# Starship development and progress \[previous title: Will Musk's starship reach orbit this year?\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** elon-musk\ **Created:** [July 7, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starship-development-and-progress-previous-title-will-musks-starship-reach-orbit-this-year/967583 "2022-07-07T22:05:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 283
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starship-development-and-progress-previous-title-will-musks-starship-reach-orbit-this-year/967583/283 "2023-06-25T22:41:48Z")
SpaceX switching to hot staging instead of the flip maneuver: > **[SpaceX changing Starship stage separation ahead of next launch](https://spacenews.com/spacex-changing-starship-stage-separation-ahead-of-next-launch/)** > > SpaceX is changing the approach for separating the two stages of its Starship vehicle to increase payload performance before its next test flight. There have been hints for a while, as people spotted a ring piece with strange cutouts that was hard to explain otherwise: [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FxjMSrPWYAIw008?format=jpg&name=large) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FxjMSrPWYAIw008?format=jpg&name=large) Supposedly, it gets them 10% mass to orbit. The original flip maneuver fits with Musk’s philosophy of “the best part is no part”, and hot staging will require something more than that (if only thermal protection for the upper part of the booster). But it’s still pretty simple compared to the usual approach of pneumatic pushers and the like. It also potentially adds escape capability. If the upper stage can separate like this, there’s a possibility it could do so under more adverse conditions. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/starship-development-and-progress-previous-title-will-musks-starship-reach-orbit-this-year/967583)._