1 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 1: From Bloomberg News and iHeartRadio. It's the big tick. I'm 2 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 1: west Kasova today after the Starship launch fell short. What's 3 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:25,240 Speaker 1: next for SpaceX and for the goal of putting Americans 4 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: back on the Moon. 5 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 2: The SpaceX is that you rocket the biggest and most 6 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 2: powerful ever built, that's blasted off on its first test light, 7 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 2: the Starship. 8 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,599 Speaker 3: Of super Heavy and a gift of the Starsick engines. 9 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 3: When STARSIP sufferates, we light up six hungines in a 10 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 3: staggered sequence. That all goes well, those six engines will 11 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 3: burn for almost six and a. 12 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 2: Half but just about four minutes after you can see 13 00:00:54,280 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 2: Starship sort of spinning out. 14 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 3: Of controlsion of the biggest rocket ever moments after it launch. 15 00:01:00,440 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 1: Just this morning, Massa of course is counting on that 16 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: rocket made by SpaceX to carry astronauts to the Moon's 17 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: surface and potentially eventually Mars. 18 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 4: Fortunately no one was on board. 19 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: It was a test flight and the FAA is now investigating. 20 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:17,080 Speaker 1: In the days since the dramatic mid flight explosion of 21 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: the SpaceX Starship, the company and the Federal Aviation Administration 22 00:01:22,280 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 1: had been working to figure out exactly what went wrong 23 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 1: and how to fix it. For the next test launch. 24 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: The super heavy rocket also scattered pulverized concrete more than 25 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: six miles from the launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas, 26 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,759 Speaker 1: and now environmental groups and a Native American tribe are 27 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: suing the FAA. They say the agency approved the launch 28 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: too hastily and should have done a more thorough environmental review. 29 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: So what happens now. Bloomberg's intrepid space reporter Lauren Grush 30 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: is back today to tell us, Lauren, do we have 31 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: any idea yet why this launch failed? 32 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 5: Well, we kind of got some indications at the very 33 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 5: beginning if you looked at pictures or watched the live 34 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 5: stream at all. 35 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 3: Right now, it looks like we saw the start of 36 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 3: the flip. But obviously we're seeing from the ground cameras 37 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 3: the entire starship stack continuing to rotate. We should have 38 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 3: had separation by now. Obviously this does not appear to 39 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 3: be a nominal situation. 40 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, it does appear to be spinning. 41 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 5: But I do want to remind everyone that everything after 42 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:34,079 Speaker 5: clearing the tower was icing on the cake. You could 43 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 5: see that some of the engines had gone out. 44 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 4: So there's thirty three engines raptor engines at. 45 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 5: The base of this vehicle, and not all of them 46 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 5: were working throughout the entire flight. But you know, SpaceX 47 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 5: has said before that they can still get to orbit 48 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 5: with one or two out, so you know, that wasn't 49 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 5: a clear indication that anything was super wrong. 50 00:02:55,840 --> 00:02:57,120 Speaker 4: I think what really. 51 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 5: Started to indicate there was something going on with at 52 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 5: the point of a process called stage separation. So about 53 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 5: two and a half to three minutes into the flight, 54 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 5: the super heavy booster which is needed to loft the 55 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 5: starship component the top of the vehicle into space, are 56 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 5: supposed to separate, and that process just didn't happen, and 57 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 5: then the vehicle, the entire vehicle just started spinning out 58 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 5: of control in a weird way, and we were all 59 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 5: kind of waiting for a stage separation to happen, but 60 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 5: that just didn't happen. And then eventually the rocket blew up, 61 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 5: and we learned later that SpaceX had actually intentionally blown 62 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 5: up the rocket with its flight termination system. 63 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 4: It's a matter of public safety. 64 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 5: They obviously didn't want that rocket, you know, swirling back 65 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 5: onto land and hurting anybody, so they made the decision. 