Of all of the rockets we have seen, the oddest looking one is SpaceX starship SN 10. I wish I knew how to insert a link but I just can't figure that out However, go to youtube . search for spaceX starship SN10. Select starship 10 high-altitude test flight. The new HUGE rocket lifts off from the pad and rises to an altitude of 10 KM. It hovers there for awhile. Ground control orders it to land at another pad. The rocket then lands vertically just like those old scifi movies. COMPLETELY UPRIGHT. WOW ! truly amazing
Musk gets stuff done much more efficiently than government even when it gets in his way. Too bad he can never run for President.
From what i have read so far, SpaceX starship will be able to carry up to 100 people to other heavenly bodies. Though it will be a long time off. However, the biggest advance is it's ability to return to earth and be reused. The cost savings is enormous. I am still amazed at how it lands back on earth VERTICALLY. Reminds me of those old scifi flicks.
In the early 50s we had an experimental aircraft for carrier operations. It was a pogo design where the pilot was strapped in and looking straight up at the sky, the craft was parked upright. Quite a few were flown in testing without too many accidents but it was scrapped for not being safe enough. The pilot could not see around the deck or the runway where it was being tested. I suppose recruiting came to a stand still in that short period of military aircraft history.
SpaceX starship does not even need a pilot. Everything is controlled by computer. If you view the above video, you'll see what I mean.
SpaceX will be going to the moon later this year, BUT not land there yet. This years trip will carry an 8 person crew , some of which have paid for their "tickets". IMPORTANT: Ice has been discovered at both the north and south poles of the moon. That is the primary reason why the actual landing (2025) will 1st land there. SpaceX will not only be able to make drinking water, from that ice, but also turn that water into it's component parts... hydrogen and oxygen which will be used for fuel on the moon and future trips to Mars. This will greatly decrease costs dramatically.
THAT'S an interesting concept...carry just enough fuel to escape the gravitational pull of Earth (there's got to be a balance where less fuel carried=less weight=less fuel needed), and once you're in space, stop at the moon to fill up (where gravity is 1/5th that of Earth's) and start the journey from there. Pure genius.
Another thought about energy on the moon and Mars. I have read many articles of how SpaceX is planning to develop energy and watched many SpaceX videos. One thing they have NOT discussed is using tiny nuclear reactors. Tiny nuclear reactors can develop 600 mega watts of electricity, enough to power a small town. I realize that thoughts of nuclear power usually causes knee jerk reactions, BUT if nuclear reactors are safe to use on submarines and aircraft carriers, then surely they could be developed especially for space stations on the moon/Mars.
I worked for a guy back in the 70s who made a similar point. His point was that nuclear works fine when the NRC keeps its regulatory mitts off of it. I had to remind him that just because we don't hear of military mishaps does not mean they have not occurred.
There are a number of countries and private companies who are working feverishly on producing tiny and very safe nuclear reactors. I believe that it is well within reason that they could be used in space. For space travel and space stations, it would, should be, possible to have those reactors on an "arm" jutting" out from the space craft. Even easier on the moon/Mars. Note: We already must contend with radiation from the Sun ... both on Earth and Moon and spacecraft.