Explaining SpaceX’s Success

A new book details the ins and outs of the relationship between Elon Musk's SpaceX and NASA.

The National Interest
#SpaceX's general manager of #Starbase, #KathyLueders, has said the company aims to launch #Starship 25 times next year from #Texas. #Starship3 would double the thrust of the upper stage and increase 📈 the thrust of the #booster stage from about 74 meganewtons to about 100 meganewtons. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/11/spacex-just-got-exactly-what-it-wanted-from-the-faa-for-texas-starship-launches/
SpaceX just got exactly what it wanted from the FAA for Texas Starship launches

“All pertinent conditions and requirements of the prior approval have been met.”…

Ars Technica

Crazy to see #SpaceX run #RevolvingDoor politics in the US, out on the open.

Now they took in #KathyLueders, NASA's Associate Administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations - person responsible for awarding SpaceX a multi-billion dollar contracts.

Another on a long-list of NASA's higher-ups landing on a golden pillows at SpaceX. The most notable of them being William Gerstenmaier - NASA's Chief of Human Spaceflight hired in 2020 right as he left the agency.

#Spaceflight

Kathy Lueders joining SpaceX is a huge coup for the company - she is deeply credible on human spaceflight and has insight into NASA's desires and requirements. SpaceX has a lot of work to do on Starship, but Lueders' hiring is a sign that SpaceX is serious about getting it done for HLS and beyond.

#SpaceX #Starship #NASA #Artemis #HLS #KathyLueders #Spaceflight