66 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 4: To get rid of it. 67 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: And is there any indication about why it failed, like 68 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: why that super heavy booster didn't separate. 69 00:03:57,000 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 5: I really don't want to speculate. There's all sorts of 70 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 5: ideas running around. Maybe it didn't get enough thrust because 71 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 5: of the engines that had flamed out. You know, it's 72 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,160 Speaker 5: unclear exactly why it didn't separate, why did. 73 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 4: It start spending like that. I'm sure we'll learn all 74 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 4: the details. 75 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 5: In due time, but as of now, it's still an 76 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 5: open question. 77 00:04:16,520 --> 00:04:19,039 Speaker 1: So it's not just SpaceX that's trying to get the answers, 78 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: but the federal government, right, the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA, 79 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: is also doing an investigation. 80 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 5: Right. They're overseeing a mishap investigation. It's actually a pretty 81 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 5: standard type of investigation they do whenever a rocket fails 82 00:04:34,480 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 5: in flight or has an issue like this. So I'll 83 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,400 Speaker 5: be working with SpaceX on it, and Starship won't fly 84 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 5: until they figure out what happened and you know, determined 85 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 5: that the appropriate mitigation measures are in place. 86 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 4: For it to fly again. 87 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: One other thing that happened is when the rocket took off, 88 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 1: it really wreaked havoc on the whole launch area, I 89 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: mean just destroyed it. And there's a few chunks of 90 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 1: concrete being thrown off. Was that supposed to happen or 91 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: is that something that took them by surprise. 92 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 5: I don't think SpaceX wanted that to happen, but I 93 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 5: think there were some concerns ahead of the launch that 94 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 5: that might happen. So essentially there was a big slab 95 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 5: of concrete underneath the launch pad. Now the launch mount, 96 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 5: which you know holds the rocket and where the rocket 97 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 5: launches from, was raised above the ground, So that was 98 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,359 Speaker 5: supposed to help with you know, once they knighted those engines, 99 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 5: but unfortunately, I mean, like I said, it's thirty three engines. 100 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 5: Not all of them ignited, but a lot of them did. 101 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 5: And that is just an intense, insane amount of pressure 102 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 5: and forces all concentrated in one flat surface, and by 103 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 5: all indications, it looked as if it just shattered the 104 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,440 Speaker 5: concrete underneath the pad, sent chunks flying. I mean, the 105 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 5: US Fish and Wildlife essentially confirmed that chunks of concrete 106 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 5: and metal just went everywhere. 107 00:05:56,320 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 4: And so that retaboc on the infrastructu. 108 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,640 Speaker 1: Sure could get a sense of just how much is 109 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: being invested in this starship that immediately after the failure, 110 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 1: you started to see congratulations coming in including from the 111 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: head of NASA saying, you know, no one gets it 112 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:15,919 Speaker 1: right the first time, but this is a great sign 113 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: of the future. Is that just putting the best face 114 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: on this or are they right? 115 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:21,479 Speaker 4: No? 116 00:06:21,560 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 5: I mean, I think this is essentially how SpaceX tests, right. 117 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:30,040 Speaker 5: They are not afraid to fail very publicly, and I 118 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 5: wouldn't even use the term failure because they wouldn't use 119 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 5: the term failure. You know, elon before this launch very 120 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 5: much caution that this was a test launch, this is 121 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:42,599 Speaker 5: still very experimental rocket and that if they cleared the 122 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 5: launchpad that would be considered success for them, And that's 123 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 5: essentially what happened. They cleared the launch pad. Now the 124 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,200 Speaker 5: launch pad's not in the best of shape at the moment, 125 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:54,040 Speaker 5: but they didn't completely destroy it, so I guess that's 126 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 5: a win. But yes, you know, they really just needed 127 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:00,440 Speaker 5: to see this vehicle fly because they have seeing the 128 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 5: entire vehicle working together in the air before, so to 129 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 5: them that is valuable data that they'll just apply to 130 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 5: the next flight. 