I would argue that its purpose as a probe outweighs its purpose as a ship, as such the specification of probe would still outweigh it being a starship by technicality.
It justifies it by precedens. Aster means star - astronauts have been called people travelling to stars for a long time, even though interstellar travel is not possible for us yet, so naming their means of transport Starship is not out of line. It just follows a kind of funny naming tradition.
Steamships don’t sail on steam, but they’re called steamships anyway because they have steam in them. Elon Musk’s spaceships don’t use up every bit of volume contained within them, therefore they contain space.
Can they really be called spaceships if they never get to space?
Even worse - he named his space vessels ‘Starship’ - implying that they have the ability to travel between stars.
They will study this man’s narcissism in future history classes alongside Trump. The era of the ego.
Even worse worse, he named prior projects after Culture ship names. Whose author despised him.
I mean by that definition, Voyager is a starship, eventually.
Voyager I and II are probes, not ships.
A ship can transport people or goods, and I argue that data is a type of good.
Friendship transports a type of good.
There’s that golden record, so there are physical goods as well.
Yeah but we already have a less ambiguous name which is “probe” haha.
I would argue that its purpose as a probe outweighs its purpose as a ship, as such the specification of probe would still outweigh it being a starship by technicality.
People going to space are called astronauts - in this context I see no problem with Starship.
I’m not sure how the context of the word “astronaut” justifies implying interstellar travel that you aren’t capable of.
It justifies it by precedens. Aster means star - astronauts have been called people travelling to stars for a long time, even though interstellar travel is not possible for us yet, so naming their means of transport Starship is not out of line. It just follows a kind of funny naming tradition.
Is cosmonaut filled with as much hubris?
Depends on interpretation. Cosmos is Greek for the universe
Tbf, they are travelling through the Universe. But so are all of us, so we’re all equally cosmonauts.
Time travelers too
You’re right. I think it could be interpreted as space as well, a kind of universe sensu stricto, excluding our little round home.
I can’t find the article now, but there was a news article that talked about “interstellar missions to mars”, and it drove me nuts
technically, travelling on earth (or anywhere else in the universe), is travelling between stars, because we’re likely to be between 2.
A car isn’t a ocean cruiser just because it’s always between two oceans
Narcissists are pure evil and deserve to be slaughtered in gas chambers
Technically they’re fireworks.
Steamships don’t sail on steam, but they’re called steamships anyway because they have steam in them. Elon Musk’s spaceships don’t use up every bit of volume contained within them, therefore they contain space.
Don’t steam ships use steam engines? (Or at least did historically?)
Some do, some don’t.
Half&half
The last one got into space …and then caught on fire.
Which is impressive, as fire usually needs excess oxygen available.
Rockets carry oxygen (oxidizers) with them. It’s kinda how they work.
Yeah they’ve reduced safety for payload. The ship vibrates so badly the fuel lines get destroyed, mix, and cause the fires.
I call them improvised explosive devices.
And every explosion is absolutely devastating the environment. As well as making the town nearby a hell on earth. Not the only town he’s destroying with his toxic businesses either.
Cybertrucks are spaceships, because they take up space.
ok, but even a slight rain destroys them, they can’t be ships
They get to space, they just don’t stay in space. Like every vehicle meant to be crewed by humans.