Adrian Solorzano’s Post

If SpaceX pulls off 100% reuse between flights, they’ll be able to launch anything under 100 tons for the cost of fuel and a license. That’s it. The bar will be so high that unless another small launcher can manage full reuse without any refurbishment, they just won’t be able to compete. When Falcon 9 launched for the second time, that should have been the moment everyone threw everything they had at reusability. This is especially true for EU funded Arianespace who are bound by sustainability. They should have scrapped every single non-reusable rocket in development. But they didn’t. They ignored the writing on the wall. In fact, SpaceX could actually stop building rockets entirely after they finish Starship, Mk1, Mk2, and a couple of Super Heavy boosters. If they perfects Starship and Super Heavy boosters, they could drastically reduce rocket production, sit back and print money for the next decade, and solidify their dominance in intra-solar transport and logistics. While competitors like Arienespace and space programs in China are trying to compete. Good thing SpaceX is an american company and owned by Elon, cause we all know they are not going to stop there.

Unwritten, but the key message from the article - $10/kg to orbit: Musk claimed that the future Starship 3 would cost less to launch than SpaceX’s original rocket, the Falcon 1 small launch vehicle, which had a price of about $10 million, because of full reusability. He estimated the Starship cost per launch could fall to as low as $2 million to $3 million. “These are sort of unthinkable numbers,” he said. “Nobody ever thought this was possible. But we’re not breaking any physics to achieve this.” With the increase payload capacity of 200 tons that was announced, this works out to $10/kg. A 99% cost drop from today. Yes, a 99% savings. Cost is different than price. SpaceX will need to charge more to pay for R&D. But there is a lot of room to drop the price of access to #space. In orbit, energy is abundant and usable mass is scarce. Starship is on track to change that. Space based solar power (#SBSP) is a technology poised to build on take advantage of that change. Their claims on costs are credible - see the comments below for quantified examples. Virtus Solis Technologies #deeptech #hardtech #spacetech

🚀 SpaceX's Starship Soars Beyond Expectations! 🚀 In an awe-inspiring leap towards the future of space exploration, SpaceX has successfully launched its Starship mega-rocket on its third test flight, breaking the chain of previous setbacks with a display of resilience and innovation. After two explosive attempts last year, this achievement marks a significant triumph for the SpaceX team, showcasing the power of perseverance and cutting-edge engineering. 🔧 Behind the Scenes: Upgrades & Adjustments: A series of critical enhancements to the rocket system were implemented, focusing on preventing the fire incidents that marred earlier tests. Fire Protection: The prototype was fortified with advanced fire protection measures, underscoring SpaceX's commitment to safety and success. 🌌 A Glimpse into the Future: While the mission wasn't without its challenges—missing some objectives and ending in a hard splashdown of the Super Heavy booster—SpaceX is already plotting the course for more test flights this year. Each launch is a step closer to redefining our reach and capabilities in space exploration. 💡 #SpaceX #Innovation #SpaceExploration The journey of the Starship mega-rocket is more than a testament to technological prowess; it's a beacon of hope for the endless possibilities that lie beyond our planet. What does this milestone mean for the future of space travel and exploration? 🔗 Join the conversation and let's dream big about the final frontier. #Starship #EngineeringMarvel #FutureOfSpace https://lnkd.in/ejKx5wkT

🚀 SpaceX's progress with the next Starship launch and the potential first catch is nothing short of remarkable. It’s impressive how a private company can push the boundaries of space exploration while some governments struggle to achieve even a fraction of this success—including our own. Imagine what we could accomplish if we put aside our differences and worked towards a shared, common goal. It’s not about trying to make everyone the same; it’s about bringing our unique strengths together to achieve something truly significant. Without a united purpose, we’re just scattered efforts—each going in a different direction. Jordan Peterson once said, "Aiming for the highest possible good is the best pathway to a life worth living." Let's aim higher, together. 🌌 #SpaceX #Innovation #Unity #Leadership Full article here: https://lnkd.in/eKbuh5RE

In addition to being amazing to watch, this morning's launch of the SpaceX Starship rocket is a vivid example of agile methodology in action: • Iterative design: while traditional rocket companies spend years (sometimes decades) on the drawing board before building anything, SpaceX has been building MVPs to test critical assumptions and de-risk their design. Today's rocket is at least the sixth generation built. • Continuous delivery: rather than pursuing perfection on the first flight, the SpaceX team has delivered a series of minimum viable products necessary to test the critical phases of the Starship program (landing, launch, re-entry, etc.). • Responsive to change: the second stage of today's rocket was named "Ship 28" -- SpaceX's growing factory in South Texas has already given the company 28 opportunities to improve their product based on the results of previous launches. Every "rapid unscheduled disassembly" provides feedback to improve the next vehicle. https://lnkd.in/dT6_UsCi