131 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 4: And we were out in South padre after the launch 132 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 4: and the mood was extremely positive. 133 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 5: They ultimately see any kind of tests and moving forward 134 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 5: in this program as a good sign and you know, 135 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,240 Speaker 5: others might feel differently, but for SpaceX, this is just 136 00:07:24,280 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 5: part of their culture and how they get to space. 137 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: And so in that way, I guess you really could 138 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 1: say that this isn't spin that it was a success, 139 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:36,200 Speaker 1: because even though the mission itself wasn't completed as hoped, 140 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: the thing did get pretty high in the sky. 141 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 5: Right And presumably during the next launch they'll get a 142 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 5: little farther, and then then one after that they'll get 143 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 5: a little farther than that. And one of the big 144 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 5: points of this program is that they are going to 145 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 5: launch a bunch and that's part of the starship architecture. 146 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 5: This vehicle really needs to fly back to back with 147 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 5: increasing frequency if it's really going to work as designs. 148 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 4: So, yes, this launch. 149 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 5: Got a lot of fanfare, as it should have, but 150 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 5: this is by far not the last time we're going 151 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 5: to see this rocket launch. So we're probably going to 152 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 5: see a lot of failures, but we're also going to 153 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 5: see a lot of launches, and so this was just 154 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 5: the beginning of what's really going to hopefully ramp up 155 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 5: over the next few years. 156 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 1: And in fact, not long after this test flight, Must 157 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 1: said he thinks we're going to have another one on 158 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: the launch pad this year, given the condition of the 159 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: launchpad and what heaven do you think that's realistic? 160 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 5: You know, I never want to make predictions. In fact, 161 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,760 Speaker 5: SpaceX's gwynshot Wall always says, you know, I don't like 162 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 5: to make predictions. 163 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 4: It makes a liar out of me. 164 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 5: And Elan is notorious for making very bold, very aspirational 165 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 5: predictions for timelines. But given the state of the launchpad 166 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 5: and the extensive repairs they're going to have to do 167 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 5: to their infrastructure, also presume they're going to have to 168 00:09:01,080 --> 00:09:03,760 Speaker 5: make some changes. There are a lot of questions about 169 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 5: why there wasn't a better flame diversion system for those engines, 170 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 5: and Elon mentioned a steel plate that they were hoping 171 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 5: to put under the launch pad before this flight with 172 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:19,480 Speaker 5: water running through it. Perhaps they'll put that in for 173 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 5: future flights. There's still some questions that that will work. 174 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 5: But all that's going to take time. It's going to 175 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 5: take money. I don't know how much time. I don't 176 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 5: know how much money. They do work fast. But I 177 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 5: think maybe Elon's prediction of one to two months, which 178 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:36,319 Speaker 5: he said on Twitter, might be a little ambitious. 179 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: Does he have a hangar full of these things waiting 180 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 1: around that they could roll out there or do they 181 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:44,840 Speaker 1: have to build another one from sprat. 182 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,160 Speaker 5: So that is one thing that is extremely oppressive about 183 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:51,319 Speaker 5: the starship program is that they are popping these things 184 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:52,320 Speaker 5: out pretty fast. 185 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 4: I don't know the exact. 186 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 5: Count of what is in the hangars over at Starbase 187 00:09:57,559 --> 00:10:01,240 Speaker 5: their launch facility in Bokachika, but I did get a. 188 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 4: Glimpse swallows down there. 189 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 5: There's definitely vehicles in the production line that are being built, 190 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 5: and some are stored in those tents, so I don't 191 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 5: know how ready they are, but that is part of 192 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 5: the starship architecture. 193 00:10:13,320 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 4: They are constantly building new vehicles. 