SpaceX Starship explodes during engine test, Musk shares preliminary investigation results

[captaincranky]

Yes. IMO, he has too much money and one of the things he can do with his excess is partake of "prescriptions." Others in similar positions have tried this tack before to ends that were not good. He'll have to learn that lesson himself, if he survives.

That good old Peruvian marching powder is more than likely his favorite enabler. I'm frankly surprised he hasn't snorted an eightball and then claimed he's working on a warp drive yet. Maybe his assistants slap a straight jacket on him when he starts talking like that. Then they take it off when he comes down enough to merely resume blabbering about "his" trip to mars.

Adderall is the drug of choice used by his BFF, his recently exBFF, and his likely to be reunited BFF, when the latest Space-X contract runs out.
Presently, the "best thing" we can hope for is that the trimpanzee nukes Tehran, and gas goes up to $5.00+ a gallon, ($8.00+ in CA), Even the dumbest among us could never be convinced that it was "Biden's fault". Although, never say never .

Meantime, I shamefully admit I'd truly enjoy seeing cockpit footage of a couple of B-2s dropping "bunker buster bombs", on Iran's underground nuclear facilities. Hey, those planes were about a billion a pop. No sense in just letting them sit in the hanger. Best of all, Musk had absolutely nothing to do with constructing them. He was too busy selling "a million" Cybertrucks. Or was it 2 million?

 

[wiyosaya]

That good old Peruvian marching powder is more than likely his favorite enabler. I'm frankly surprised he hasn't snorted an eightball and then claimed he's working on a warp drive yet. Maybe his assistants slap a straight jacket on him when he starts talking like that. Then they take it off when he comes down enough to merely resume blabbering about "his" trip to mars.

Somebody much smarter than fElon came up with a solution to Einstein's equations that show that Warp Drive, in identically the same fashion as Star Trek's fictional warp drive, is possible, theoretically. However, there's no known way to power it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcubierre_drive
And I doubt a Cybertruck or Tesla would suffice no matter how many 8-balls fElon snorts or consults.

Adderall is the drug of choice used by his BFF, his recently exBFF, and his likely to be reunited BFF, when the latest Space-X contract runs out.
Presently, the "best thing" we can hope for is that the trimpanzee nukes Tehran, and gas goes up to $5.00+ a gallon, ($8.00+ in CA), Even the dumbest among us could never be convinced that it was "Biden's fault". Although, never say never .

Leave it to the GOP to let their DOG run loose and run around biting the neighbor's rears.

Meantime, I shamefully admit I'd truly enjoy seeing cockpit footage of a couple of B-2s dropping "bunker buster bombs", on Iran's underground nuclear facilities. Hey, those planes were about a billion a pop. No sense in just letting them sit in the hanger. Best of all, Musk had absolutely nothing to do with constructing them. He was too busy selling "a million" Cybertrucks. Or was it 2 million?

I heard what sounded like a good story on, GASP, NPR that said that if Isreal really wanted to, they could probably send in a commando squad and confiscate any nuclear material from that lab without dropping a giant bomb on the place. Unfortunately, the use of a B-2 in such a manner leaves a lot of risk of the conflict escalating beyond what Trumpy bargains for, IMO.

And, oh yeah, despite what the fElonites say, Tesla sales have tanked, world-wide, with the CyberPOS, leading the pack of tanked sales.

 

[MSIGamer]

These folk are as highly skilled as any and more than most. Your post is meaningless and you know why.

If I didn't say 'skilled' would you agree with the rest of my post? ;]
I respect Nasa, I don't respect anything to do with Elon musk.

 

[captaincranky]

If I didn't say 'skilled' would you agree with the rest of my post? ;]
I respect Nasa, I don't respect anything to do with Elon musk.

In my old age, I have reached the conclusion that many people have opinions and belief systems so rigid, that appealing to their sense of "reason" or "thoughtfulness", is a fools errand.

 

[captaincranky]

I heard what sounded like a good story on, GASP, NPR that said that if Isreal really wanted to, they could probably send in a commando squad and confiscate any nuclear material from that lab without dropping a giant bomb on the place. Unfortunately, the use of a B-2 in such a manner leaves a lot of risk of the conflict escalating beyond what Trumpy bargains for, IMO.

