• 249 Posts
  • 61 Comments
Joined 1 year ago
Cake day: July 1st, 2023
  • llamacoffee@lemmy.worldOPtoSpaceX@sh.itjust.works•SpaceX just stomped the competition for a new contract—that’s not greatEnglish
    191·
    3 days ago

    Interesting comment from Jared Isaacman: https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1815801469532266841

    Its a good article, a few thoughts:

    • I don’t like monopolies, but why the sudden unease? The government buys all of its refueling tankers from Boeing, all of the main battle tanks from General Dynamics, all the aircraft carriers from Newport News shipbuilding, all of our air-to-air missiles from Raytheon. The government buys fighter jets from a duopoly that often provides reciprocal work-shares making them a monopoly. Historically, the government had no problem buying launch services from ULA and in fact had to be sued to prevent a continuation of that practice.

    • If SpaceX acts like a monopolist, then they will increase prices to levels that naturally stimulate more competition or risk antitrust actions. However, If SpaceX does not act like a monopolist and the government is getting the best product for the lowest price through open competitions, then what is the problem? As tax payers, we should want the best product/service for the lowest price and delivered as quickly as possible. We probably should not punish the few companies that are actually exceeding expectations.

    I would love to see the government breaking up the monopolies that actually harm the competitiveness of the nation by failing to innovative and consistently come in over-budget and behind schedule and therefor have an allergy to fixed price contracting.

  • llamacoffee@lemmy.worldtoSpaceX@sh.itjust.works•new IFT4 video from SpaceXEnglish
    4·
    21 days ago

    I bet the editor just felt it was better to cut around for the sizzle reel. For the tip-over, I wonder if the booster went kaboom when it hit the water and they want to emphasize the success rather than what could be perceived as a failure. So you’re right, maybe brand image. Maybe one day they’ll finally release the footage!

    I think they were more open when they were developing Falcon 9. Based on all these amazing test flights, the engineers still have that magic SpaceX culture, but perhaps the media department has become more corporate.

  • llamacoffee@lemmy.worldtoSpaceX@sh.itjust.works•SpaceX's summary of IFT4English
    8·
    2 months ago

    Flight 4 ended with Starship igniting its three center Raptor engines and executing the first flip maneuver and landing burn since our suborbital campaign, followed by a soft splashdown of the ship in the Indian Ocean one hour and six minutes after launch.

    I still can’t believe that happened! Gives me so much confidence on their in-space propellant storage too, for some reason.

  • llamacoffee@lemmy.worldOPtoSpaceX@sh.itjust.works•SpaceX Starship Flight 4English
    4·
    2 months ago

    So no in-space engine relight just as we heard recently, but the interesting addition of jettison of the hot stage ring. I really hope that’s temporary!

    I also LOVE to see that they want to attempt to relight the raptors and do the flip of Starship survives entry! I wonder how confident they are that it will.

    Also in an update, SpaceX noted that both booster engine issues and RCS on IFT-3 were caused by filter blockages and clogged valves. Kind-of fascinating that’s still happening, but I have high hopes they will solve that soon!