194 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,480 Speaker 5: And sometimes they work so fast and iterate so quickly 195 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 5: that they'll build a vehicle and then it won't be 196 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 5: long before that vehicle is obsolete and a new vehicle 197 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 5: has been built that's better designed and ready to go. 198 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 5: And so it's very possible that their starship hardware is 199 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 5: ready or will be ready soon. 200 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 4: It might be the launch pad that's the ultimate. 201 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: Issue after the break, What does this setback mean for 202 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 1: NASA's ambitious plans to return people to the Moon. 203 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 2: And here we go. Hydrogen burnoff the Nighters, initiate seven 204 00:11:00,240 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 2: six five four stage Agent start three two one boosters 205 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,439 Speaker 2: a Magician, and lift off of Artamus one. We rise 206 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 2: together back to the boon and beyond all four. 207 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:24,040 Speaker 1: Lauren, you say, how Elon Musk is very willing to 208 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,599 Speaker 1: spend a lot of money iterating and failing again and 209 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 1: again until they get it right, and NASA is certainly 210 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 1: hoping that he gets it right pretty soon, because they've 211 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 1: met a lot on this spacecraft being the thing that 212 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: returns the US to the Moon. 213 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 5: Absolutely, you know, before that partnership was announced, Starship was 214 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 5: really more or less Elon Musk's pet project. He started 215 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,680 Speaker 5: SpaceX to take people to deep space and to start 216 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 5: a settlement on Mars, and Starship was ultimately kind of 217 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 5: the key to that vision. 218 00:11:58,120 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 4: But yes, a few. 219 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:03,840 Speaker 5: Years back, NASA partnered with SpaceX on the Starship program 220 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 5: and gave them a nearly three billion dollar contract to 221 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 5: develop the vehicle into a lander that could take the 222 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 5: agency's astronauts to and from the. 223 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 4: Surface of the Moon. 224 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 5: So that significantly raised the stakes for the program and 225 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 5: also made it a government funded program in the process, 226 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 5: and so there's now a lot more writing on it. 227 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 5: Than just Elon's dream of starting a. 228 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:28,160 Speaker 1: Mars settlement, and here we are in twenty twenty three. 229 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,320 Speaker 1: NASA has this goal of returning to the Moon by 230 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:34,679 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. So that's a pretty ambitious timeline. 231 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 5: That is very ambitious, and I think motht reporters that 232 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 5: have been following this that you'll talk to will tell. 233 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,360 Speaker 4: You that no one really believes that that's going to happen. 234 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 5: I would not be surprised if we heard very soon 235 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,080 Speaker 5: that twenty twenty six becomes the new deadline. 236 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:52,280 Speaker 4: I think they're mostly setting it. 237 00:12:52,240 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 5: As a goalpost and ambitious goalposts and trying to work 238 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:59,079 Speaker 5: towards that to motivate everyone to work with urgency. 239 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 4: But at the same time time that is also a 240 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 4: recipe for. 241 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 5: Launch fever, and we've seen that not play out well 242 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,439 Speaker 5: when it comes to accidents and tragic outcomes. 243 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,120 Speaker 1: What exactly is NASA's goal when it comes to the Moon, 244 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:15,120 Speaker 1: because there's a couple different pieces to it, right. 245 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 5: So this time they are focusing on sustainability. 246 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:19,200 Speaker 4: Right. 247 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 5: So with the Apollo program back in the nineteen sixties 248 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 5: and seventies, we really just went for these quick trips 249 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,880 Speaker 5: and we planted flags we gathered samples and then we left. 250 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 5: So ultimately, what they're hoping to do with this program 251 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 5: called the Artemis. 252 00:13:31,559 --> 00:13:35,199 Speaker 4: Program is to set us up for a path where we. 253 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 5: Can be living and working on the Moon for extended 254 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:38,720 Speaker 5: periods of time. 255 00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 4: So that will include maybe a base on the Moon 256 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 4: at some point. 257 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 5: There's plans to build a station around the mood called 258 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 5: the Gateway. So the idea is kind of to make 259 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:52,319 Speaker 5: the Moon like we've done with Low Earth Orbit and 260 00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 5: the International Space Station, where we can send astronauts for 261 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:59,040 Speaker 5: extended periods of time. They can work, do research, and 262 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 5: then come home after long stays. 