With the enormous Starship rocket likely launching this year (2023) and the Neutron rocket actively in development for a year already it is time to reflect upon the future of space. In this podcast episode I am thinking out loud about why I intend to write and read more about the Neutron rocket from Rocket Labs. Specifically why the strategy to reuse is so profoundly different with the Neutron rocket compared to the one pursued by SpaceX with Starship.
Further I spend some time reflecting on the implications for missions to Mars and the Moon. Do you really need Starship-sized rockets for that or can you actually achieve that with smaller rockets. If so, how?
Will Starship or Neutron Replace the Falcon 9 Rocket?