavy had a greater chance of success than this B7 and S24 combo. At least they had managed loads of Falcon landing/launches before.

The crater at the launch mount is worrying though. The next booster and ship combo will be good to go loooooooooooong before the launch infrastructure is ready imo.

 

[Chojin]

100%. Seeing the Falcons land side by side was mesmerising. We have to remember though. Falcon Heavy had a greater chance of success than this B7 and S24 combo. At least they had managed loads of Falcon landing/launches before.

Mesmerising is the word alright! When they get it right with the Falcons it looks like it's 3D generated.