263 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: And there's a lot involved in that that's beyond just 264 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 1: the successful mission of this starship. That requires a lot 265 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: of very technical, sort of very complicated things to go, right. 266 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,000 Speaker 5: Sure, yes, the architecture to get to the Moon for 267 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 5: the first time, a mission called. 268 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 4: Artemis three is definitely very wonky. 269 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 5: Starship is just the lander portion of the entire process. 270 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 5: NASA has its own deep space rocket that it is 271 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 5: built in partnership with Boeing called the Space Launch System 272 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 5: or SLS, and that is used to boost a crew 273 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 5: capsule called Orion made by Lockey Martin The way it'll 274 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 5: work is that first Starship is going to launch, and 275 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 5: because Starship is so massive, it gobbles up a lot 276 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 5: of propellent. In order for it to get all the 277 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 5: way to the Moon, it's going to have to fill 278 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 5: up essentially like a car at the gas station. So 279 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 5: SpaceX plans to launch a bunch of tankers to space 280 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,320 Speaker 5: where they'll fill up a Starship depot, you know, like 281 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 5: you're filling up a gas can. Then they'll launch the 282 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 5: lander portion and just to go back. It's unclear how 283 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 5: many tankers they need to launch, right it could be 284 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:16,160 Speaker 5: over a dozen. 285 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:19,040 Speaker 4: That's a lot. Then they'll launch the Lander, which will 286 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:22,240 Speaker 4: fill up its tanks from that depot, and then it 287 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 4: will go all the way to. 288 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 5: Lunar orbit and essentially park there waiting for the next step. 289 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 4: Then we launch the people who will. 290 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 5: Be on the SLS, the Space Launch System riding inside 291 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 5: of Orion on top of the vehicle. Oriyan will then 292 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,080 Speaker 5: launch the deep space meet up with Starship and lunar 293 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 5: orbit dock with Starship. 294 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:43,640 Speaker 4: Two of the four. 295 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 5: Astronauts on there will transfer over to Starship. 296 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 4: Then Starship will take them down to the Moon. 297 00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 5: They'll land, they'll don their spacesuits and you walk around 298 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 5: to take samples, do what they need to do, get 299 00:15:55,600 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 5: back into Starship, leave the surface, redock with Orian, they'll 300 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 5: transfer into Orion again, and then Orian will leave lunar 301 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,200 Speaker 5: orbit and take them back to the Earth. 302 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 4: Well, they'll land under parachutes. Does it sound like an 303 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 4: intense process. 304 00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 5: Yes, But ultimately this is the plan for getting humans. 305 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:19,200 Speaker 4: Back to the Moon for the first time in over 306 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 4: half a century. 307 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: Does it have to be this complicated? 308 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 5: You know, that is the ultimate question, and I think 309 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 5: we could spend another podcast talking about it. But there 310 00:16:31,040 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 5: is a lot of politics involved when it comes to 311 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 5: the Space Launch System rocket, and there's been also a 312 00:16:38,040 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 5: lot of questions of why the humans don't just ride 313 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,000 Speaker 5: in Starship and not do this docking. But you know, 314 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,960 Speaker 5: ultimately Starship is, as we've seen, still has quite a 315 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 5: ways to. 316 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 4: Go in this development process. 317 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 5: You know, they haven't even started testing this propellant fuel 318 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:56,880 Speaker 5: up process that's going to be really key to their 319 00:16:56,880 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 5: mission success. And meanwhile, the Space Launch System did launch 320 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:05,080 Speaker 5: on its first test flight successfully around the Moon in November. 