Well, you'd be dealing with a suicide mission, considering the amount of lead shielding, and hence weight necessary, to transport the materials away from the site. There are row upon rows of enrichment centrifuges that would be left standing, unless a huge amount of Semtex or C-4 was detonated in the process.

OTOH, during WWII, a "lend lease", program directed at weaponry, particularly with respect to aircraft, was widespread. So, an Israeli pilot with an "American advisor" in the second seat, would meet that criteria. There are, after all, full sets of controls in both seats. Besides, if the B2's stealth is a claimed, it wouldn't be seen coming, or going.

The "Grand Ayatollah" isn't making bombastic (pun intended) threats against American involvement from a position of strength, but rather from one of soiling his robes.

If all else fails, we could send Tom Cruise in an FA-18...

 

[captaincranky]

Engineers doing great stuff with the falcon and will do same with the starship. Failures are essential for success. And while I would see more players on the market, without a d*ck at the helm, their progress is impressive. US was depending Russia for many years before and couldn't progress, now, space x is achieving new heights.

As I admonished another member|
Read this:
"The Saturn V rocket had no catastrophic failures before the Apollo 11 mission that landed humans on the Moon. It had a remarkably reliable track record."

As for "depending on the Russians"`. it was cheaper than initiating a new Space Shuttle project, or refurbishing the old clunkers. Congress cut NASA's funding, and pissing money away to Space-X, is "financial sleight of hand", for appearance' sake.

We beat the Russians to the moon, no expense spared. Then came "Glasnost", and the International Space Station. BTW, "Glasnost", like Elvis, has left the building.

 

[Plutoisaplanet]

Read this:
"The Saturn V rocket had no catastrophic failures before the Apollo 11 mission that landed humans on the Moon. It had a remarkably reliable track record."

But yeah, you've convinced me that Musk's "trial and error", blow them up and then investigate the failures", is the right way forward. What's another few million dollars between taxpayers.

Lol SpaceX has saved the government tens of billions of dollars compared to the competition, but sure let’s pretend taxpayers are primarily funding Starship instead. They are not dependent on government funding—they get more money from other launches and especially Starlink.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SpaceXLounge/comments/1gstb7h/spacex_has_saved_the_government_40_billion

https://www.fool.com/investing/2025/02/10/its-official-starlink-is-spacexs-biggest-money-mak/

Meanwhile the Apollo program cost over $25B which adjusted for inflation in 2025 is over $300B. It did not produce a profit and was not developed efficiently at all. Everyone knows this is why it was canceled. But sure, let’s pretend Starship is a money-wasting failure. I don’t see anyone reconstructing the Saturn V.

 

[captaincranky]

Meanwhile the Apollo program cost over $25B which adjusted for inflation in 2025 is over $300B. It did not produce a profit and was not developed efficiently at all. Everyone knows this is why it was canceled. But sure, let’s pretend Starship is a money-wasting failure. I don’t see anyone reconstructing the Saturn V.

Well let's thank "god", and the impact on the federal budget, that they didn't have to blow up 10 Saturn 5s to get it to work. Crunch the numbers on that, why dontcha?

Why exactly would they rebuild a booster system that's now pushing 60 YO? Wait, I know, so you could try to win an argument....not. Certainly not because it would make any sense.

I watched the first moon landing live, on a B & W CRT TV. I doubt you can say the same. The exorbitant price paid give massive positive sociological impacts far beyond the price of the program.

Part of the reasons, (note I only said "part"), is the public lost interest. It did rather get humdrum watching one successful mission after another. After which congress decided that all that, "NASA pork", would be better spent on them and (supposedly), on their constituents.

For your edification, presentamos "the SLS" (Which has actually achieved LEO, I believe on the first try) Whether that's in spite of, or because of, Boeing;s involvement is anybody's guess:

Space Launch System - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Super heavy-lift launch vehicle - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

But yeah, Bezos participation is a clown show.. A phallic shaped **, fully automated, not quite spaceship, designed for giving the uber wealthy, uber pricey, joy rides, definitely isn't the way forward.

