https://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/weltall/spacex-chefingenieur-zum-stat-des-crew-dragon-wilde-party-kommt-noch-a-998ff592-1071-44d5-9972-ff2b73ec8fb6Translated interview comments from Hans Königsmann, SpaceX Vice President of Mission Assurance:
SPIEGEL: In Texas, SpaceX is already building the next largest spaceship, the "Starship". This is also supposed to be suitable for trips to the moon and Mars. But another prototype has just been destroyed during a test. Is the program still on course?
Königsmann: The program is clearly separated from our work with the "Crew Dragon". It's all about research. We want to see how far you can go with certain things. The goal is to learn as much as possible in a short time. If there are setbacks in the process, that naturally slows us down. But that is part of it.
SPIEGEL: So when does the Starship fly for the first time?
Königsmann: I expect the first test flights at an altitude of, let's say, 150 metres in the coming weeks. We'll do that a few times. If everything works out, we want to enter Earth orbit at the end of the year. But maybe it will take a little longer.
SPIEGEL: SpaceX is to deliver technology to Nasa for the moon landing. Will it really be possible to have an American on the lunar surface by 2024?
Königsmann: That is ambitious and won't be easy. But if we get the appropriate resources, it is quite possible.
SPIEGEL: You once said in an interview that you would feel too old for a Mars flight. Would you at least have ambitions for the moon?
Königsmann: I'd like to take back what I said about Mars. If it goes quickly, maybe I'm not too old after all. And I could also imagine the moon.
