How SpaceX Mastered Starship’s Welding

[The SC]

 

[jamahir]

@Hamartia Antidote, how is Rocket Lab able to have its Electron rocket made from carbon fiber but SpaceX is not doing that with Starship ?

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

@Hamartia Antidote, how is Rocket Lab able to have its Electron rocket made from carbon fiber but SpaceX is not doing that with Starship ?

I think you mean why is the 1st stage booster not carbon fiber since the Starship capsule part has to handle a 17,000mph reentry and carbon fiber isn't going to handle it.

Good question as they were initially building the booster with carbon fiber and then changed their mind.

Didn't watch the video above yet but my guess is it doesn't scale well and isn't easy to change on the fly.

It requires a clean room, an expensive machine, too much precision, and "bake time" vs multiple teams of men/robots welding a few large pieces together in multiple tents on the edge of a beach.

If you look at the booster it seems to be covered on the outside with pipes and other stuff..which may not be straightforward to attach on carbon fiber.