I get a kick out of Gayle King being hailed as, "an astronaut". More like, "this roller coaster only has one hill, but it's a doozy". Dear whomever or whatever, please spare me. Pretty, pretty, please, spare me. It is indicative of how far we've come, when a humble Corvette "Stingray" isn't enough fer, "impressin' the gurlz".

In fairness to Space-X, (not Musk), their Merlin engines *** have achieved a thrust to weight ratio that boggles the mind, 150:1..Wow

** Is Jeff Bezos Jewish? Because the damned thing absolutely does appear as though it's been circumcised.

*** That;s a double naming ripoff, the first off the Rolls Royce "Merlin" used in the WWII Spitfire, who in turn ripped it off from a small British falcon, Falco columbarius

 

[captaincranky]

fElon is showing NASA how they should have developed the space program.

Either that, or he's trying to convince them to find another or an additional contractor for the heavy lift vehicle that is on the critical path for the the new Moon/Mars program.

They already do have other contractors at work on the project. Check out the links in my post #33 above. In fact, one of them has actually flown itself into low earth orbit. Imagine that.

Although Jeff Bezos is so very obviously having a severe mid life crisis. Why else would you design an amusement park ride in the shape of the male penis? What's next on the "heavy lift agenda", a crotch less spacesuit?

Gayle King, or at least her "CBS Mornings", cohorts consider her "an astronaut". Never mind the fact the flight was completely automated, all she, and the other passengers had to do. was sit on their backsides and look out the windows. As she is ,"The Oprah's" BFF, I imagine if they don't call her, "an astronaut:", they can expect lightning bolts raining down from "heaven", or at the very least, the studio next door.

In the meantime I'm getting messages from "The Space-X lounge" regurgitating Musk pronouncing how, "I've saved the government 40 billion dollars". being presented as "evidence before and after the fact".

According to "the stone cold liars", at MSNBC, Musk at the helm of "DOGE", was going "save 2 trillion dollars from the fed budget. Then later, it was only 1 trillion. But, after the firing of thousands of federal workers. his sieg heil salute, and the chainsaw prop was safely tucked away, it turns out the savings were shy of 200 billion. (With a "B", not a "T").

Well it's almost 2:00 PM, my "sleeping powders" are starting to kick in, I've reached the limit of the fun I can have here in one short day, and I gotta hit the sack.

I'm sure there will still be more than enough "fun" left here waiting for me tomorrow.

Cheers.. .

 

[Karlos95]

Read this:
"The Saturn V rocket had no catastrophic failures before the Apollo 11 mission that landed humans on the Moon. It had a remarkably reliable track record."

But yeah, you've convinced me that Musk's "trial and error", blow them up and then investigate the failures", is the right way forward. What's another few million dollars between taxpayers.

I hope I grow up and am able to afford a Cybertruck. I want to be able to cast aside my own ego aside, and form a lasting "bromance" with Elon Musk. I hope I'm able to prostrate myself enough to be able to happily live vicariously through his money.

You have a nice day, I hope you find another person to, "enlighten".

I'm going to spend the rest of the day trying to repent, for being foolish enough to have voted for Kamala Harris. I admit that we're much better off with a pathological liar and psychopath, with paranoid delusions of godhood.

Look at you going off topic.

Now, first point.
That's if you believe they actually went to the moon. There was so much propaganda back then, only official channels got the real facts. Now let's say they did make it to the moon, as if they would tell Russia or anyone they had complications in any of that.

Second point.
It's all about data for them. Making sure things don't work is the best way forward so they never have to encounter a human loss.

Third point, old man.
How gracious of you to assume I cannot afford a cybertruck (I can, don't make an *** out of yourself by assuming). This was about SpaceX and their team, nothing to do with Elon. Maybe you have that other thing called Elon Derangement Syndrome where you think giving someone a complement means they love them or something (stange).

You response shows you cannot be enlightened. That old saying "can't teach new tricks to old dogs" really shows in your comments.

