otlski
Gold Member
Ion engines cannot lift a launch vehicle out of earth's gravity well: the thrust is too low. They would be very suitable for a transfer of crew while in orbit, then go from there.
Hmmm...not getting the failures on Starship. Maybe to much forces are shaking somethings apart as it is going up. Too bad. Keep trying.Flight 8 lifted off and the booster returned to the launch site and was successfully caught. Starship lost several engines, tumbled and was lost... again.