Newfoundland & Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador Opinion

Share this Story : PNI Atlantic News Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

GWYNNE DYER: Musk's starship is flawed - but is he on to something?

Expected to be worth trillions as the initial public offer nears, Musk's Starship program hasn't lived up to his promises - yet

With a record of five failures and six partial successes in his Starship program, the twelfth launch on May 22 of Elon Musk’s rocket was critical for the success of the whole SpaceX enterprise.

Subscribe now to access this story and more:

Unlimited access to the website and app

Exclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcasts

Full access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists

Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.

Unlimited access to the website and app

Exclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcasts

Full access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on

Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists

Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists

Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.

Access additional stories every month

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting community

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

Doubts were growing, and the initial public offering (IPO) was only weeks away.

The IPO, due on June 12, is expected to raise up to $80 billion for the company. Its only currently profitable sector is its telecommunications business (Starlink), but SpaceX’s long-haul potential is a near-monopoly on launches and other space services for American and other players in the burgeoning space business.

That’s what is giving SpaceX a predicted market valuation of between $1.75 trillion and $2 trillion, but the richest man in the world is also the world’s highest roller. That doesn’t mean Musk is a ‘confidence man’: he really believes in his promises, and though he’s not actually an engineer, he is deeply involved in the engineering aspects of everything he builds.

Starlink enabled 4K live streaming from liftoff to splashdown during Starship’s 12th test flight 🛰️🚀 https://t.co/DRK7mqOcZL— Starlink (@Starlink) May 23, 2026

Starlink enabled 4K live streaming from liftoff to splashdown during Starship’s 12th test flight 🛰️🚀........

© PNI Atlantic news