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Starship Flight 7

(www.spacex.com)
649 points chinathrow | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.286s | source
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figassis ◴[] No.42735060[source]
What worries me about space innovation is the fact that there is such little margin for error. Materials are being stressed so much while trying to defy the laws of physics that the smallest angle error, the smallest pressure mismatch, smallest timing error, and boom. This did not happen when we were inventing cars, trains and air planes. Now imagine these risks, while you're halfway to mars. Is it possible that we just have no found/invented the right materials or the right fuel/propulsion mechanism to de-risk this, and that is where we should be allocating a lot more resources?
replies(4): >>42735153 #>>42735292 #>>42735429 #>>42736565 #
1. nutrientharvest ◴[] No.42736565[source]
The requirements of orbital launch are unyielding. If you make a car 50% heavier, it will have worse mileage and handling, but it will still get you where you need to go. If you make a spacecraft 50% heavier, it will never reach orbit.