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COMMENT

Expect fireworks

The first launch of Elon Musk’s Mars rocket will be a spectacular start
to a new era in space flight… if it doesn’t blow up, says Paul Marks

JUST five months before Apollo ferries crews to low Earth orbit,
astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot has 20 engines.
on the moon in 1969, an unwieldy But Soyuz is not designed to
cluster of 30 engines roared into get people beyond such an orbit.
life beneath a monster rocket on a Enter another monster – the
launch pad in Kazakhstan. Within 27-engine Falcon Heavy, readied
seconds, the uncrewed maiden by SpaceX for its maiden launch at
launch of the Soviet N1 moon Cape Canaveral, Florida. It would
rocket was in deep trouble. put the moon and Mars in range
Its control system, and the of private human space flight.
complex plumbing needed to fuel Choreographing so many
so many motors, failed. Engine engines is just half the challenge:
after engine shut down, causing Falcon Heavy comprises three of
severe vibrations, rupturing fuel SpaceX’s reusable, nine-engine
lines and starting fires. The N1 Falcon 9 rockets strapped
crashed after 3 minutes in the air. together. Its central, strengthened
Three more test launches also Falcon 9, with a payload-carrying
failed, killing the dream of putting second stage, has two Falcon 9
a cosmonaut on the moon. first stages attached as boosters.
You might think this would also SpaceX will try to land all three
have spelled the end for rockets rockets for further use. If it can
with unfeasible numbers of achieve this level of reusability and
engines. Far from it: engines and cost-effectiveness, SpaceX will be
control engineering have boldly going where the economics
improved vastly. Russia’s of space flight have never gone
workhorse, Soyuz, which reliably before. Nascent firms planning

Still sickening expectancy falling for two years first time in two decades in 2015,
in a row. Policies and poor living
and again in 2016.
Despite this, the US outspends
conditions play a part. As does
the worst drug epidemic in US on healthcare: $9364 per person
Shorter lives and poorer health are becoming history–along-termpublichealth in 2016, compared with $4094 in
crisisthatonlygoturgentnational the UK. US spending on social
the new norm in the US, warns Laudan Aron attention last year. Overdoses, welfare is akin to that of many
often from opioids, now top road rich nations. The difference is US
accidents as the leading cause of spending is less redistributive.
IN 2013, a groundbreaking report that compared with people in non-disease death for those aged As the 2013 report argued, a key
showed that people in the US were other wealthy democracies, those 25 to 64. The US also continues to barrier to better health is“limited
inworse healthanddyingyounger in the US under the age of 75 – see higher rates of gun deaths and political support among both the
than those in other rich nations. male or female, rich or poor, of infant mortality. Such trends led public and policymakers to enact
Despite the alarm generated, all ethnicities – die younger and life expectancy to drop for the the policies and commit the
five years later things look worse. suffer more injuries and illness. necessary resources”. On this, too,
The report, subtitled Shorter Even a cursory look at what has “The rich US is still unwell, the US continues to slip. While not
Lives, Poorer Health, documented happened since reveals why the as evidenced by figures perfect, the Affordable Care Act
a large and growing US“health US is still so unwell, as evidenced showing life expectancy was, by 2016, providing millions
disadvantage”. Evidence showed by recent figures showing life fell for two years in a row” of people with health insurance

24 | NewScientist | 20 January 2018