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SpaceX’s Starship caused ‘catastrophic’ damage on the ground
- cratermoon 4y agoThe article is largely based on comments from Phil Metzger, who definitely knows a thing or two about launch pad design and debris thrown out by thrust impacting surface features like the lunar regolith.
- daniel-cussen 4y agoI consider the launch a pure unadulterated success. They ran simulations, took the precautions, this was NOT the Apollo I. N it's the nature of the business, fuck, same as the best chemists have lost fingers n accepted the nobel prize with the remaining fingers. It's j the media hates Elon Musk now even more than ever.
- kmbfjr 3y agoA success until someone dies? They broke their rocket with this plan, it is not unreasonable to assume they could have damaged it in other ways to turn a mostly controlled situation into one that sends a (very) low altitude ballistic missile into a populated area. They need their permits pulled until they can act responsibly.
- penjelly 3y agono. its perfectly reasonable to criticize this instance. They saw it coming and ignored it, other people saw it and called it out too. "pure unadulterated success" is just willful ignorance, there is a world where the launch goes well AND the surrounding area and equipment doesnt get wrecked
- aeternum 3y agoI'd be willing to bet they'll have a proper flame trench for the next launch so this won't be a major issue going forward.
- Stevvo 3y agoThat's an odd bet to make, considering SpaceX don't have any plans to build a flame trench. They plan instead to build a "flame-plate"; basically a flame trench without the trench, just the deluge system.
- aeternum 3y agoThere has been conflicting info, but there's also a prediction market bet on it: https://manifold.markets/Mqrius/will-spacex-build-a-flame-trench-fo https://manifold.markets/Mqrius/will-spacex-build-a-flame-tr...
- krunck 3y agoThere's no room for a trench there. They're only a couple feed above water there.
- wkat4242 3y agoWell you can always go up with the whole installation. Its expensive but possible.
- john_shafthair 3y ago[flagged]
- s1artibartfast 3y agoI thought the article was pretty tame. More on the side of exageration to grab eyeballs than a hit piece.
- dan-g 3y agoI didn’t view it that way—they’re reporting on an event that spurred an FAA investigation. I’d hardly call that muckraking.
- qgin 3y agoIt's not really a criticism to note the launchpad is completely destroyed. That's an event that happened.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]