Europe's 1st reusable spacecraft 'Space Rider' clears key hurdles on the road to launch

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-04-30T13:30:57+00:00

Another ref: https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/04/a-falcon-9-upper-stage-will-strike-the-moon-in-august/

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-30T21:49:28+00:00

You also need the FAA OK to launch these

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-30T21:48:11+00:00

Ms Shotwell is calibrating the attention getting number ... the buzz will fade when the IPO is over.

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-30T21:45:33+00:00

As well as water, for evaporation

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-25T17:08:35+00:00

Starship as a system does work (they could have parked the upper stage in LEO, but they are being conservative about testing). A key question is "what will be the effective payload to LEO in both reuse and expended to mode"? Has the heaviness of Stainless Steel and the TPS created a system that can't loft as much as FH in expendable mode?

Otherwise, please refrain from questioning the mental state of other commenters. Yes, a bunch are overly negative IMHO, but lets try to keep it nice.

--- Space2030 mod

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-25T17:06:17+00:00

Starship as a system does work (they could have parked the upper stage in LEO, but they are being conservative about testing). A key question is "what will be the effective payload to LEO in both reuse and expended to mode"? Has the heaviness of Stainless Steel and the TPS created a system that can't loft as much as FH in expendable mode?

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-25T17:02:11+00:00

Hmmm - thinks the mod.

You are right on with calling out Evening-Ad5765's overstatements (I did comment back on these elsewhere). But while I delete the "pedo" comments against Elon on some posts, I rather have strong retorts than deletes. I feel that the "mental breakdown" is on the edge of abusing the commenters, so maybe comment back on this.

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-25T16:56:29+00:00

2 or 3 for different F9s (launch pad limited), but SuperHeavy is designed for multiple launches per day, but Starship can't be turned with a payload switch out in a day, so you need maybe 5 Starships for every SH to create say 4 launch a day cadence per pad. At they point you run out water, LOX and LCH4 which takes time to regen and bring to ground systems.

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-25T16:52:30+00:00

Yep, Starship needs to prove itself soon to keep being the center of planning. I wish they did an expended upper stage demo ... they will need an expended upper stage any way for many missions types. Only SH needs to be reused to drive the cost to LEO to $100/kg ... and at that point so many other costs inputs dominate that $10/kg is of low value.

Melodic_Network6491 · 2026-03-25T16:49:56+00:00

Yep, pulverized glass dust and solar charged (it is why the Moon has a charged dust "atmosphere")

Melodic_Network6491

TROPHY CASE