Everything Everywhere Daily

Episode: “Starship Update”

Host: Gary Arndt
Date: October 20, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Gary Arndt provides a detailed and engaging update on the development of SpaceX’s Starship—the largest and most ambitious rocket ever built. The main thrust of the episode is exploring how Starship’s pursuit of full reusability represents a paradigm shift in spaceflight, with the ultimate goal of drastically slashing the cost of launching cargo (and people) into orbit and beyond. Gary offers a historical context for the cost of reaching space, a technical breakdown of Starship’s design philosophy, a chronological recap of test flights, and insight into upcoming developments, all while maintaining his signature blend of clarity and curiosity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historical Problem: The Cost of Space Launches

• Disposable Rockets and High Costs

  • For decades, all major rockets have been single-use, making space launches inherently expensive.
  • “[Since] the launch of Sputnik in 1957, launching anything into space has been difficult and expensive, with an emphasis on the expensive.” (03:17)
  • Throughout the 1960s, adjusted for inflation, the cost per kilogram to orbit was around $50,000, and with the Space Shuttle, it even increased to about $54,000 despite its partly reusable design.

• SpaceX’s Falcon 9 & the First Reusability Breakthrough

  • The Falcon 9 dramatically changed the economics of space with a reusable first stage, achieving a 99.5% success rate (548/551 landings as of recording).
  • Cost per kilogram:
    • Falcon 9: ~$2,500
    • Falcon Heavy: as low as $1,500

2. Starship’s Ambition: Full Reusability & Massive Scale

• Starship vs. Past Rockets

  • It’s fully reusable—both first and second stages—unlike any rocket before.
  • It’s physically larger than even the Saturn V rocket that sent people to the Moon.

• Engineering Innovations

  • 33 Raptor Engines: Instead of 5 giant engines (as with Saturn V), Starship uses many smaller ones. The Soviets failed with this approach, but SpaceX has succeeded.
    • “If you lose an engine, it isn’t catastrophic. They’re easier to swap out and refurbish.” (08:13)
  • Mechazilla Launch Tower:
    • Giant arms (“chopsticks”) catch the returning boosters, eliminating the need for landing legs and enabling quick turnaround.
    • “Not only does it support vehicle stacking… [it] also houses giant mechanical arms designed to catch the returning first stage after launch…” (09:45)
  • Reusability aims to drop the cost per kilogram to orbit initially to ~$100, with $10–$20 as a longer-term target.

3. Iterative Test Flights: Failure as an Engineer’s Friend

• Starship’s Testing Philosophy
  • Rapid, iterative, data-driven approach akin to software beta testing: launch, learn, improve, repeat.
  • “The best analogy… is that they’re conducting their engineering similar to how software is often written.” (12:40)
  • Out of 11 test flights to date:
    • 6 considered “loosely successful,” 5 “failures” (all learning experiences).

Test Flight Timeline & Highlights

| Test # | Date | Main Achievements/Notes | |--------|----------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------| | 1 | Apr 20, 2023 | Largest rocket launch ever. Autodestruct after in-flight issues. | | 2 | Nov 18, 2023 | Stage separation achieved, both stages lost. | | 3 | Mar 14, 2024 | Second stage achieved orbital velocity, later broke up. | | 4 | Jun 6, 2024 | Simulated pad landing, ship survived peak reentry. | | 5 | Oct 13, 2024 | Booster caught by Mechazilla; ascent and splashdown succeeded. | | 6 | Nov 19, 2024 | Similar to #5; completed Block 1 operations. | | 7 | Jan 16, 2025 | Block 2 debut; propellant leak led to termination. | | 8 | Mar 6, 2025 | Booster landed; stage 2 lost engines and telemetry. | | 9 | May 27, 2025 | Velocity achieved; propellant leak curtailed mission. | | 10 | Aug 26, 2025 | Deployed dummy satellites; no soft landing after engine failure. | | 11 | Oct 13, 2025 | Almost perfect; both booster and ship achieved soft landing. |

• “What you can see over the course of the tests is the iterative improvement in the rockets. Sometimes it’s one step back and two steps forward, but things are moving forward…” (25:45)

4. Moving Forward: Block Upgrades and Upcoming Milestones

• Block 2 Improvements:

  • Larger propellant tanks, improved flaps, robust heat shields, and modernized avionics—each redesign based on test feedback.

• Block 3 and the Future:

  • Block 3 Debuts in Early 2026
    • Most notable: Version 3 Raptor engines (lighter, more power, integrated wiring, lots of 3D-printed parts for fewer bolts/welds).
    • Further vehicle refinements: refined grid fins, heat shields, propellant/docking systems, refueling hardware.
    • Major milestone planned: First in-orbit fuel transfer, a technique necessary for deep-space missions.
    • Possible “throwaway” missions to the Moon or Mars, exploiting the 2026 Mars launch window.
      • “A Mars mission might just be a Hail Mary pass because Mars happens to have a launch window this year and if they don't try it now, then they'd have to wait another two years.” (32:37)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Starship’s Place in History:
  • “Starship is the largest rocket ever flown, but it is fundamentally different than all other rockets that have come before it. Its intent is to be fully reusable. This has the potential to completely revolutionize spaceflight.” (00:06)
• On the shift in engineering culture:
  • “Many people have misunderstood the SpaceX approach because they're used to how NASA always does things. The best analogy…is that they're conducting their engineering similar to how software is often written.” (12:40)
• On public engagement:
  • “If you haven't watched any of the launches, I recommend you do so because they're really fun. There are probably over a dozen YouTube channels that provide live coverage of the launches and provide excellent commentary on what's happening.” (34:29)
• On iterative testing:
  • “Sometimes it's one step back and two steps forward, but things are moving forward, which is a lot considering that this is both the largest and most complicated rocket to ever fly.” (25:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:08 — Recap of Starship’s purpose and historical cost context
• 07:11 — Introduction of engineering innovations: Raptor engines, Mechazilla
• 12:40 — SpaceX’s iterative, software-like testing approach
• 13:41 — Detailed breakdown and results of tests #1–6
• 18:06 — Introduction of Block 2 Starship; test results #7–11
• 25:45 — Emphasis on iterative progress and overcoming setbacks
• 28:20 — Description of Block 3 upgrades, Version 3 Raptor improvements
• 32:10 — Future missions: In-orbit refueling, Moon/Mars prospects
• 34:29 — Encouragement to watch launches; cultural impact

Conclusion

Gary Arndt’s “Starship Update” is a comprehensive, accessible guide to SpaceX’s most ambitious rocket program—clearly laying out both the immense challenges and the exponential gains in reliability, reusability, and cost reduction. He situates the current progress within the larger arc of spaceflight history, encourages curiosity and public engagement, and leaves listeners with the sense that we are experiencing an exciting, pivotal era.