Starship VS New Glenn | A Tale of Two Heavy Lift Rockets | Tortoise & Hare of the Space Industry
Release Date: 01/18/2025
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On Independence Day 2025, Alex discusses the current state of the U.S. space program and the world, searching for ways to navigate the chaos. We make historical parallels with the 1970s, during the end of the first space race and the post-Apollo era tumble (i.e. the end of the 1st Space Conundrum). Alex emphasizes the importance of mental freedom and adaptability in navigating societal chaos, and how he is practicing gratitude and using it as a tool for maintaining focus on what matters. We close out with some gratitude on the return of the last 10 years of space progress, and the glimmer of...
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Welcome to Today In Space podcast - and another People of Space segment. This week we have an expert in space medicine & health. As we enter an age where more and more humans go into space, to the moon, mars, and beyond - and even just in zero g - a better understanding about the wide spectrum of humans in space environments is needed. And that's why I'm excited to introduce Dr Saralyn Mark expert in space medicine, women’s health, endocrinology, and geriatrics. As President and CEO of SolaMed Solutions, LLC and its space subsidiary, she advises organizations and agencies including NASA,...
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The Space Conundrum & Blue Origin NS-31 the All-Female Flight to the Edge of Space
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6 Women took flight on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket to the edge of space and a powder keg of hype and celebrity blew up the internet. Something about this all-female mission triggered people from all sides, with many jumping on the trend or not even realizing this billionare space race has been underway for a while (or even what the Karman line is). This episode lays out some basic facts about the mission and dedicates coverage of the two women with (IMO) the most powerful stories of the NS-31 crew, Aisha Bowe and Amanda Nguyen. These are chaotic times, with people chasing the algorithm -...
info_outlineOn this episode, in the wake of Blue Origin’s maiden launch of New Glenn and SpaceX’s fascinating Starship Flight 7 it’s time to take a step back and tell the tale of Two Heavy Lift Rockets. After a decade of space progress from both companies, they each took different engineering approaches to building a rocket. Depending on when you look at their progress, it might feel like one approach is better than the other.
But is there a real answer to the “right approach” to building a rocket? Or is success only measured by how well that rocket flies and sends payloads into orbit? The race between the Tortoise (Blue Origin) & the Hare (SpaceX) is in full swing now that New Glenn is orbital. Is there an end to the race? We hope not anytime soon - and that the American Space Program continues to grow thanks to these two innovative companies and the thousands of people that make it happen behind the scenes.
This was a hard episode to put together, especially given the timing. While I think it came out better than it would have been originally, we hope it shares a glimpse of the next 5-10 years, the challenges these companies will face, and how painful yet beautiful the quest of reaching the final frontier really is.
Alex G. Orphanos
Timestamps:
00:00 SpaceX vs. Blue Origin: A Tale of Two Heavy Lift Rockets
05:51 SpaceX's Evolution From Falcon 9 to Starship
09:11 Blue Origin's Strategic Approach with BE-4
11:59 Starship's Flight 7 Anomaly and Its Impact on SpaceX
16:35 The Future of Starship and New Glenn
19:06 Final Thoughts on a Tale of Two Heavy Lift Rockets
Keywords:
SpaceX vs Blue Origin, heavy lift rockets, Starship issues, New Glenn launch, engineering decisions, reusable rockets, American space program, human space progress, New Year resolutions, Magic Mind, rocket development, Falcon nine, BE-4 engine, orbital dominance, space industry
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Here's to building a fantastic future - and continued progress in Space (and humanity)! Spread Love, Spread Science
Alex G. Orphanos
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