“When that was written, it was inaccurate. As we sit here today, it is certainly overtaken by events.”

SpaceX lost its Starship second stage nine minutes into its eighth test flight Thursday, scattering debris over the Carribean—a scene nearly identical to its last failed test flight in January. 

Etlaq is attempting to alleviate the world’s launch capacity problem by offering regional and international companies tailored facilities to test, integrate, and launch their vehicles to orbit.

The rise of reusable rockets launching from the world’s busiest spaceport has led to an inconspicuous side effect on Earth: a traffic jam at Port Canaveral.

The lander is now working on a series of tasks that will last a lunar day—about 14 Earth days—and a few hours into the lunar night.

“We think that we’ve been very successful to this point, however I do have to tell you that we don’t believe we’re in the correct attitude on the surface of the Moon yet again,” CEO Steve Altemus said at a press conference on Thursday. 

“There is not a global competition yet for Mars, so we need to take the right thing at the right time,” Dumbacher said. “The Moon first, then Mars.”

The sci fi dreams—and economic boom—that would be fulfilled by establishing a long-term lunar presence all hinge on one thing: the ability to locate, extract, and process water ice on the Moon’s surface.