The Intelligence from The Economist

One giant, cheap for mankind: SpaceX’s Starship

17 snips
Oct 14, 2024
Join Oliver Morton, Planetary Affairs editor, and Anna Lankes, Brazil correspondent, as they dive into the monumental launch of SpaceX's Starship, a game-changer for affordable space travel. They discuss its groundbreaking design and future missions, including lunar and Martian explorations. Shifting gears, Lankes sheds light on Bolsonaro's enduring influence in Brazilian politics, reshaping conservative strategies even after his presidency. Lastly, they explore the evolving landscape of self-help literature and its paradoxical messages.
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ANECDOTE

Starship's Latest Test Flight

  • SpaceX's Starship, a 120-meter tall, shiny steel cylinder, launched with remarkable power, twice that of Saturn V rockets.
  • The launch involved a booster returning to the launch site and the Starship landing in the ocean.
INSIGHT

Starship's Impact on Space Travel

  • Starship's reusability aims to reduce space travel costs and increase payload capacity to low Earth orbit.
  • This will enable launching larger items like prefabricated space stations or numerous smaller payloads.
INSIGHT

Starship for Missions Beyond Earth Orbit

  • Starship can travel beyond low Earth orbit after refueling in orbit using tanker Starships.
  • NASA plans to use it for lunar missions, while Elon Musk aims for Mars.
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