Choosing to use Stainless Steel materials and other design changes to SpaceX Starship should enable it to have its first orbital mission in 2020. Design changes have made the rocket dramatically better and shortened the time for development.
Part of the rocket will be cooled with liquid methane.
How about the chances that Starship reaches orbit in 2020?
— Eric Ralph (@13ericralph31) December 27, 2018
Probability at 60% & rising rapidly due to new architecture
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 27, 2018
What was the trigger for the latest redesign?
— Walter MacVane (@EcoHeliGuy) December 27, 2018
Time. Although it also turned out to be dramatically better.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 27, 2018
That was a good article. Based on the past few days, I can’t help but think there won’t be an ablative coating on Starship, which would be wild! All shine
— Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) December 24, 2018
Leeward side needs nothing, windward side will be activity cooled with residual (cryo) liquid methane, so will appear liquid silver even on hot side
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 25, 2018
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.