This wasn’t a SpaceX decision though. The guy who contracted them is the one who cancelled the mission. Mostly because the rocket is not ready yet and he was sick of waiting.
Oh, that sucks. I hadn’t heard about that cancellation. Still, SpaceX set an unreasonable timeline and expectations of the client, and that should have consequences.
I first heard a full breakdown of the environmental regulatory aspects of SpaceX’s operations in Tech Wont Save Us ep. 186 from September of last year. Definitely worth the listen (every episode of that show is worth the listen, in fact).
The launch site is bordered entirely by wildlife refuges and state parklands. The reason they blew up that rocket a while ago on 4/20 was because they didn’t want to get approval to dig a flame trench due to tight environmental restrictions in the area. Trenches that NASA realized were necessary over 50 years ago.
Here’s some articles if you don’t want to take my word for it:
The Boca Chica test site in Texas is built immediately adjacent to a protected wildlife preserve. This is the site where SpaceX has been working on the Starship launch vehicle.
The second part about failing is extreme hyperbole. SpaceX is the most successful launch company in human history by any reasonable metric. I’d argue Musks distance from the company in recent years has helped.
Musk is a pissbaby, but I’ll whiteknight spacex until they blow up a tourist.
They avoided this by just not performing contracted missions
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-dearmoon-crew-reacts-private-mission-canceled
Probably for the better
This wasn’t a SpaceX decision though. The guy who contracted them is the one who cancelled the mission. Mostly because the rocket is not ready yet and he was sick of waiting.
Oh, that sucks. I hadn’t heard about that cancellation. Still, SpaceX set an unreasonable timeline and expectations of the client, and that should have consequences.
Blowing up rockets over protected swamplands and failing at things NASA learned decades ago isn’t enough for you?
Somehow Ive missed hearing about either of these
I first heard a full breakdown of the environmental regulatory aspects of SpaceX’s operations in Tech Wont Save Us ep. 186 from September of last year. Definitely worth the listen (every episode of that show is worth the listen, in fact).
The launch site is bordered entirely by wildlife refuges and state parklands. The reason they blew up that rocket a while ago on 4/20 was because they didn’t want to get approval to dig a flame trench due to tight environmental restrictions in the area. Trenches that NASA realized were necessary over 50 years ago.
Here’s some articles if you don’t want to take my word for it:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/sep/05/texas-spacex-elon-musk-environment-wildlife
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_deflector
Protected swamplands??
The Boca Chica test site in Texas is built immediately adjacent to a protected wildlife preserve. This is the site where SpaceX has been working on the Starship launch vehicle.
The second part about failing is extreme hyperbole. SpaceX is the most successful launch company in human history by any reasonable metric. I’d argue Musks distance from the company in recent years has helped.
That seems like a failure of the government to allow them to operate there.
Why whiteknight them at all?
Let them stand and and fall on their own merits
EDIT: lol @ the downvotes with no comments!
I promise I didn’t downvote hahaha
It’s fine it you downvote, but just tell me why you disagree with me on this topic.
Well I don’t really simp for spacex, I’m just a fan of their rockets. I think they’re really cool. I was just being dramatic :p