321 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 4: Of last year. 322 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:07,600 Speaker 1: Well, let me ask you. You said there's a lot 323 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 1: of politics involved, what does that actually mean. 324 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 5: The Space Launch System has been a program that has 325 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 5: been funded for a very long time. That particular rocket 326 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 5: was in development for over a decade in one form 327 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 5: or another, and they tried to cancel it because it 328 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:30,200 Speaker 5: was getting very costly and it was very delayed. 329 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:32,560 Speaker 4: However, it has a lot of support in. 330 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:36,000 Speaker 5: Congress because a lot of people in various states and 331 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 5: in various communities work on that rocket and rely on 332 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 5: that rocket, and so a lot of politicians have pushed 333 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 5: to keep it alive. It gets a lot of generous funding, 334 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,199 Speaker 5: so that rocket has a lot of staying power. 335 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 4: In the meantime, you know, SpaceX, they were. 336 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 5: The underdog for a really long time and not a 337 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 5: lot of people trusted that they could become this behemoth 338 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:03,440 Speaker 5: that they are now, and so SpaceX really ultimately had 339 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:07,320 Speaker 5: to prove to everyone that they were a serious contender, 340 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 5: and so that also took a while. Took a similar 341 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:12,520 Speaker 5: amount of time that it took for the Space Launch 342 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 5: System to get developed. So now we're coinciding in a 343 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:19,840 Speaker 5: time where the SOLS is more or less ready it's 344 00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 5: starting to fly, and SpaceX is also at a point 345 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,480 Speaker 5: where they have proven that they are capable and so 346 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:29,960 Speaker 5: we're kind of in this hybrid approach of the old 347 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:34,199 Speaker 5: space way where we had these large government contracts with 348 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 5: the likes of defense contractors like Boeing and Locking Martin, 349 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 5: and we're also giving money to SpaceX with fixed price contracts. 350 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 5: So it's kind of like when the old way of 351 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,520 Speaker 5: doing things is criss crossing with the new way of 352 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 5: doing things and they're kind of coming together at the 353 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 5: same time. 354 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: Is there any criticism within the space community that they're 355 00:18:57,000 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 1: trying to push these two things together just because they 356 00:18:59,760 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 1: both exists, they both have supporters, rather than saying, Okay, 357 00:19:03,119 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 1: what's the easiest, cleanest, most viable way to return people 358 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 1: to the Moon. 359 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:12,480 Speaker 4: Absolutely. Of course there's always criticism about. 360 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 5: How NASA pays for things and if it's pain too much, 361 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:19,359 Speaker 5: and if they're actually doing the more efficient process or 362 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 5: what if they're doing the more politically advantageous process. But 363 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 5: the one thing you have to consider is the way 364 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 5: NASA is run. It's a government agency and they rely 365 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 5: on government funding, and so they have to do things 366 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,919 Speaker 5: that get them the government funding that they need, and 367 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 5: sometimes that is not always what is logically and most efficient. 368 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 4: It also has to be. 369 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 5: Politically advantageous as well, and so that factors into their 370 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:46,920 Speaker 5: decision making. 371 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: Sometimes, are the traditional defense contractors who are providing part 372 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 1: of this mission and SpaceX working together or is their 373 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:54,920 Speaker 1: rivalry there? 374 00:19:55,760 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 5: There's definitely rivalry, but yes, they are now in an 375 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 5: interesting position of being frenemies because they have to rely 376 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 5: on each other for this mission to work. I truly 377 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 5: love the concept that Starship is going to have to 378 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 5: dock with Orion. You know, Lockheed is going to have 379 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 5: to play nice with Starship in order for these two 380 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 5: vehicles to work. Ultimately, this is one big, happy family now, 381 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 5: and they're all gonna have to work together to get 382 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 5: astronauts safely to the lunar surface. 383 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: When we come back between the Starship and NASA's Space 384 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:40,439 Speaker 1: Launch System, how soon before a Moon mission becomes a reality, 385 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: we choose to go to the Moon and mistcate and 386 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,760 Speaker 1: do the other thing not because they are easy, but 387 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,040 Speaker 1: because they are hard. Because that gold. 388 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 2: I'm all. 389 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:09,040 Speaker 3: Are bathlete, beautiful mic Earlier. 