Quote:
Originally Posted by Startrek
I too grew up through the Apollo era and its was the greatest engineering feat the world has ever witnessed
To look at the Space X Starship program achievements to date is absolutely astounding as a private company
Comparing the Saturn 5 to version 2 Starship is like comparing a kids dinky to a Aston Martin
Version 3 will have a lift off thrust at ground zero of 21 million pounds compared to Saturn 5 at 7.6 million
Starship will eventually be 100% usable
Saturn 5 was 98% disposable
Cost per tonne to orbit is orders of magnitude lower than Saturn 5
Saturn 5 carried 3 crew to the moon and back
Starship will carry up to 100 to Moon , Mars and beyond
So comparing the Apollo program ( Government funded using 400,000 American workers ) to the Starship program ( Privately funded using 5000 staff ) is really difficult.
Starship is not a 2 or 3 year program for success , it’s going to take up 4 or 5 years to hit orbit and return both ship and booster for a safe landing and even longer for interplanetary visits.
Starship will get to the Moon and Mars but not before 2030.
Artemis is going to die a slow death as its old Shuttle technology slapped together into a modified Clayton’s Apollo program. Super Expensive and doesn’t have 100% support of the American people.
Whether you agree or disagree Starship has certainly got me excited about future space travel.
Cant wait for ITF4 next month , if they get through re entry and soft land Starship and Booster then progress will accelerate
Cheers
Martin
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The problem, mass or too much of it, Starship carries too much mass. Rather than 10-15 refueling missions of cryogenic fuel and all the losses associated with cryogenics.
Run starship in its current configuration, strap x2 or x4 DUMB solid fuel boosters, make them massive, run a much higher MaxQ the only vectoring via the mighty starship engines. Get the “milk run” refuel done in one mission.
Discarding mass is how the mighty Apollo reached the Moon, landed and return her precious and delicate cargo too their family’s
Run bloody big, dumb ass, solid boosters and our wet dreams become reality, in our lifetimes