Why they will be built in space:
Here's an argument why data centers will be built in space instead of on the ground. Projected by 2040, $700B/year of costs due to environmental, regulatory, and delay costs for building data centers on Earth. Compare this to decreasing launch costs (not shown here) to predict…
— Phil Metzger (@DrPhiltill) September 10, 2025
Eric Berger has the latest. Killing EUS would also eliminate the need for ML-2. It could be that we’ll have to continue wasting money on the SLS core and Orion for a while, but it would free up some funds to actually get back to the Moon soon.
Though written by a woman (and a friend), and recommended by another woman (and another friend) this looks like a good book to get boys back to reading.
[Tuesday-morning update]
Laura returns the favor.
James Bennett is raising funds to write an important book.
I've been reflecting on the Starship program the last week and one thing has become obvious to me. SpaceX is enjoying the freedom to try and fail in a way they couldn't with Falcon 9.
— Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) September 5, 2025
Doing anything "experimental" on the Falcon 9 was risky because it was SpaceX's only source of…
This is exactly the wrong person to chart a needed new course:
- Kshatriya worked within JSC’s mission operations directorate, climbing the ladder from robotics staff to robotics operations lead working on ISS systems.
- He then served a stint as a Mission Control flight director, where he oversaw cargo and crew missions to the ISS, before becoming deputy manager of the ISS vehicle office.
- In 2021, Kshatriya moved to Washington, DC, as assistant deputy associate administrator for exploration systems development for the SLS, Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems programs.
- In 2023, he became deputy associate administrator for the Moon to Mars program.
In other words, despite concerns expressed yesterday about China in the Senate clown show, business as usual.
[Afternoon update]
Sorry, first link was wrong, fixed now.
[Update a few minutes later]
(Depressing) thoughts from Bob Zimmerman.
What comes next?
OK, not tomorrow, but next Sunday, for the next Starship attempt.
[Monday-morning update
Stephen Clark has the story on what went wrong on previous flights, and what they’ve done to prevent a recurrence.
But I have no idea what the phrase “human-rated lander” means.
[Sunday-afternoon update]
Less than two hours to go, weather permitting.
Starship 10 launching tonight https://t.co/EOgGbS3Om7
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 24, 2025
[Bumped]
[Tuesday-morning update]
Third time’s the charm?
[Mid-morning update]
My assessment of the SpaceX flight test today: It was a spectacularly successful flight, with a huge wealth of data. It demonstrated the ability to deliver payloads to orbit, and to deorbit after doing so. While I'm not SpaceX, I personally consider it fully operational for the…
— Not-So-OK Boomer (@Rand_Simberg) August 27, 2025
I would add that the robustness of the design of Starship for entry was fully demonstrated as well. Obviously they will want to shed fewer parts, but it came back like a shot-up B-17.
— Rand Simberg (@Simberg_Space) August 27, 2025
"we removed over 2,100 tiles, we are flying an older generation heat shield, flaps are missing on the nosecone, we are flying a very steep profile to test the aft flaps, we do not expect the ship to survive"
— Maxarick (@Maxarick) November 19, 2024
S31: pic.twitter.com/SVmU9z9TxG
[Bumped]
[Afternoon update]
Here‘s the report from SpaceX itself.
[Thursday-morning update]
Plans for the near future:
This slide needs an update, but gives a rough idea of what we’re aiming for with V3 and V4.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 27, 2025
V3 should be built & tested (maybe flown) by end of this year.
V4 is 2027. Probably closer to 150m height and 7500 tons. pic.twitter.com/5WSUR8MORt
Versions 1 and 2 were proof of concept; versions 3 and 4 will be the operational ones.
[Update early afternoon]
This is the most badass spaceflight photo I have seen in a long, long time. pic.twitter.com/4E9BQKEuwG
— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) August 28, 2025
[Update a few minutes later]
When Ship 37 blew up after its splashdown 🖤: pic.twitter.com/37AndaOZOf
— Renata Konkoly 🚘⚡🪡 (@RenataKonkoly) August 28, 2025
Don’t anthromorphize spaceships; they hate when you do that.
An interesting interview on the prospects for NASA and commercial space.
I don’t know how many of my regular readers knew him, but he was a founder of the Los Angeles L-5 Society (aka OASIS) back in the late 70s, and he passed yesterday. I’ll have more anon, but if anyone did know him, feel free to comment. I’m in good health, but one contemplates mortality more and more as one’s cohorts pass on.
[August 14, 2025, update]
I’ve started a memorial page for him.
[Bumped]