On this remarkable day, SpaceX achieved another milestone with the successful launch and re-entry of Starship on its 5th test mission. The Super Heavy booster (1st Stage) made a spectacular landing, caught by the Mechazilla Launch Tower without any engine failures this time, marking a major improvement in reliability. The 2nd Stage "Starship" successfully splashed down in the Indian Ocean after completing a series of tests, including validating its heat shields and demonstrating precise maneuvering capabilities. The entire trajectory of the flight was smooth and on target. SpaceX is now on the verge of achieving full reusability. The next critical step will be to land the Starship (2nd Stage) on solid ground, as opposed to a splashdown in water. This is expected to be accomplished in the 6th launch. It is truly inspiring to witness how SpaceX has corrected the errors from previous launches and continues to push the boundaries of space exploration. According to Elon Musk, achieving full reusability will significantly reduce the cost per flight to around $2 million in contrast to the $50-60 million required in the past when reusability was quite minimal. #spacex #spaceengineering #nasa #spaceflight #Mars #inspiring

Exciting times for space exploration! 🚀 Well done, SpaceX, on another successful Starship test flight! The rocket launched smoothly, and the booster made a flawless landing, marking a major step toward interplanetary travel. With Mars in sight for 2026, SpaceX is poised to launch uncrewed missions during the next Mars-Earth alignment, optimizing fuel efficiency and costs. Crewed missions are expected by 2030, while NASA eyes the 2040s for their Mars ambitions. 🌌 India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), launched in 2013, made history by placing a spacecraft into Mars orbit and contributing invaluable data on Mars' atmosphere and surface. MOM not only exceeded its six-month lifespan, lasting over seven years but also showcased India's space capabilities as the fourth nation to reach Mars. 🌍🔭 #SpaceX #MarsMission #Starship #SpaceExploration #IndiaInSpace #MOM #Innovation #Technology

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫!! It's a catch!! SpaceX caught the Boost! Absolutely unreal! SpaceX launched 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝟓 with a successful launch, booster separation, boost back and tower catch!! 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲! SpaceX continues to move the #spaceindustry forward, and it's amazing to watch. In 2023, 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐗 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝟗𝟖 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐭 representing almost reaching their goal of 100! This year their goal is 144! The Starship/SuperHeavy Test #5 has 33 Raptor 2 rocket engines to generate 16.9 million pounds or 75,315 kN of thrust in the first stage alone. The engineering and design behind this are incredible. But it truly puts into perspective the hard work done on the Saturn V when CAD wasn't even close to the current capability that we see today. Have you ever seen a rocket launch in person? If not, I highly recommend adding it to your bucket list! #themanufacturingmillennial #spacex #spaceexploration #manufacturing

Payload lauds Starship's cost-effective manufacturing as a "revolution in rocketry," foreseeing SpaceX's trajectory leading to slashing the price of a fully reusable Starship flight to under $10 million. Starship remains largely in the developmental phase, with Payload estimating that SpaceX currently outlays approximately $90 million to construct a fully assembled Starship rocket, primarily due to the substantial costs associated with its 39 Raptor engines & labor. In terms of recovering research & development expenses, the report underscores that as the frequency of Starship launches increases, SpaceX can progressively lower the per-launch cost by spreading fixed costs across multiple missions. According to Payload, when considering full reusability, Starship's economic model begins to resemble that of commercial airlines. A significant component in driving down the cost per Starship rocket is expected to be the reduction in manufacturing expenses for Raptor engines. Payload estimates that the overall R&D investment for Starship will reach approximately $10 billion, with around $5 billion already expended by the conclusion of 2024. It's emphasized that this analysis concentrates on cost rather than price, as SpaceX is anticipated to charge customers more than the potential marginal cost of $10 million per flight to recuperate the capital invested in advancing the Starship program. source :Adrian Solorzano

The Federal Aviation Administration and SpaceX are teaming up to make significant strides in ramping up Starship launch cadence. Rapid iterations are key to proving a fully reusable rocket that can take over 100 metric tons to low Earth orbit. They aim to launch once every 2.8 days in 2024 -- 12 times per month in 2024, or ~120-150 launches in total. SpaceX is going to make the test with Starship and Super Heavy. If the flight goes as planned, it will move SpaceX one step closer to cutting the cost of space launch by a factor of 40x. Before SpaceX arrived on the scene, Boeing and Lockheed Martin were charging as much as $400 million for a rocket launch. But SpaceX will be boasted that Starship will cost about $10 million per launch. #FAA #SpaceX #Starship #launch #satellite #SpaceTravel https://lnkd.in/dXDSQRFb