SpaceX just made history.

[svauto-erotic855]

I still don't get it. To my thinking I would do everything in my power to make boosters so cheap that they are simply disposable like tissue paper. The most expensive part is the engine and the most expensive part of the engine is the fuel pump, other than that the first stage is basically just a fuel tank that is reinforced structurally to handle the loads placed on it via acceleration.

[Jimbo]

That worked remarkably well, other than the high velocity touchdown.

[jw33]

I just hope that the stock market IPO mania of the last few days finally convinces Elon Musk to take Space X public. I'd like to buy some shares to hold for a long time. I think it makes tons of money and will be a cash cow for a long long time.

You could be right, but I kind of hope not. Shareholders will, for lack of a better term, "fuck that place up".

[Sgt Beavis]

I honestly expected Starship to go nuts and blow up when it tried it's first belly flop at 12.5km.. But now, seeing them get THAT FAR I'm convinced the concept will work. Starship SN9 is almost done and will probably fly in January. I pretty much expect it to stick the landing.

BTW, the main booster for Starship is under construction as well. I speculate that we'll see an orbital flight by the end of 2021. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a manned testflight by 2024/25.

[Broncojohnny]

I just hope that the stock market IPO mania of the last few days finally convinces Elon Musk to take Space X public. I'd like to buy some shares to hold for a long time. I think it makes tons of money and will be a cash cow for a long long time.

[mardyn]

IMO.. it appeared to be descending too rapidly while trying to correct an off vertical angle by a few degrees...

fascinating stuff for sure, TV and movies have made it look easy for so long. The public just expects it all to go right on the first try.

mardyn

[Broncojohnny]

Elon said on Twitter that the tank pressure was low and didn't slow it down enough before it hit the ground, thus it exploded. They just wanted the data.

[Craizie]

That was Ama-za-zing.

[jw33]

It's pretty crazy watching something that big fall, flip around, and try to land.

[Strychnine]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap-BkkrRg-o

Quite the show at the end, but as they said,

"This suborbital flight is designed to test a number of objectives, from how the vehicle’s three Raptor engines perform, and the overall aerodynamic entry capabilities of the vehicle, including its body flaps, to how the vehicle manages propellant transition. SN8 will also attempt to perform a landing flip maneuver, which would be a first for a vehicle of this size.

With a test such as this, success is not measured by completion of specific objectives but rather how much we can learn as a whole, which will inform and improve the probability of success in the future as SpaceX rapidly advances development of Starship.

[jw33]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap-BkkrRg-o

[Ruffdaddy]

We got some excitement going on now!!!!

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.express.co.uk/news/science/1121215/spacex-explosion-elon-musk-nasa-news-crew-dragon-test-space-latest/amp

I'm so glad my testing isnt filmed and publicly released for this very reason. Rarely does stuff go catastrophically wrong...but when it does everyone ig ores what gone right.

[Jimbo]

https://www.postguam.com/news/local/aafb-to-host-first-satellite-launch-from-guam/article_32bd662e-5cf2-11e9-90c9-9f24fd9f5d70.html

Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne rocket is likely to take off from under the wing of a Boeing 747 out of Andersen Air Force Base later this year.

[S_K]

You’re not l337 enough to know that information.

Old school burn! Think I still owned a leisure suit when that saying was around.

[Trip McNeely]

I’m the only one that’s more interest in AbecX making history?
He ever finish that Dodge?

You’re not l337 enough to know that information.