Roid Rage Hans-on Reliability (ft. Hans Köenigsmann, former VP at SpaceX)
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Jun 5, 2025 
Hans Königsmann, former VP of Reliability at SpaceX and an early hire, shares his vast expertise in ensuring rocket safety. He recounts harrowing tales from the early Falcon 1 launches, emphasizing lessons learned from failures. Discussions about the importance of in-house manufacturing and the evolution of risk management practices highlight innovations in aerospace. Königsmann also dives into the complexities of reusable rockets and the current challenges facing the Starship program, underscoring the balance of innovation and dependability in space exploration.
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Early SpaceX Avionics Leadership
- Hans Königsmann joined SpaceX early as one of the first technical hires.
- He covered a broad avionics spectrum including guidance, control, software, and flight safety.
Falcon 1 Second Launch Failure
- The second Falcon 1 launch failed due to sloshing baffles missing on the second stage.
- Hans Königsmann admitted they had inconsistent stability models and Elon decided to fly the rocket anyway.
Cost, Not Physics, Limits Spaceflight
- SpaceX aimed to solve the financial problem of spaceflight, not just the physical one.
- The key to progress was drastically lowering costs rather than new physics.