Re:SpaceX's next Starship flight could test refueling tech
by gpm on Tuesday December 12, 2023 @04:04PM
(#38618508)
There are multiple categories of objectives... Objectives that motivated the test flight. Objectives that are expected to succeed. Objectives that you threw on because "if the $xx million object is still intact it would be nice to get some useful data, and the FAA wants a complete flight plan anyways".
If that last category doesn't succeed that doesn't mean the test flight was a "failure" from the businesses perspective. They still got what they wanted, they just didn't get the icing on top.
The test flight that destroyed the pad is properly categorized as a failure. The flight termination system was expected to work. They expected not to cause that much damage to their infrastructure and surroundings, their relationship with the FAA, their ability to get licenses, etc. To argue that it wasn't a failure, you have to argue that the flight termination system was in the category of systems where a failure was considered acceptable. If that was the case, everyone involved in launching that flight ought to to go jail for recklessly endangering the public.
The most recent test flight though seems to have been a pretty resounding success. Everything that they said they really wanted to see happen, happened. Yes, both stages had failures in "we might not even get here" test objectives after that. That's ok.
If that last category doesn't succeed that doesn't mean the test flight was a "failure" from the businesses perspective. They still got what they wanted, they just didn't get the icing on top.
The test flight that destroyed the pad is properly categorized as a failure. The flight termination system was expected to work. They expected not to cause that much damage to their infrastructure and surroundings, their relationship with the FAA, their ability to get licenses, etc. To argue that it wasn't a failure, you have to argue that the flight termination system was in the category of systems where a failure was considered acceptable. If that was the case, everyone involved in launching that flight ought to to go jail for recklessly endangering the public.
The most recent test flight though seems to have been a pretty resounding success. Everything that they said they really wanted to see happen, happened. Yes, both stages had failures in "we might not even get here" test objectives after that. That's ok.