"Inverse reported that a Twitter user first noticed the potentially huge payload a Starship can carry into low Earth orbit. A table in the user guide lists 100 tons, but from other math in the table, one can extrapolate that number is more like 150 tons. That means the entire decommissioned Mir space station could be taken up in one launch.
Even for a much higher altitude of orbit, the Starship still purports to carry up to 21 tons. That number is large enough to include virtually all the different satellite models ever launched or the entire Apollo lunar lander unit. And the user guide (seen below) offers a tantalizingly real call to action, like any piece of sales collateral: “For payload specific loads or rideshare loads assessments, contact [email protected].”" Yahoo News
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And, pilgrims, the thing is re-usable. Musk is aiming to transport 100 people in a flight. This "beast" is supposed to be able to haul an immense weight into orbit. He has in mind to use the Starship for a wide variety of tasks. He has in mind the Lunar orbit to Mars run eventually.
In the last trial from the Texas base the hull collapsed but I don't think it would be wise bet against Musk given his record of achievement. pl
https://news.yahoo.com/spacexs-starship-lift-lot-more-184100582.html
This is all good news. I can't wait for Trump to make a "Make Colonization Great Again" in a speech.
Posted by: Fred | 07 April 2020 at 12:33 PM
What a glorious pyramid Musk is making. An edifice to carry people to the next life. In the mean time the energy required to cultivate a dozen bodies in space would be better applied to evolving machine intelligence for unearthly environments.
Posted by: LeeG | 07 April 2020 at 09:27 PM
Lee G,
Get yourself elected and make that policy happen. You'll fit right in with Fauci, Birx and their computer modeling experts.
Posted by: Fred | 08 April 2020 at 09:15 AM