Ah, now we are onto a political comment. Imagine taking science to a political scope. I truly hope you get over your TDS and realise America is healing from the far left woke crazy stuff. This is coming from someone who lives abroad in a nation with a far left leadership and would much rather Trump take over considering no one can afford anything and have a stupid amount of immigrants changing our society, and not for the better, as the left like to frame it.

Have a good day Cap Cranky Old Pants.

P.S. let's see how long until this comment gets deleted by the far left justice worriers who can't take words against their ideology.

 

[captaincranky]

P.S. let's see how long until this comment gets deleted by the far left justice worriers who can't take words against their ideology.

Let's examine this point. First off, our moderators don't yank posts in accordance with their political beliefs. They remove them by content, mainly based on civility, and irrespective of their, or the poster's, political leanings or religious affiliation. They especially respond poorly to personal comments, and "name calling". (Both of which principles you violated profusely in your post above.

But believe or not, as "old", "crazy", "misinformed", or as far left as you claim I may be, in all likelihood, I've had more posts pulled than you've made thus far.

But again, believe it or not, I'm pulling for your post to remain up. For the simple and admittedly self interested reason that, if your post gets pulled, any response I quote will be removed as well.

I think your "ageism", is just "adorable". However, true maturity is predicated on two factors; youth thinking it knows significantly more that it does about everything. (Most of which is dead wrong).

While true maturity is based on the grim reality, of how little one actually does know, regarding the entire scope of the human experience.

So, "the moon landings may be mythology based on the political climate of the period". Guess what? Believe it or not, the Soviets had actual telescopes and radar at the time. They would have been the first ones to call us on it, if they thought we were, "just laying there and faking it", so to speak.

Believe it or not, the failures of the time were widely publicized. This codified via what's known as "the free press". (It's in the First amendment, surely you've heard of it)

Sic: "Vanguard rockets were used by Project Vanguard from 1957 to 1959. Of the eleven Vanguard rockets which the project attempted to launch, three successfully placed satellites into orbit. Vanguard rockets were an important part of the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union."


The only "bridge too far", you haven't managed to cross, is joining the "Flat Earth Cabal".


NOW, I'm going to PM one of the mods, and literally beg for your post to be left up. Because at the end of the day, it reveals more about you, than it does about me.

You've said your piece, so I imagine it's back to the Gameboy and the basement with you.

 

[Karlos95]

Let's examine this point. First off, our moderators don't yank posts in accordance with their political beliefs. They remove them by content, mainly based on civility, and irrespective of their, or the poster's, political leanings or religious affiliation. They especially respond poorly to personal comments, and "name calling". (Both of which principles you violated profusely in your post above.

But believe or not, as "old", "crazy", "misinformed", or as far left as you claim I may be, in all likelihood, I've had more posts pulled than you've made thus far.

But again, believe it or not, I'm pulling for your post to remain up. For the simple and admittedly self interested reason that, if your post gets pulled, any response I quote will be removed as well.

I think your "ageism", is just "adorable". However, true maturity is predicated on two factors; youth thinking it knows significantly more that it does about everything. (Most of which is dead wrong).

While true maturity is based on the grim reality, of how little one actually does know, regarding the entire scope of the human experience.

So, "the moon landings may be mythology based on the political climate of the period". Guess what? Believe it or not, the Soviets had actual telescopes and radar at the time. They would have been the first ones to call us on it, if they thought we were, "just laying there and faking it", so to speak.

Believe it or not, the failures of the time were widely publicized. This codified via what's known as "the free press". (It's in the First amendment, surely you've heard of it)

Sic: "Vanguard rockets were used by Project Vanguard from 1957 to 1959. Of the eleven Vanguard rockets which the project attempted to launch, three successfully placed satellites into orbit. Vanguard rockets were an important part of the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union."


The only "bridge too far", you haven't managed to cross, is joining the "Flat Earth Cabal".


NOW, I'm going to PM one of the mods, and literally beg for your post to be left up. Because at the end of the day, it reveals more about you, than it does about me.

You've said your piece, so I imagine it's back to the Gameboy and the basement with you.

So much irony and contradiction.

Love to see it.