One interesting thing I see being overlooked or ignored in a lot of criticism, this isn't the final plan. Masks goal is not JUST to get 150 tons to LEO. It's not JUST to reuse both stages.

The goal is that payload to Mars, and landed. The goal with the OLM design was a modular pad that could be adapted for use/recovery at sea. They messed up with no flame diverter for the terrestrial system, but you will still see the attempting to get away with minimal modification to the basic tower/mount, because they're not really designing it just for one location.

If they had just wanted 150 tons to LEO, they'd have modified 39a, and done it NASA/ula style where it takes months to ready the pad for a single use.

View from Mexico pic.twitter.com/PxRBoWk0db

— Skywalker (@rg19960) April 21, 2023

Honestly, based on how fast they built it the first time, and ripped up/replaced it the second time, 2-3 months sounds about right. The next flight hardware is already either in existence or under construction!

"Looks like we can be ready to launch again in 1 to 2 months."

Seems overly optimistic but once Musk sets his mind to do something I wouldn't bet against him. He has the rockets in the garage ready to go. He knows how to get stuff done. While his detractors moan and criticize and say it shouldn't or can't be done, he purposely works the problem, develops the next iteration, and tries again.

There's no doubt tons and tons of custom stuff at Boca Chica as well, but another cool thing is how SpaceX just uses readily available materials and commodities where possible. Certainly doesn't hurt their ability to go fast, reduce costs, and rebuild quickly.

How thick are the steel plates that they'll put underneath? t'Then does it have water that's chilled running through it as well? how does that work?

The orange extension cords and the Starship "tractor" are my two absolute favorite examples.

Hmmm sounds like he's still resisting flame diverters.

TexAgs91 said:

---

Hmmm sounds like he's still resisting flame diverters.

---

He just said they're going to install a steel blade that's water chilled

There are pictures floating around of an early raptor on a flatbed trailer that you can tell has had hay on it recently.

Nah, NASA would build a custom 10 million dollar fixture per engine, with a 35 million dollar custom trailer. They'd install them with a 100 million dollar custom built lifts and each would take two weeks and 75 people to move 3 miles.

That's after 14 committee meetings to discuss it, and probably decline to take the safest option because it might make bad pr

Ag_of_08 said:

---

There are pictures floating around of an early raptor on a flatbed trailer that you can tell has had hay on it recently.

---

On a wooden pallet no less.

Edit - maybe it's an aluminum pallet with tie down eyes. Your point still stands though.

jt2hunt said:

---

TexAgs91 said:

---

Hmmm sounds like he's still resisting flame diverters.

---

He just said they're going to install a steel blade that's water chilled

---

A steel plate not blade. Sounds like a large flat piece of steel that doesn't prevent parts of the blast from being reflected back into the rocket. Maybe it will be mounted at an angle but usually a steel chute is constructed to divert the flames.

Ag_of_08 said:

---

There are pictures floating around of an early raptor on a flatbed trailer that you can tell has had hay on it recently.

---

Absolutely one of my favorite memories. I said Starship tractor above but apparently was only the raptor

SCOTT MANLEY VIDEO IS UP

Stupid question: how does spacex make money?

joerobert_pete06 said:

---

Stupid question: how does spacex make money?

---

Starlink satellite internet service
Government contract
Government grants
And launches more cargo to space than the rest of the world combined.

joerobert_pete06 said:

---

Stupid question: how does spacex make money?

---

By doing space stuff

This is their experimental rocket they have commercial vehicles for man and machine

But beside putting new satellites in order for the government, Indont see how they make money

joerobert_pete06 said:

---

But beside putting new satellites in order for the government, Indont see how they make money

---

Starlink internet service
They're launching satellites once a week and expanding their PAID internet service worldwide.

joerobert_pete06 said:

---

But beside putting new satellites in order for the government, Indont see how they make money

---

The are not the only game in town for launches, but they are by a huge margin the most prolific. Like, it's not even close. Keep in mind the tweet below is just for the ~4 months of 2023, and is about 1.5 heavy launches per week. It's a just a staggering number compared to everyone else. And additionally they have a very favorable cost structure because of the reusability, directly benefiting their bottom line and reducing prices for their customers. Yeah it's wiki but this is a decent read if you are further interested.

After nearly one-third of the year is over here are launch totals by US-based rocket companies so far in 2023:

SpaceX: 26
Rocket Lab: 3
Relativity Space: 1
ABL Space: 1
Virgin Orbit: 1

— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) April 21, 2023

Ars Technica reader submitted summary of the same report

Quote:

---

SpaceX may see a significant increase in 2023 revenue. Payload's Mo Islam has released his projection for SpaceX's revenue in 2023 and predicts the company will draw in $11.5 billion this year. If true, this would represent a substantial leap from his predicted revenue for 2022 of $4.6 billion. It is important to state upfront, of course, that the privately held company's revenues are not something that is publicly available. So these are educated guesses. All the same, this would be a sizable leap in revenue.