390 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,159 Speaker 1: Lauren, you say that NASA's Space Launch System, the SLS, 391 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,920 Speaker 1: has had staying power. How much of that is? This 392 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,920 Speaker 1: is just the way NASA does things and always has. 393 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:23,879 Speaker 5: Essentially, how it worked is the same contractors who are 394 00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:27,400 Speaker 5: working on SLS are born of the contractors who worked 395 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 5: on Shuttle, born of the contractors who worked on the 396 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:35,639 Speaker 5: Apollo program. So one can argue that the effort to 397 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:36,919 Speaker 5: go to the Moon in the first time kind of 398 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 5: created this like space industrial complex, and so people have 399 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,959 Speaker 5: relied on those contracts for a really long time, and 400 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:45,760 Speaker 5: so they were reluctant to give them up when they 401 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 5: tried to cancel the SLS program, and so ultimately they 402 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:55,400 Speaker 5: got politicians involved, and that is why SLS has such 403 00:21:55,480 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 5: staying power after all this time. But I think with Starship, 404 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:03,199 Speaker 5: the reason SOLS also was able to survive for so 405 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 5: long is because there really wasn't an alternative. We need 406 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 5: a powerful deep space rocket to get to the Moon 407 00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:11,879 Speaker 5: if we're going to do big, bold things in space. 408 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 4: And so you can criticize SLS. 409 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 5: All you want for being over budget and delayed, but 410 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 5: until we have something else that works, then. 411 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 4: What else are you going to do? 412 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:26,200 Speaker 5: But now what people are pointing to is Starship is 413 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,679 Speaker 5: kind of slowly edging into that role of being that 414 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:32,639 Speaker 5: cheaper alternative and that more efficient alternative. 415 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 4: Problem is it needs. 416 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 5: To fly and prove itself before you can actually make 417 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 5: the case that SOLS shouldn't be flying at all and 418 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 5: shouldn't be funded anymore. 419 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 4: So until Starship can prove itself, I don't think SLS 420 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 4: has much to worry about. 421 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,119 Speaker 1: Do you think if the Starship program actually starts to 422 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: show success that ultimately it could just take over the 423 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:56,399 Speaker 1: whole mission? 424 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:02,439 Speaker 4: That is the prediction from some folks. The way that. 425 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:06,680 Speaker 5: Elon advertises Starship sounds really enticing. So it's supposed to 426 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 5: be fully reusable, which is supposed to lower costs, and supposed. 427 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:13,040 Speaker 4: To make it easier to launch back to back. 428 00:23:13,520 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 5: They're talking about doing like one hundred flights a year, 429 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 5: crazy stuff like that, which all sounds really great. And 430 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:23,520 Speaker 5: so the idea is that once they show that, why 431 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 5: would you continue flying a rocket like SLS. It's so 432 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,840 Speaker 5: expensive and only flies like once a year. I'm skeptical 433 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:33,639 Speaker 5: that Starship will kill SLS because, like I said, it 434 00:23:33,680 --> 00:23:36,239 Speaker 5: has a lot of supporters at very high places, and 435 00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,399 Speaker 5: it does provide a lot of jobs for folks, and 436 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 5: that is really a powerful aspect of the program. 437 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 1: So, Lauren, you're covering this every day, what are you 438 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 1: looking for? What comes next for this program? 439 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 4: I have a saying that launch is only the beginning. 440 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:56,040 Speaker 5: Even if they were to get it into orbit, there 441 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 5: is still quite a lot to do in order to 442 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:04,639 Speaker 5: really mature the system into what SpaceX has advertised it 443 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 5: to be. So remember I talked about the challenge of 444 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 5: how to fuel this thing up. 445 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 4: You know, they need to test that process. They haven't 446 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:12,400 Speaker 4: even gotten. 