Falcon Heavy side boosters landing pic.twitter.com/NX97q69xC5

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 13, 2023

BREAKING: Here comes the rare 'ring of fire' solar eclipse. Sky darkens as the moon covers the sun. pic.twitter.com/Hx7hn66aNz

— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) October 14, 2023

https://gizmodo.com/boeing-starliner-first-crewed-launch-delay-april-2024-1850924885

Friday night I was driving back to Bell Co after our football game in Grandbury and something over at SpaceX in MacGregor lit up the sky like something I have never seen before. It was on the ground but just over the hill and i meam for about 30 seconds the entire horizon just ignited. then it was gone.

it was wild.

Sounds like an engine test.

Yea I suppose a rocket could do that. I was probably 10 miles away and it was amazing.

agsalaska said:

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Yea I suppose a rocket could do that. I was probably 10 miles away and it was amazing.

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Yeah it was certainly an engine test. That's right where they do it.

When are we going to get a starship launch?!?!?

agsalaska said:

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Yea I suppose a rocket could do that. I was probably 10 miles away and it was amazing.

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Absolultely. My parents are 30 miles as the crow files and can still feel a test fire at their house.

Back in 2019 I got to visit the McGregor location for work and it was timed up perfectly that we were also able to go out and watch an engine fire test. That was definitely memorable.

aezmvp said:

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Sounds like an engine test.

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That or aliens.

USA with and without SpaceX launches vs China helps illustrate this point somewhat. https://t.co/D8SwiGGzcY pic.twitter.com/piBxA53C3T

— Ken Kirtland IV (@KenKirtland17) October 15, 2023

SpaceX fan here… while true, relying on third party launches has been a strategy of nasa for 1-2 decades.

Nasa has been moving to private launch providers quite intentionally because everything since Apollo they have tried to lower launch costs etc. has been an abysmal failure, financially.

In truth, we are seeing a real golden age of new providers domestically ramping up what they can offer. Some have/will also fail but to claim somehow this is a 'problem' in the big picture because the Chinese are throwing so many billions of dollars at launching stuff themselves is…silly.

We will see if they can even roughly copy what starship becomes. I doubt it, outside of pure aesthetics.

Yeah but if it weren't for SpaceX it's not like there's a lot of other launches taking place. ULA, blue origin, boeing, etc have all had a bunch of flops and all have gone way over budget on their contracted projects.

I suppose we're not for SpaceX they would have gotten a lot more contracts for Atlas or Delta or whatever to be built but we would have not have had nearly the volume capability and we would still have zero manned capability.

ULA is Boeing (and Lockheed)

YellowPot_97 said:

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When are we going to get a starship launch?!?!?

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Hot Staging Ring is back on Booster 9. Likely full stack Monday, setting the stage for the WDR (Wet Dress Rehearsal). https://t.co/e3xbqPnwZ5 pic.twitter.com/zqsg8FxrBy

— Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) October 16, 2023

As Starship prepares for a potential Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR). Future prototypes are making rapid progress. Jack Beyer (@thejackbeyer) with the latest.

Link: https://t.co/S9UUs509J4 pic.twitter.com/Kcslroz776

— Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) October 16, 2023

Are we waiting on a WDR or are we waiting on the FAA?

TexAgs91 said:

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Are we waiting on a WDR or are we waiting on the FAA?

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Yes.

But really it seems like it's the FAA.

Full stack again

Nearly down! pic.twitter.com/GgdRYEtbMP

— Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) October 16, 2023

Is the FTS armed or will they again need to destack?

I honestly think Boeing and Lockheed could do it except for a few problems. One is everyone's fairy god Senators, the second is standardization of DoD/FedGov processes as standard and third is a failure by leadership to prioritize results above process. You could also put in there an institutional fear of failure.

Those are some mighty big hurdles and they won't get undone any, any time soon.

As the consultation with FAA and US Fish and Wildlife over the Starship mishap will likely push into November, further delaying a second launch attempt, SpaceX is calling on Congress to push FAA to issue launch licenses faster - The Washington Post https://t.co/n2NGyy97KB

— Christian Davenport (@wapodavenport) October 17, 2023

Ridiculous!

And…unsurprising. Fish and wildlife. Lol.

"As the consultation with FAA and US Fish and Wildlife over the Starship mishap will likely push into November ..."

What mishap? The first launch was a relatively successful test flight. Granted, there were some issues that need to be and have been addressed, but labeling it a mishap is simply not accurate.

Ag87H2O said:

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"As the consultation with FAA and US Fish and Wildlife over the Starship mishap will likely push into November ..."

What mishap? The first launch was a relatively successful test flight. Granted, there were some issues that need to be and have been addressed, but labeling it a mishap is simply not accurate.

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This was discussed in previous pages. The vehicle lost control and the flight termination system was activated. SpaceX can be pleased with the data and experience they gained from the flight, but it is still a mishap to those in authority.

The main issue was the delay in blowing it up. At much lower altitude it could've been a huge issue.

https://arstechnica.com/space/2023/10/ars-takes-a-close-up-look-at-the-first-us-lunar-lander-in-half-a-century/

In a remarkably frank discussion this week, several senior SpaceX officials spoke with Ars Technica on background about how working with the Federal Aviation Administration has slowed down the company's progress.

Article: https://t.co/H5S4Qd0fAj

— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) October 17, 2023

They should move the launch facility across the river and cut through Mexican Red tape the way everyone else does....

VitruvianAg said:

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They should move the launch facility across the river and cut through Mexican Red tape the way everyone else does....

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International Traffic in Arms Regulations - Wikipedia

Caliber said:

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VitruvianAg said:

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They should move the launch facility across the river and cut through Mexican Red tape the way everyone else does....

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International Traffic in Arms Regulations - Wikipedia

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It was meant as tounge in cheek but at some point Space-X like TESLA will probably go global. I guarantee you if Elon can find just the right spot to launch and land his rockets from the Bermuda Triangle to make them more efficient he'll do it one way or a nother. I bet he's had it up to his eyebrows with those beaurocrats holding up his launch.