Angry Astronaut

 

He takes his usual critical view of Starship. After all of the trouble SpaceX has had this year, his negativity seems to be more than just carping.

Angry seems to be worried about timelines. Also, he seems to be worried about China. China is just trying to be what America used to be. As for America, it seems intent upon becoming something third or fourth rate, as if that were a great thing.

Everybody has an opinion, so here's mine. The Starship isn't any good for going anywhere. It is best used to deliver 200 tons to low Earth orbit, so that it can be used to build things in low Earth orbit. These things could be the kind of things that can get us anywhere, including to the nearest star.

But there's no vision for space, so these things won't be done. About all Musk will succeed in doing, if he succeeds at all, is to build a huge rocket to nowhere. Who's going to go on a suicide trip to Mars? He may be able to send his robots there. Maybe his robots can build a facility on Mars for people. Then maybe he could land some people there who won't die immediately. Maybe they'll live long enough to decide for the rest of us what a crappy place to colonize Mars is! I don't understand the fascination with Mars, but if people really want to go there, maybe someone will go there some day.

But to do something serious on Mars will require something better than what Starship will ever be. Just my opinion.