1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,160 Hi everybody, and welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast. 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,800 This is a show where we discuss the critical Crossroads, the 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:12,120 Shape, SpaceX, Tesla X, The Boring Company, and Neuralink 4 00:00:12,120 --> 00:00:14,920 and everything. Elon Musk, I'm your host, Will 5 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,240 Walden. Today, we're focusing on a 6 00:00:17,240 --> 00:00:21,040 significant development in SpaceX, the recent test flight 7 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,960 of Starship, which unfortunately ended in an explosion. 8 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:29,120 And this event is crucial not only for SpaceX, but also for 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:33,360 NASA's Artemis program, which relies on the Starship for 10 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:38,160 future lunar Artemis missions. This is specifically Artemis 3 11 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:40,080 now. The test flight on Saturday 12 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,880 showed both progress and challenges for SpaceX. 13 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:46,040 The spacecraft reached an altitude of 93 miles, a 14 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,360 significant improvement from its last flight. 15 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,880 However, the flight concluded with the explosion of the 16 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:56,200 Starship, raising questions and triggering an FAA investigation. 17 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:01,320 SpaceX CEO Elon Musk remains optimistic, though, anticipating 18 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:05,960 A readiness for the next flight. In just a few weeks and this 19 00:01:05,960 --> 00:01:07,840 episode, we'll explore the details of the flight. 20 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,600 The spacecraft, which is designed to be a pivotal part of 21 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,600 NASA's lunar missions, encountered a severe mishap as 22 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:17,600 both the Starship and the Super Heavy booster exploded. 23 00:01:17,960 --> 00:01:21,280 Now this incident, following an earlier destructive test in 24 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,200 April, brings into focus the challenges that SpaceX faces in 25 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,080 developing this gigantic 400 foot tall. 26 00:01:29,320 --> 00:01:32,280 It's basically a skyscraper that's going to space. 27 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:35,760 A SpaceX is proactive measures such as the installation of a 28 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,520 water suppression system to protect the launchpad, 29 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,120 indicating significant technical improvements. 30 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,280 And it actually worked. The flight's initial success, 31 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,640 with all 33 Raptor engines igniting correctly in the 32 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:51,480 spacecraft reaching space marked a notable advancement from 33 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,320 previous attempts. However, the explosion that 34 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,840 followed raises critical safety and technical questions for 35 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:02,080 SpaceX and the FAA. Now the industry experts and 36 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,880 former FAA officials suggest situation is more promising. 37 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:09,759 Despite this massive explosion over the ocean, the improved 38 00:02:09,759 --> 00:02:12,520 performance could lead to a quicker review process by the 39 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,640 FAA, essential for Spacex's timeline. 40 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:20,000 With the Artemis 3 mission now, George Kneeled, former head of 41 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,440 the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, emphasized 42 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:27,320 the importance of learning from these tests to enhance public 43 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:31,800 safety and spacecraft reliability, and the FAA's role 44 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:35,720 is critical in this process. As SpaceX submits its report on 45 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:40,120 the failure and proposed changes for future flights, the FAA must 46 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,880 balance rapid development that SpaceX is noteworthy for with 47 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,840 stringent safety and environmental regulations. 48 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,680 This process reflects the growing pressures on the agency 49 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:52,960 amidst the burgeoning commercial space industry. 50 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,720 Should they move forward and move fast like SpaceX does, or 51 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,560 should they stick with their old ways? 52 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,880 Only time will tell. Spacex's resilience and 53 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,840 adaptability have been evident in its history of overcoming 54 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:06,840 challenges. The company's experience, 55 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:09,800 notably the recovery after losing a Falcon 9 rocket in 56 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:14,520 2015, demonstrate its capability to quickly address these issues 57 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:18,120 and return back to flight to a normal cadence and actually 58 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,400 build up the cadence and the speed of these flights and the 59 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,800 turn around. And this capability will be 60 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,120 crucial as SpaceX aims to define the Starship system for 61 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:31,760 reliability and space travel. Now for NASA, the stakes are 62 00:03:31,760 --> 00:03:34,440 very high. The Artemis program's success 63 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:36,760 heavily depends on the starship's development. 64 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:41,400 With an investment of $4 billion, NASA envisions using 65 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:45,160 the Starship for lunar landings, a mission not undertaken since 66 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:47,560 the Apollo mission over 50 years ago. 67 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,440 However, the timeline targeting a lunar landing by astronauts 68 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,600 and 2025 or 2026 hinges on Starship's performance and the 69 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:01,440 reliability of the booster and the ship, which includes its 70 00:04:01,480 --> 00:04:05,800 unprecedented need for in orbit refueling, something that's 71 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:09,440 never been done before in a rocket this size Now. 72 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,120 Spacex's latest test, despite its explosive conclusion, marks 73 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:17,320 a step forward, not backwards, in its bold journey to space. 74 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,600 The flight's initial successes, contrasted by the subsequent 75 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,360 failures, under score these challenges. 76 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:28,520 The Pioneers of SpaceX and the Starship continue to push with 77 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,800 now with the FAA's oversight and Spacex's determination. 78 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,680 The path forward is a blend of testing, innovation, and also 79 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:39,280 regulatory navigation, and the tension between Spacex's 80 00:04:39,280 --> 00:04:42,240 fast-paced innovation and the government's regulatory 81 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,600 framework is likely to persist for a while. 82 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,880 Spacex's expectations for efficient approval processes 83 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:54,000 often clash with the inherently cautious and procedural nature 84 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,440 of government agencies. This dynamic will be crucial in 85 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:00,720 shaping the pace and direction of future Starship tests and by 86 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:04,040 extension, the progress of human space exploration. 87 00:05:04,840 --> 00:05:09,440 Now this is a little side note. SpaceX is only allowed to do 5 88 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:14,600 launches from Starbase, Texas at this time, and if they can 89 00:05:14,720 --> 00:05:18,440 squeeze in another test by the end of this year, by the end of 90 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,440 December, they will have successfully launched 3 times 91 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,120 from Boca Chica Starbase, Texas in one year. 92 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:32,080 If they slip to January, that flight goes into the next 5 for 93 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:34,600 next year. Now, if they do complete those 94 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,040 five tests successfully, if they even successfully complete I 95 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:43,080 probably two or three of them, the FAA may allow them to do 96 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,200 more flights from Starbase, Texas. 97 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:47,760 And the implications of these developments? 98 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:50,160 They're going beyond SpaceX and NASA. 99 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:53,240 The commercial space sector, which is poised to benefit from 100 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:57,160 Starship's potential to lower launch cost significantly, is 101 00:05:57,160 --> 00:06:01,200 watching as SpaceX succeeds in these launches. 102 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,640 And the success of Starship isn't just about reaching the 103 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:06,280 Karman line and getting into space. 104 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:10,960 It's also about reshaping the economics and the accessibility 105 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:15,680 of space travel for NASA and normal people like you and me. 106 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,000 Eventually, space tourism will become a thing and SpaceX will 107 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:22,320 be on the forefront of that technology. 108 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:28,000 And as SpaceX prepares for the I FT3 launch and as SpaceX 109 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:33,120 prepares for the I FT3 launch will be here every single step 110 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,280 of the way. 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