SpaceX Starship launch

[DenverGP]

The public in general is use to seeing "nasa style" rocket development, where it takes decades to design and eventually produce a rocket that can fly. Because they spent so much time in the design phase, they are more likely to succeed on their test flight, but the rocket design is typically not able to be revised / updated easily. Spacex instead uses a "hardware rich" development methodology, where they iterate quickly and are willing to blow up and or throw away completed hardware to move the design faster. Before today's launch of Booster 7 / Ship 24, they already have several more boosters and ships ready or almost ready to fly. Booster 7 used a hydraulic system for flight vectoring control. The next boosters waiting already have electric motors for for the flight vectoring control. The design never stops. Before one launches, the next couple are already being produced with new/improved designs.

But for people unaware of the different approach, every rocket explosion (RUD) is seen as a major setback. I would bet that during the T-40 second hold, several issues were seen, and Elon told the team to go ahead with launch anyway. Having that rocket sitting on the pad waiting was slowing down the development process.

[O2HeN2]

The public in general is use to seeing "nasa style" rocket development...

My wake-up call that this is no longer my parents' rocket game was when, a couple of years ago, I tuned into one of the many Starship upper stage tests. At T-0 the engines ignited, then immediately shut down. I thought, well, they'll try again in about a week (a la NASA) and I turned the TV off.

...they launched like 30 minutes later and I missed it.

O2