The Data Is Fine, The Rocket Is Not

Another Starship launch, another fireworks display

1 minute

The Data Is Fine, The Rocket Is Not

This is becoming increasingly regular for Starship. We know SpaceX takes a fail-fast, learn-fast approach, but this is the third launch in a row that's ended in rapid unscheduled disassembly. Elon was meant to talk to the press after the launch, but he disappeared instead. Only hours later did he post to X that this launch was a big improvement over the last launch, and there was plenty of data to review. Sure, there was plenty of data, unfortunately mostly scattered all over the Gulf of Mexico – or Gulf of America if you prefer (I don't).

So, what happened? Well, quite a bit. Including that the payload door wouldn't open to deploy the mock satellites it was carrying. And there was a leak in the fuel tank. And the spacecraft lost attitude control. It was the booster that broke up over the Gulf of Mexico, with Starship (or just Ship) breaking up on re-entry over the Indian Ocean.

But – SpaceX is still making progress, albeit more slowly than everyone would like. Maybe now that Musk is retreating from politics he can focus on his strengths, one of which is space. What SpaceX is doing hasn’t been done before, and it will take time.

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