Topic: Interesting stuff about SpaceX Starship (hate the name)

[Nemesis]

IFT4 now showing as April 2024 (no day of the month).  Lets see if the FAA will issue another license that quick.

Now showing as May 2024.  Either they expect delays due to needed modifications to address the issues revealed or more time for the FAA to be satisfied (maybe both).

I'm prone to be extremely critical of Musk, but I suppose "eventually" is key to that claim.  Saturn's LEO payload for the Apollo lunar missions was 140 tons for CM, LEM and fuel fifty years ago, so 200 tons seems doable.... eventually.

Don't forget that you lose a significant amount of payload by going for reusable.  Also potentially lowering cost/kg significantly. 

Musk might be well advised to keep the current size for rockets that need to be fully refueled in orbit and the larger size for orbital cargo and fuel deliveries.  200+ tons of fuel delivered by a V3 to a V2 configuration could refuel it in 6 missions (1200 tons fuel if dry).

[Nemesis]

If IFT 4 works fully (for the booster) they MAY on flight 5 try a booster catch.  If Starship succeeds in the deorbit burn it may mean that flight 5 could deploy Starlink satellites.

The current design is apparently limited to 40-50 tons to orbit with full reusabillity.  This is version 1

Version 2 100 tons with full reusability

Version 3 200 tons with full reusability. 400 tons expendable.  Total height nearly 150 meters, lengthening both stages.  Could be 3 times the thrust of Saturn V.

Naturally being Musk this may include hyperbole.

2025 Starship to Starship fuel transfer testing. 

EDITED:  Some updates after seeing the weekly Marcus House video

[Nemesis]

Crewed Starliner launch is planned for May 6th.  Best of luck to the astronauts but I wouldn't fly in it.