Keith’s note: I was just on CNN with Wolf Blitzer to talk about today’s Starship test flight.

Keith’s note: the SpaceX Starship made an apparently flawless launch and return landing this morning – a landing that included being caught by two giant robotic arms at its launch pad – all while its upper stage – the Starship has been placed in its desired orbit. Update: I spoke with Deutsche Welle after the flight about the mission and its significance. [Audio]

Keith’s note: I just spoke with Alhurra TV about the Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Starship flights. [Audio]

Keith’s note: The SpaceX Starship had an apparently quasi-perfect flight today. The Super heavy booster separated and made a nice water landing. The Starship itself had a nice ride into space and a colorful re-entry. Despite some rather toasty times heading back to Earth – including partially melted flaps – the flaps still managed to control the vehicle all the way down to a smooth ocean landing with a perfect landing burn. Live telemetry and live video (albeit it from a damaged camera at one point) was obtained 99.99% of the time during re-entry. Oh yes, the “intermission” music while Starship glided over Earth was “The Blue Danube” – made iconically famous in the film “2001: A Space Odyssey”. The 13 year old boy still within me who first saw that film in a theater when it came out just loved the playlist today – as a senior citizen. Well done SpaceX. Ad Astra y’all.

Keith’s note: I did CNN this morning talking about the Boeing Starliner launch, SpaceX Starship, and China’s lunar exploration plans (and my reaction to how NASA Administrator Bill Nelson characterizes them). [Audio] I then did live launch coverage on Bloomberg Radio/Youtube, and then I did a quick interview with BBC World Service [Audio]. I also talked again to Deutsche Welle [Audio].

Keith’s Note: I was part of Bloomberg radio / video live coverage of the SpaceX IFT3 Starship launch on Thursday morning. Update: Wow. Simply WOW. The booster was lost before engines could be lit to begin a “landing” attempt in the ocean. The Ship 28 itself made it into space but was lost during reentry when both the Starling and TDRSS telemetry feeds stopped simultaneously. But the Pez door opened and the prop transfer commands were issued. More to follow. I’ll be on Deutsche Welle just after noon EDT. Update: Here’s the [audio] I did a CTV interview too [audio]

Keith’s note: The second flight of a Starship/Heavy Booster began on time today at 8:00 am EST. The rocket performed nominally up to and during “hot staging”. Moments after the separation of the Heavy Booster and Starship the first stage blew up. The Second stage – Starship – continued on a nominal ascent until just before the point at which it would have normally shut down its engines. And all data stopped. SpaceX said on its webcast “No more data from second stage so we think we may have lost it” followed by “Apparently flight termination system may have activated late in ascent over the Gulf of Mexico”. SpaceX then terminated its olive webcast. So, i summary, they had 33 engines on the first stage all the way up to staging, did a clean separation, lost the first stage, sent the second stage almost all the way and then lost that to. Again this was a test flight and they got much further along than they did on the first test flight. Its rocket science folks. Update: I appeared on Deutsche Welle TV this morning to discuss the flight test [Audio]

“The closure of the mishap investigation does not signal an immediate resumption of Starship launches at Boca Chica. SpaceX must implement all corrective actions that impact public safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA that addresses all safety, environmental and other applicable regulatory requirements prior to the next Starship launch.” More

Keith’s note: The first launch of SpaceX Starship was halted on monday 17 April 2023 after a pressurization issue arose in the first stage. SpaceX decided to continue with the preparation – as a “wet dress” down to the T-0:10 mark so as to allow its team to exercise its procedures. The next launch attempt will likely be in 48 hours be on Thursday 20 April according to SpaceX. When the launch occurs – successful or not – this will mark a tectonic paradigm shift in how we access space. There is no indication that NASA understands what is about to happen. More

Keith’s note: SpaceX just conducted a full duration static test firing of 31 Raptor engines (1 shutdown, 1 was shut down) on Starship producing enough thrust to still reach orbit – the most powerful rocket humans have ever built or fired. Sorry SLS. Video below.