Prof. Sam LawlerMay 30, 2025

Oh hey cool, an op-ed I wrote is now published!

TLDR: we need *fewer* satellites, each with *longer* operational lifetimes. Engineers: that's your challenge.

https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/what-goes-up-must-come-down-how-megaconstellations-like-spacexs-starlink-network-pose-a-grave-safety-threat-to-us-on-earth-opinion

What goes up must come down: How megaconstellations like SpaceX's Starlink network pose a grave safety threat to us on Earth

Thousands of satellites with incredibly short lifetimes are being sent up into low Earth orbit. When they fall back down they're fireballs of pollution — and what doesn't burn up hits the ground.

Live Science
Show threadDr Daniel, Photon Shepherd🇸🇪🇦🇺

@sundogplanets

That's a really nice article!

Incidentally, this morning I came across a writeup about the state of SpaceX in general. I used to grudgingly accept that they at least seem to know their rocketry.

Not so much it turns out.

https://www.planetearthandbeyond.co/p/starship-was-doomed-from-the-beginning

Starship Was Doomed From The Beginning

The fatal flaw SpaceX can't overcome.

Will Lockett's Newsletter
May 31, 2025 at 12:59amWeb
Show threadsimonbpMay 31, 2025

@DanielEriksson @sundogplanets That's a good analysis, and I agree up until the last point.

You absolutely can make a reusable upper stage work, but it requires a very different design philosophy to the one that Starship has used so far. That means either wings, which Musk has an irrational hatred of*, or a plug aerospike.

Stoke is actually building the latter, and my personal bet for a company that will eat SpaceX's lunch.

*After SpaceX's deal with Stratolaunch to make a Falcon with wings fell through in circa 2011, Musk banned wings. The stub wings on Starship thus have to be called "flaps", even though they are strictly speaking wings.

Show threadAaron Sawdey, Ph.D.May 31, 2025

@simonbp @DanielEriksson @sundogplanets people have been arguing about what to call starship’s appendages, but I’m in the “not wings” camp. They have more in common with air-brakes on fighter jets or the top surface spoilers many jets have in their wings. There is never flow from leading to trailing edge, it is always from root to tip.

Stoke has a neat approach. It kinda is an aerospike but also functions as sort of gas cooling for the heat shield in re-entry, which is probably more important.

Show threadAaron Sawdey, Ph.D.May 31, 2025
@DanielEriksson @sundogplanets he’s right about the fuel piping problems they don’t seem to be able to fix. But there is no evidence of problems with the belly-flop. The last couple v1 flights did ok in the recently and landing phase. Even the one that burned a hole in one drag flap still managed to ignite engines and soft-land. But v2 is 0 for 3. Flight 9 managed to avoid being an air traffic hazard but wasn’t in control once the engines shut off.
Show threadStege 🐜May 31, 2025
@DanielEriksson @sundogplanets i like this article!
Show threadGarrett LatimerMay 31, 2025

@DanielEriksson @sundogplanets In short, Capitalism's N1. Seems to be coming apart for similar reasons (pogo, exploding turbopumps, control problems, desperate weight-shaving, in-flight fires) too.

A Methalox nine-Raptor first stage with RVac high energy upper stage (with a lifting body for crew) really would have made more sense, even if it was just an interim.

Probably the greatest core flaw of Starship is that it tries to do everything.

Show threadCycling_LizJun 3, 2025
@DanielEriksson @sundogplanets Sounds to me like Musk needs to go up there and sort it out from within. Surely for such a certifiable genius, it wouldn't be difficult? It would make the world a better place.