>>14324398>starship mk3 was supposed to launch orbital in three months from sept 2019.i think it was within 6 months, and that was before
a) musky realized about the bad weld quality,
b) the pandemic, and
b) focus was put on stage zero and a more iterative process based on achieving different production milestones: passing pressurization, then cryo, then raptor installation, static fires, etc etc all in separate prototypes. You know what he says all the time, design or single articles are easy, mass production is hard.
I know it sounds like cope but I think that if reaching orbit was the only and only goal then they could've attempted that with the next one or two after mk3 (mk5 and mk7, bc mk4 and mk6 in florida) in 2020, provided they have enough raptors for a super heavy. No recovery or landings, though. Mk5 would've taken way too much effort and time that way, and a distraction in the long run if you want to mass produce these things from the beginning. It's like the BO mindset, thinking that what you are working on must be 110% reliable and safe, and checked millions of times before even reaching the launchpad.
