[Viking2002]

I said it here a couple of months ago that that overgrown steel beer vat with it’s 1950’s sci-fi movie design was going to get people killed. Luckily for Musk, it was only a ground test. I’m no rocket scientist (although I’ve known a few), but I’m willing to bet that the engineering needed to actually get Marvin the Martian’s rocketship into space would kill any ROI SpaceX thought they were going to see. It was a boondoggle with a poor track record. Elon’s Spruce Goose.

[Moonman62]

How do you account for the other prototype rockets being built? How do you account for the new launch pad being built at Cape Canaveral?

[PreciousLiberty]

"I’m willing to bet that the engineering needed to actually get Marvin the Martian’s rocketship into space would kill any ROI SpaceX thought they were going to see."

Awesome! How much are you willing to wager? heh

"It was a boondoggle with a poor track record. Elon’s Spruce Goose."

It "was" nothing. It is an innovative design that almost certainly will lower the cost of access to space dramatically.

The final upper stage (Starship) will have 2.5+ million pounds of thrust. The first stage will have 15+ million pounds of thrust, or around three times the Saturn first stage.

The engines to do this have already been developed and flown (see the entirely successful Starhopper test).

By the time it's all said and done, Starship wil be able to deliver 100 tons at a time to the lunar surface, along with rapid reusability. That is far beyond any other design currently on the drawing board.

Given SpaceX's phenomenal track record so far, betting against the company seems awfully risky. You do realize SpaceX has now flown a first stage four times, which is three more times than any other company ever has? The cost savings are so great SpaceX has now driven Russia out of the commercial launch business.

I'm looking forward to the first Starship lunar orbit, which should happen within three years. Good luck with your "bet"...

[Waverunner]

In the 1960's a proposal for a steel skinned rocket was put forth as the lowest cost per pound to orbit space vehicle possible, Project Sea Dragon . It was a super heavy booster and one of it's features was an outer skin of 5/16 (8mm) steel and would be built in a shipyard. A stacked Saturn V would have fit into it's first stage. It's nickname was big dumb booster, because it didn't require any new technology. And it was planned that the first stage was reusable. TRW conducted a project review for NASA, and it was feasible in 1962! But funding was cut as Gemini/Apollo rising costs killed programs like it and Dyna Soar.

[Mr. K]

um, you know why they test, right?
In order to FIND problems like this.