447 00:24:12,160 --> 00:24:14,439 Speaker 5: To space yet, so they can't do an in space 448 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 5: test of that yet, and that's going to be a 449 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 5: key part of the development program. And then beyond testing 450 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,959 Speaker 5: the fueling up, they have to demonstrate that starship can 451 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,520 Speaker 5: actually land on the Moon. 452 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:29,680 Speaker 4: And you know, I think people think it's maybe I 453 00:24:29,720 --> 00:24:31,400 Speaker 4: wouldn't say easy to land. 454 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:33,639 Speaker 5: On the Moon, but because we've done it before, you know, 455 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:34,680 Speaker 5: we can just do it again. 456 00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 4: But that's not the case. 457 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 5: Just recently, a Japanese company, I Space tried to become 458 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:46,119 Speaker 5: the first to land a mostly privately funded robotic lunar. 459 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:47,640 Speaker 4: Lander on the surface and. 460 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,520 Speaker 5: They came into fast and they crashed, and that title 461 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 5: still hasn't been claimed. So, you know, a company that 462 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 5: hasn't put in a substantial amount of its own money 463 00:24:57,400 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 5: has yet to land on the Moon. 464 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 4: Itself intact, and the ice space Lander was just a 465 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 4: small robotic lander. 466 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:08,199 Speaker 5: Starship is massive, and so to get that on the 467 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 5: surface of the Moon intact is going to be. 468 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 4: An impressive feat. Then they also have to. 469 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 5: Take off from the Moon again, they have to demonstrate 470 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 5: that they can take off from the Moon. And then 471 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:20,359 Speaker 5: for artemis Iree, Starship does not have to return the 472 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:21,639 Speaker 5: humans all the way to Earth. 473 00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:22,640 Speaker 4: That will be Orion. 474 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:28,440 Speaker 5: However, in the future, SpaceX is promising rides to tourists 475 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 5: around the Moon on Starship, and so for those rides, 476 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 5: people will board Starship, fly. 477 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 4: Around the Moon and come home no oriyon component. 478 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 5: And for those rides they will have to come back 479 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 5: to Earth in Starship. And coming back to Earth from 480 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:49,400 Speaker 5: deep space is also extremely technically challenging, and that's why 481 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:53,119 Speaker 5: if you look at the surface of Starship really closely, 482 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 5: you'll see all of these tiles that the company has 483 00:25:57,119 --> 00:26:00,719 Speaker 5: adhere to the surface, and those are essentially heat shield 484 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 5: because when you come in from deep space, you're going 485 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:05,199 Speaker 5: to be coming in very hot and very fast, and 486 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 5: so they need to ensure that the vehicle won't burn 487 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 5: up on reentry, and so they'll need to test that. 488 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 4: Process out before they put humans. 489 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,560 Speaker 5: On it too, So there's quite a lot standing in 490 00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:20,400 Speaker 5: the way of a successful launch and seeing people coming. 491 00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:22,680 Speaker 4: To and from deep space on Starship safely. 492 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 5: One thing I will say is to never count SpaceX out. 493 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,159 Speaker 5: There's a lot of things that they have said that 494 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 5: they will do, and a lot of critics have been 495 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 5: quick to say they won't do them. I will never 496 00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:41,439 Speaker 5: say that SpaceX can't do something. However, their timelines just 497 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 5: might not match up with the timelines they're publicly saying. 498 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 5: These are all engineering problems. You know that we can 499 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 5: engineer and overcome, and I will never doubt SpaceX to 500 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 5: do that. 501 00:26:51,760 --> 00:26:54,160 Speaker 4: But I just have zero concept of how long it's 502 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 4: going to take. 503 00:26:55,440 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: Lauren Grush, thanks for coming on the show, Thanks for 504 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,720 Speaker 1: having me, Thanks for listening to us here at The 505 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: Big Take. It's a daily podcast from Bloomberg and iHeartRadio. 506 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 1: For more shows from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 507 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen, and we'd love to hear from you. 508 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 1: Email us questions or comments to Big Take at Bloomberg 509 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,679 Speaker 1: dot net. The supervising producer of The Big Take is 510 00:27:18,800 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 1: Vicky Bergalina. Our senior producer is Catherine Fink Federica Romanello 511 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: is our producer. Our associate producer is Zeneb Sidiki. Raphael 512 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,880 Speaker 1: i'm seley is our engineer. Our original music was composed 513 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:35,080 Speaker 1: by Leo Sidrin i'm wes Kasova. We'll be back on 514 00:27:35,160 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: Monday with another big take. Have a great weekend.