On 6/17/23 4:14 PM, Tom Beecher wrote:
Betting that Starship won't be a factor is not a bet I'd make. And I'm definitely not a Musk fan boy. A lot of the same NASA types didn't believe they'd get where they are now either. Because... you know, vested interests. I'd bet that Starship will be a factor way before the Senate Launch System.Also: they plan to use Starship when it's available which has 10x more capacity. If it really is fully reusable as advertised, that is going to really drive down the launch cost.Starship is years away from being flight ready. The most recent test launch from Texas was not a 'successful failure' as widely portrayed in the media. Reputable people who have been working in this field for decades have pointed out tons of massive problems that are not quick fixes.
Mike
