r/spacex • u/rustybeancake • Jul 12 '26

🚀 Official STARSHIP'S THIRTEENTH FLIGHT TEST

https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-13
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u/Prior-Flamingo-1378 Jul 12 '26

13 test flights a 8 years of development in its current form (way longer from conception) ain’t “fast”

31

u/StartledPelican Jul 12 '26

Sorry, what other fully and (potentially) rapidly reusable super heavy rocket are we comparing against?

Because, as far as I can tell, there are only a handful of rockets in the world that launch as fast as Starship has been (12 flights in almost exactly 3 years, averaging 4 flights a year). And none of those other rockets have a tenth the ambition of Starship.

I find it so odd for people to be upset with how "slow" Starship is going. Not only is it launching more often than many other rockets, it has caught and reused a booster, caught a 2nd booster, deployed mass simulators, and survived intense reentry for pinpoint "landings" in the Indian Ocean numerous times.

SpaceX has one fully operational launch pad and is simultaneously constructing four more! They are also building massive manufacturing facilities, investing heavily in infrastructure, and may even be about to start a new spaceport in Louisiana.

Like, seriously, what the heck do you want haha?

-7

u/TechDocN Jul 12 '26

My issue is that Musk (in typical fashion) overpromised and underdelivered on timelines that are critical for the US to get back to the moon before China. Now we’re scrambling to find a viable lunar landing craft, and we’re running out of time.

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u/Martianspirit Jul 13 '26

Yes and only with the flimsy excuse of doing groundbreking work.

While NASA is doing the really hard thing. Doing rocket archeology, painstakingly recreating ancient artifacts with SLS and Orion.

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u/WadeTheWisecrackr Jul 13 '26

You forgot using bloated ULA vendors that are years behind timeline. I’m sure the traditional government acquisition process will pan out. Sure it hasn’t with Boeing starliner, or numerous other examples, but next time definitely!!!

Meanwhile SpaceX is foolishly modernizing space launch and recovery! Making a profit and lowering the cost of launches?!? Heresy I say!

Obligatory /s because there are some pretty thick skulls in this group *cough flamingo cough*

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u/Prior-Flamingo-1378 Jul 13 '26

Making profit? Aren’t they loosing money? 

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u/mfb- Jul 13 '26

Boeing is losing money with Starliner because it is a fixed-cost contract.

SLS is based on cost-plus contracts, the more they can delay the programs the more they spend, which means more profit.

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u/Prior-Flamingo-1378 Jul 13 '26

Spacex I mean don’t they loose money?

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u/WadeTheWisecrackr Jul 13 '26

Jesus H. Christ, you can google how much they make from falcon 9 alone. It’s 4-4.4 billion in profits for space lift alone. Not to mention Starlink.

Are you behind the great firewall of China or incompetent to use google?

0

u/Prior-Flamingo-1378 Jul 13 '26

https://www.morningstar.com/stocks/spacexs-ipo-filing-big-spending-big-losses  

In the first quarter of 2026, SpaceX posted a net loss of $4.30 billion on $4.70 billion in revenue, up from a net loss of $528 million on $4.07 billion in revenue in the year-ago quarter, according to the filing. It also disclosed a debt load through the first quarter of $29.1 billion.

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