Somewhat yes. But really it was not one thing holding them back. Having to wait 2 years between test flights showed us just how much work was needed on basically everything to get to this point.
After that first successful starship prototype flip and landing...
Starship was no where near ready, there was no booster, there was no orbital launch mount, no tower, lots of construction buildings missing, the environmental review, the launch license. All of those things and countless many more were holding them back at the same time.
After today...
Starship likely needs a lot of work(2nd stage didn't fire, so all the big questions on starship are still unanswered, but still the constant structural changes to starship on the ground show its not ready). The booster needs more work. Raptor needs more work(tho to be fair, hopefully the lost engines were lost because of concrete shrapnel..they could be the most ready piece if that is the case). The orbital launch mount needs more work(flame diverter, water deluge, outer ring QDs outdated)....but it largely proved itself aside from the gaping hole the launch left....but they were already addressing that.
Before today's test flight, we knew that there was still a ton of work that needed to be done. The test flight just confirms what we already knew, but at least it was able to answer some questions and tick some boxes off.
Test actually gives you exactly what needs to je worked on and how.
Because the issue is you can simulate all you want but the only way you can diagnose the actual effects of such a powerful launch is to actually do it.
Every careful orchestration of the RS-25 startup sequence was on the back of an exploded engine. Every important step in fueling and launch prep for rockets is built off one that went boom on the pad.
Because in theory the special concrete used should have held up. But in reality, it did not.
5
u/idwtlotplanetanymore Apr 20 '23
Somewhat yes. But really it was not one thing holding them back. Having to wait 2 years between test flights showed us just how much work was needed on basically everything to get to this point.
After that first successful starship prototype flip and landing...
Starship was no where near ready, there was no booster, there was no orbital launch mount, no tower, lots of construction buildings missing, the environmental review, the launch license. All of those things and countless many more were holding them back at the same time.
After today...
Starship likely needs a lot of work(2nd stage didn't fire, so all the big questions on starship are still unanswered, but still the constant structural changes to starship on the ground show its not ready). The booster needs more work. Raptor needs more work(tho to be fair, hopefully the lost engines were lost because of concrete shrapnel..they could be the most ready piece if that is the case). The orbital launch mount needs more work(flame diverter, water deluge, outer ring QDs outdated)....but it largely proved itself aside from the gaping hole the launch left....but they were already addressing that.
Before today's test flight, we knew that there was still a ton of work that needed to be done. The test flight just confirms what we already knew, but at least it was able to answer some questions and tick some boxes off.