cowboyrocky

Given the timing of the explosion, more than likely the failure had to happen in the first stage rockets that are a modified design based on the Soviet NK-33 engines, how do you feel about relying on old technology (40+ years)? Do you think this will be a motivating force for companies to try and innovate more?

It was a rocket based on a modified Soviet design that is 60 years old... Not much of a set back in terms of technology, if anything it might push people toward designing new concepts instead of relying on old designs.

Technically Thor's bifrost is a wormhole or Einstein Rosen bridge, which connects two points in the same universe.

Edit: an inter dimensional portal connects two universes.

Source: I'm a nerd

Edit2: Quantum leap and Fringe are examples of inter dimensional portals.

To be fair if you used a 50yo refurbished engine wouldn't you expect to have to continually maintain it... It's not like they were using a newly made one.

Perfectly maintained, that's a laugh. Rarely (never) is anything perfectly maintained.

Source: I'm a structural engineer for aircraft. I make sure the plane doesn't fall apart or structurally fail due to modifications made to them.

Also highly qualified doesn't mean crap because they will still occasionally miss something, it happens. In other industries we rely on conservatism and safety factors to cover our ass, in rocketry you don't have as much wiggle room. Using mothballed 50 year old devices is a risk for numerous reasons, but they felt the money they saved made it worth it...