NASA officially revealed New Starship's first orbital flight timeline...but can't launch before SLS

NASA officially revealed New Starship's first orbital flight timeline...but can't launch before SLS

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After announcing its next SLS launch attempt on schedule for November, NASA just officially put SpaceX behind. The agency declared the first Starship orbital launch as soon as December while SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said before that Starship will also “highly likely” lift off in November 2022.
Is this an implicit arrangement for SpaceX?
How does Nasa argue this?
Find out everything about this in today's episode of Alpha Tech:

NASA expects SpaceX to be ready to attempt the first orbital flight of its Starship vehicle, an essential element in the agency’s Artemis lunar exploration plans, as soon as early December, pending tests and regulatory approvals.

Speaking to the NASA Advisory Council’s Human Exploration and Operations Committee Oc. 31, Mark Kirasich, deputy associate administrator for Artemis Campaign Development at NASA, said the agency’s understanding of progress on testing of the Starship vehicle, including its Super Heavy booster, supported an orbital launch attempt late this year.

“Right now, the schedule would lead to an early December test flight,” he said. The profile for that test flight would be the same as the company previously detailed in regulatory filings, with the Super Heavy booster and Starship lifting off from the Boca Chica, Texas, test site. Starship would go into orbit but almost immediately reenter, splashing down near Hawaii after completing less than one orbit.
However, NASA's Mark Kirasich said he does not believe SpaceX will attempt to recover the Super Heavy first stage on that test flight.
NASA officially revealed New Starship's first orbital flight timeline...but can't launch before SLS

[jimb]

When I hear "more rigor" and "more systems engineering", that means greater bureaucracy, slower development and greater expense. That has unfortunately become the NASA way and when the government gets its fingers in the pie, it will take far longer to cook.

[josephcrane]

I have been wondering if NASA was holding Starship back because if it launches before SLS, SLS will not be able to claim to be the largest rocket launch ever, even if it is just for a week, it needs to have some kind of “record breaking” to justify building the damn thing.
If Starship launches first, everyone at the SLS launch will be asking “what’s the point? Starship is bigger and already went to space.”

[juliancrooks]

If starship has to wait on SLS to launch it may never get off the ground

[taylordooley]

I can’t wait for SLS, been wanting to see billions of dollars blow up for a year now.

[bbbb]

The pucker factor is strong over at NASA these days

[quietwarf]

I feel like I’m going to think Starships first launch is already commonplace with the amount of CGI launches I’ve seen. 😅

[davidelliott]

Flights of Starship and SLS are not mutually dependent or exclusive. They could both fly within days if their programs are up to the demands.

[lawrenceallen]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but SpaceX will have to test the HLS several times, right? To be on the safe side, perhaps on the 2nd or 3rd test landing an lift off SpaceX should send along a couple of technicians...you know, to make sure everything works on the HLS. They can, for example, test the external elevator. Ride it down and up a couple of times to make sure it doesn't stick. And while they are down at the surface text the egress gate of the elevator platform. You know, step off and back on several times to make sure the NASA astronauts can get back on the platform after they've walked on the surface. Then all will be safe and well for NASA's triumphant return to the moon after over 50 years! GODSPEED NASA!

[familyfamily]

This is the first time I've ever been disappointed by NASA. Always hoped sls would be the tool we needed but can't even fuel the dang thing! I mean WTH!

[tommybtwo]

I honestly think SLS would have done better if they just stuck with developing the capsule / service module and mounted it on a falcon heavy or another rocket provider like they do with satellites and their other science programs because clearly designing rockets isn't their speciality and it's holding them back. Completely understand their struggles politically with regards to jobs but they could create just as many jobs by focusing on creating a comfortable and modern living space for the astronauts as they travel to space and let companies from all over the country bring their technologies and ideas into the mix. Purchasing flights from other providers could also leave them with enough resources to develop their own moon lander.

[gj]

I just want to see another manned mission to the moon.. good lord make it happen already lol.

[JustPeaceLoveAndKindness]

A SpaceX Starship orbital launch success would render SLS obsolete. This would highlight the absolute waste of precious resources that NASA has spent decades on. Again, pride and personalities are getting in the way of humanity's needs.

[michaelreedx]

2:52 doesn't that face just scream trust me? He was appointed to Space Shuttle and ISS Flight Director in 1996, a position in which he served until 2005, which means he's pretty much directly responsible for the space shuttle Colombia disaster.

[rogerrussell]

SLS to launch? I've heard it before.

[OnoSata]

Wow
That's a whole barrel of stuff I thought I knew...
But
Turns out I didn't....
I'm so easily confused....

[jonathonwhitiora]

look much respect to nasa you served your time spacex is were its at step aside and let spacex do there thang nasa should just support them there is a roll for nasa to play be a mentor and supporter like giving spacex the drivers seat

[TheTitaniumSkull]

NASA, Used to be a time when I was a kid and admired them and the apollo launches.
Now I despise NASA for holding progress back because they don't want to be out done.

[jojester]

Did the original narrator go missing after all that he said about the SLS programs utter failure? 🤔 lol

[markhuebner]

Very informative. American spaceflight involves lots of interactions with U.S. bureaucracy. No apparent recognition of the cost increases and delays. Historically government contracts were "cost-plus", so delays and changes insured job security for a portion of the voting public.

[liquiddenmark]

It will never launch, they just keep delaying it month after month!