Is SpaceX now a satellite company first? ... As part of these projections, Islam expects 87 orbital launches in 2023 for SpaceX, with a sizable jump in revenue from commercial Falcon 9 and government Falcon Heavy missions. Revenue from Starlink is also expected to grow substantially, from $1.9 billion last year to $5.4 billion in 2023. In other words, based on revenue, SpaceX is now more a satellite company than a launch company. "Ultimately, we recognize predicting SpaceX's revenue is extremely challenging, given the multitude of variables we've laid out here," Islam concludes. "In fact, we know that even some investors in SpaceX don't have accurate data around historical financials or projections." It would also be fascinating to know SpaceX's expenses. (submitted by brianrhurley)

---

Pretty sure they're paying at least 20 million per launch and about 200,000 per satellite for Starlink, which means the majority of their Starlink launches are costing them about $30 million+ per launch and they're launching about once a week. Thats about $1.5 billion in costs per year just on the satellite launches. And it might be more.

They're making some money off off commercial Starlink contracts and subscribers, but I'd be surprised if it's wildly profitable at this point, if at all. Probably by the end of this year though.

Majority of the money they make in terms of profit to fund development comes from commercial and government launch contracts and the fact that their company value is regularly doubling and they do annual capital raises to continue development. Most recently $750 million at $137 billion valuation. I'd put my entire net worth into it at that valuation.


I think Starlink will ultimately break into profitability this year and long term I think it's going to be the company that makes Musk the richest, if Tesla doesn't solve self driving/complete development on their autonomous robot.

There's going to be an egregious amount of people that are pissed off when he becomes the world's first trillionaire. I don't expect there to be one story about Elon buying a yacht or mega mansion either. They'll still be pissed while the rest of the non-connected world gains access to the internet.

RED AG 98 said:

---

joerobert_pete06 said:

---

But beside putting new satellites in order for the government, Indont see how they make money

---

The are not the only game in town for launches, but they are by a huge margin the most prolific. Like, it's not even close. Keep in mind the tweet below is just for the ~4 months of 2023, and is about 1.5 heavy launches per week. It's a just a staggering number compared to everyone else. And additionally they have a very favorable cost structure because of the reusability, directly benefiting their bottom line and reducing prices for their customers. Yeah it's wiki but this is a decent read if you are further interested.

After nearly one-third of the year is over here are launch totals by US-based rocket companies so far in 2023:

SpaceX: 26
Rocket Lab: 3
Relativity Space: 1
ABL Space: 1
Virgin Orbit: 1

— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) April 21, 2023

---

Yup, after the last Delta Heavy went up from out here at the western range last year, Falcon 9 is basically the only game in town for polar launches. Vulcan will eventually be out here as well but wouldn't be surprised to see that slip to the right. Firefly still has a pad out here as well but haven't seen any more movement since their successful test late last year.
It's amazing to see how in such a relatively short period of time Spacex has forced the industry to figure out reusability IOT remain competitive.

Also has to be thrown out that Musk will( and has in the past) put a sizeable percentage of his net wealth on the line to see spacex keep going.

We're talking about the man that the Russians pissed off and wouldn't sell launches to, so he said fine, ill do it my damn self...... and was in flight control for the launch of the most powerful rocket to ever lift off 2 days ago. He's also the only person in the world that could look up, say " I want to go to orbit" and make it happen on a spacecraft his privately held company owns....PDQ.

I never underestimate Musk. May occasionally over estimate him, but....he's a goofy, neurodivergent nerd who probably smokes pot and believes some crazy conspiracies. People like that accomplish some crazy things when they get funded.

I also wholeheartedly believe his motivation is actually to make the human race multi planetary, and he sees it as his life's goal. Have to respect that no matter your view on him or anything else

How do you value a company who's upside is controlling another planet?

I am glad that the power he has is in his hands because someone else could do some serious damage to humanity with it and intruly think Elon has the best interest of humanity in mind, and not some twisted version of it.

Surprised the government hasn't stolen his code and given it to Bozos to give Blue Origin a boost up in copying SpaceX.

Speaking of Blue Origin, it looks like they are trying to copy the fully landing thing, have they been successful?

They also say the New Glenn has 2x the capacity of any existing rocket.

https://www.blueorigin.com/new-glenn/