Muskโs success in developing reusable rockets has structurally lowered the cost of launching into space, opening up new space-related businesses. Cheaper launch is also key to Muskโs ambitious plan to send humans to Mars to colonise the red planet.
Loading
Commenting on the Starship explosion, Dr Jason Held, CEO of Adelaide-based Saber Astronautics said: โ[With] experimental flights like this, you would expect failures.โ
This contrasted with the risk-averse, costly and longer-term approach linked to NASA programs, he said.
โItโs interesting that SpaceX prefers frequent failures they can learn from versus the [Space Launch System] and current NASA programs which require perfection before even a flight attempt,โ Held said.
โThis will artificially make SpaceX seem riskier, when the reality is that with NASA/SLS the risk is simply unknown.โ
The SLS is backed by the United Launch Alliance, which includes long-time space players such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, among others.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk.Credit: Bloomberg
A 2023 SpaceX launch failure sent debris across a wide area, covering the community of Port Isabel with a brown grime, according to a report by UPI.
In 2021, an explosion of Starshipโs upper stage sent debris across Brazos Island State Park and Boca Chica State Park.
In 2023, Musk predicted the chance of success of a then-coming rocket launch at around 50 per cent odds.
โIf we do launch, I would consider anything that does not result in the destruction of the launch mount itself, the launch pad [โฆ] I would consider that to be a win,โ he said.
Starbase, Texas, was once known as Boca Chica Village, until the community voted to approve the name change in May 2025.
The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
About The Author
