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A comment on Starship will attempt a launch this weekend. Parent comment

Re:Starship will attempt a launch this weekend by arcbyte on Tuesday November 14, 2023 @07:40AM (#38262587)
It's more like we've lost the engineering. The technology is all still there but now greatly improved. From welding techniques to computer components the whole exercise in in manufacturing would be a huge undertaking to rebuild because we aren't manufacturing any of those old technologies anymore so that would be a problem. Or you have the problem of re-engineering the whole rocket with modern components and manufacturing techniques.

We can build medieval castles all day long with concrete and steel, but if you want an actual stone medieval castle, we don't know how to do it.

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Re:Starship will attempt a launch this weekend by lupusreal on Tuesday November 14, 2023 @07:51AM (#38262677)
The Saturn V rockets were very risky, NASA got extremely lucky with them the first time but no longer have the same tolerance for risk. Even if they still had Saturn V rockets ready to fly today in their inventory, it would not be an acceptable option today.
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Re:Starship will attempt a launch this weekend by riversflow on Tuesday November 14, 2023 @11:36AM (#38265619)
I don't even think we've lost the engineering. We've lost the risk tolerance. Apollo was a risky program, people dying was considered acceptable. The US just doesn't work like that any more.
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Re:Starship will attempt a launch this weekend by naikrovek on Tuesday November 14, 2023 @12:20PM (#38266296)
> The US just doesn't work like that any more.

Oh yes we do.

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Re:Starship will attempt a launch this weekend by riversflow on Tuesday November 14, 2023 @02:20PM (#38268152)
No, we don’t. Let me introduce you to OSHA and their buddy worker’s comp insurance.

I ran an industrial facility that had been in operation since the 40’s, safety used to not even be a concern. If it operated in 2000 the way it did in 1950’s, or even in the early 80’s, they’d be out of business.

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Re:Starship will attempt a launch this weekend by naikrovek on Thursday November 16, 2023 @12:45AM (#38286175)
yes, we do.

let me introduce you to the US military and the lack of mental health care we provide them after their service.

let me introduce you to prisons. farms. a dozen others.

let me introduce you to daily mass shootings.

Americans do not care about the lives of other Americans until and unless it is required by law.

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