The largest rocket ever built got to space for the first time, powered by 33 full-flow staged combustion engines, considered to be the holy grail of engine design. First successful use of 33 engines firing in unison. First full-flow engine to make it to space. First methane engine to make it to space.
I’ve followed starship development for a while now. A year ago starship was doomed to fail because 33 engines firing at once would tear the rocket apart. Now it’s a failure because they screwed up the landing. I know this sounds crazy, but I think the rocket company known for landing rockets might be able to fix the rocket landing issue.
>First successful use of 33 engines firing in unison.
Well, fine, but that's a bit of a silly goal. I don't think there was any doubt that that would work, after the last test in which they all worked except for the ones that got damaged by concrete.
Also, they were already tested on the ground, so...technically already achieved.
> Now it’s a failure because they screwed up the landing.
They didn't "screw up the landing". Something went badly wrong with the booster shortly after separation. And Starship went off course.
Landing both the booster and Starship isn't some small "nice to have", it's fundamental to the operation of these craft. They didn't even get a chance to test landing either part, because both failed too early.
> A year ago starship was doomed to fail because 33 engines firing at once would tear the rocket apart. Now it’s a failure because they screwed up the landing.
I’m unsure what you mean by “screwed up the landing”, both stages exploded in flight.
Scott Manleys analysis and reasoning seems sound: that the error was likely due to hot staging burn causing damage or being mistimed causing propellant sloshing.
I’ve followed starship development for a while now. A year ago starship was doomed to fail because 33 engines firing at once would tear the rocket apart. Now it’s a failure because they screwed up the landing. I know this sounds crazy, but I think the rocket company known for landing rockets might be able to fix the rocket landing issue.