SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says there was only minor damage to its Starship rocket booster in an explosion at its Boca Chica, Texas, facility on Monday. The base of the rocket was engulfed in flame and smoke during an engine test. "Damage is minor, but booster will be transferred back to the high bay for inspections, returning to the launch stand probably next week," Musk said in an email to Reuters.
As a retired A&P I’d love to know the criteria used for determining “minor damage” as a result of this test or what constitutes “major damage”, as well.
Shakedown, obstruct, ridicule … pick one.
That was an impressive fuel/oxidizer detonation. There is a reason the shuttle had sparklers under the engines to ignite any fuel early before it could accumulate.
Any structure with significant trapped air volume got a good punch from the overpressure.
As for the flames, that launch facility is going to get a much worse torching during launch so it better be made to handle it.
As for FAA, I thought their concern was risk of damage to others or their property. Is Musk’s TX facility separated from other people? (Recall pad at Cape Canaveral is not far enough away from another launch pad.) Reuter’s says 'sending a shock wave miles across the South Texas facility.
Isn’t that extreme language ? Your post is mostly name calling and smearing. Tesla and Space X are both major achievements, and Musk deserves credit. Why do you hate EVs? Isn’t that rather silly? If you don’t like them, don’t buy one.
Musk did not start PayPak and was only involved briefly, Rocket failures, Tesla is questionable IMO - many accidents caused by inability of software to do basic things (but perhaps lower rate than human drivers) in expensive subsidized cars, … can’t keep his mouth shut to stay out of hot water.
Hyperloop, solar roof tiles, Starlink… there’s actually quite a few, that were just ridiculous ideas, that weren’t at all original, and failed miserably. You should check out a YouTube channel called Thunderfoot. The guys a research something or other, I forgot what exactly, but he has several phds, and he literally debunks all of these crazy ideas that Musk has tried, and explains in detail why they were doomed to failure. It’s pretty good.
He debunks all kinds of crap technology, most of it blatant scams. Unfortunately Elon Musk is the topic of more than a couple of his videos, because some of Musks ideas are so ridiculous, they have to be bs.
Wow, sure a lot of Musk haters out there! He’s not my favorite guy, but he is basically a typical eccentric inventor that has had some pretty far out ideas. Nicola Tesla pretty much invented the technology that made alternating current practical, but he wanted to “transmit” power to your house through the air without wires, and he fell in love with a pigeon. Thomas Edison was a bully that stole other people’s inventions and ran newspaper ads spreading lies about his competition (Westinghouse). Henry Ford was a ruthless businessman that sold his customers what he wanted, not what they wanted. He routinely laid off hundreds of employees when a project didn’t work out.
Right now, Tesla is selling more cars than most major car makers. And, how many million vehicles have been recalled by the majors for defects in everything from brakes to airbags in the past decade? Oh, and remember Chrysler and GM begging for bailouts from the government to avoid bankruptcy? As for SpaceX, they are doing as well as their NASA SLS booster competition who can’t seem to figure out how to make a non-reusable booster that costs over 5 times as much even work period. Musk’s mouth may be his worst enemy, but it seems that he fits in pretty well with other “Titans of industry” that we all know and love.
If you’re referring to the $7,500 rebate that sales from virtually every other manufacturer for EXCEPT Tesla (and GM) - then yes, I’m sure subsidies are helping.
