This is crazy. I remember when we had to wait months between SpaceX launches. 144 launches in one year? Illustrates the power of progress and what falling prices can do.
I thought 100 was a no-way goal, but they managed to do 100 in 365 days. So 144? Add 5-10 Starships, RTLS, FH out of VSFB and hope for good weather ... it might just happen.
While 2023 was the year of FH, 2024 needs to be the year of Starship.
BTW: Why include GOES-8 call out? SX will be putting up many gov't and commercial payloads, and to the chagrin of the EU, a number of EU built ones.
Great perspective, heartily agree. GOES-U should be the first Falcon Heavy flight of the year and complete the NOAA's GOES-R constellation. Though as you suggest something bigger on the horizon with early Human Landing System tests with Starship to look forward to.
This is crazy. I remember when we had to wait months between SpaceX launches. 144 launches in one year? Illustrates the power of progress and what falling prices can do.
I thought 100 was a no-way goal, but they managed to do 100 in 365 days. So 144? Add 5-10 Starships, RTLS, FH out of VSFB and hope for good weather ... it might just happen.
While 2023 was the year of FH, 2024 needs to be the year of Starship.
BTW: Why include GOES-8 call out? SX will be putting up many gov't and commercial payloads, and to the chagrin of the EU, a number of EU built ones.
Great perspective, heartily agree. GOES-U should be the first Falcon Heavy flight of the year and complete the NOAA's GOES-R constellation. Though as you suggest something bigger on the horizon with early Human Landing System tests with Starship to look forward to.