[HeadsUpHigh]

SpaceX switched from carbon fiber construction for their next rocket to stainless steel. My guess is at least a big part of this workforce reduction relates to people involved in cf which are no longer needed. Additionally they had a lot of people working on crew dragon which as it now nears it's launch might not be needed any more( e.g. pica heatshield, electronics, software developers etc). Same goes for the now mature f9( block 5 was supposed to be the last iteration but there might have been some small improvements. Furthermore with the speed up on the Starship timeline the potential need for an elongated 2nd stage is reduced). So it makes sense for these divisions to move people to the new projects and at least some of them end up getting fired, either due to expertise or performance or whatever.

[kurthr]

I just don't buy the Carbon Fiber vs Stainless construction. They aren't used for the same thing (low weight structural stiffness vs heat conduction, radiation & appearance).

From what I understand it was a water tank contactor that did the hopper in Boca Chica... and it will never face lanch/re-entry stresses. That won't replace anyone.

[HeadsUpHigh]

The starhopper( test article) is indeed made by a water tank contactor. The actual starship will be made by stainless steel in LA as confirmed by Musk on twitter. Also he mentioned something about stainless steel having better properties than cf.

[theptip]

> They aren't used for the same thing

The old BFR design had a large carbon-fiber hull, the new one has a stainless steel hull. Unless I'm missing your point, that's a major piece of the rocket that's no longer made with carbon fiber. (The giant molds that they were building for the BFR hull, for example, are now redundant.)

[kurthr]

It's not for production, it's for testing and looking cool.

[caconym_]

From what I understand, the plan is for the production Starship to have a stainless steel skin. I'm sure it will be a much more refined construction than the hopper, but skinned in stainless steel nonetheless.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BFR_(rocket)#Second_stage_and_...

[theptip]

Wat. Sources please to back up this wild assertion?

The stainless steel hull is a viable design (though obviously given how many times it has changed it might not be final).

Scott Manley did a deep dive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVgEKBwE2RM

[solotronics]

How will they inspect and test all the welds required... I am still shocked that the BFR is not carbon fiber.

[HeadsUpHigh]

How do you inspect small creaks in a cf build? If I had to guess inspecting welds is probably easier.

[kurthr]

It's just a hopper to test new methanol engines... it will never see flight.