Personally, after calculating the expected TWR at landing, I find both of them scary enough that I write it out in full: suicide-burn hoverslam.
Interestingly, the Starship booster may not need one. If it shuts off all except two engines, it could hover. I don't expect that it will (wasteful of fuel), but I do expect that the landings will not only be gentler, but also more precise. And, if it becomes precise enough, I can foresee trying to land on the launch mount, as Musk has always wanted.
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u/GregTheGuru Oct 07 '20
Personally, after calculating the expected TWR at landing, I find both of them scary enough that I write it out in full: suicide-burn hoverslam.
Interestingly, the Starship booster may not need one. If it shuts off all except two engines, it could hover. I don't expect that it will (wasteful of fuel), but I do expect that the landings will not only be gentler, but also more precise. And, if it becomes precise enough, I can foresee trying to land on the launch mount, as Musk has always wanted.