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Comment by dlcarrier | original | SpaceX catches the Starship to end Flight 15
[−]dlcarrier · 2026-11-15 Sun 05:53 UTC · link
Two of the 135 total SLS (space shuttle) launches were destroyed. Two of the last 600 Falcon 9 boosters were destroyed on landing.

If I had to ride along in one of them, I'd choose the Falcon 9 booster over the space shuttle.

Also, the Columbia failure occurred because it was a glider. The Starship doesn't have any leading-edge tiles for debris to fall onto. Arguably, the Challenger failure also occurred because it was a glider, which required the odd fuel tank and booster mounting that failed.