So I’ve heard and seen the newest launch, and I thought for a private firm it seemed cool they were able to do it on their own, but I’m scratching my head that people are gushing about this as some hail mary.

I get the engineering required is staggering when it comes to these rocket tests, but NASA and other big space agencies have already done rocket tests and exploring bits of the moon which still astounds me to this day.

Is it because it’s not a multi billion government institution? When I tell colleagues about NASA doing stuff like this yeaaaars ago they’re like “Yea yea but this is different it’s crazy bro”

Can anyone help me understand? Any SpaceX or Tesla fans here?

  • elucubra@sopuli.xyz
    36·
    3 days ago

    I hate Musk and his personal everything, but Like SpaceX. However, when people gush about reusability, they seem to forget the 135 Space Shuttle missions (2 fatal failures , yes.). All done with 5 vehicles. Yes expensive etc, but truly amazing.

    Also, I really don’t find anything SpaceX is doing revolutionary. Impressive? Yes, but it’s essentially incremental engineering, made possible by ginormous funding, including NASA money, and a private company doing things that NASA can-t politically afford.

    Imagine NASA crashing 4 Shuttles before getting landing right. There’d be no NASA by now.

    • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
      11·
      2 days ago

      The space shuttle wasn’t as reusable as it was claimed to be.

      Each airframe required massive refurbishment after every flight.

      And the “crashes” you’re talking about were part of the project process, articles that were never going to be any more than test objects to begin with.

      NASA crashed a lot of stuff, unintentionally. Three off of the top of my head, killed 15 astronauts, all which were preventable (not to mention the launch pad failures getting to Apollo).

      NASA/NACA/Air Force crashed a lot of stuff along the way.

      Ffs they knew Columbia had a tile problem, and said “it’ll be OK”. They knew it had been too cold for the booster seals on Discovery, and launched anyway.

    • M0oP0o@mander.xyz
      3·
      2 days ago

      The shuttle was reusable in the same way a soyuz capsule is. And NASA very much crashed shuttle prototypes on the way.

      • elucubra@sopuli.xyz
        3·
        2 days ago

        The big ass rocket engines in the back fueled by the massive fuel tank may disagree with you

        • GBU_28@lemm.eeEnglish
          2·
          2 days ago

          No, the shuttle ALONE is not a launch vehicle. It’s an orbiter. They are apples to oranges.

          It does not power itself off the pad, it uses boosters. So comparing the boosters to the SpaceX stuff is most relevant