> I wonder how Elon / SpaceX folks would respond to these laws esp. #39 (avoid designing launch vehicles).
Perhaps, based on specific context, let the Law's vote!
> Law 11: Sometimes, the fastest way to get to the end is
to throw everything out and start over.
> Law 16: The previous people [...]
did not have a direct pipeline to the wisdom
of the ages. There is therefore no reason to
believe their analysis [was optimal].
> Law 31 (Mo's Law of Evolutionary
Development): [...] understand the fundamental
limitations of [the existing] technology/approach.
IMHO: Law 31 is the kicker. That triggers Law 11. With general support from Law 16.
> > I wonder how Elon / SpaceX folks would respond to these laws esp. #39 (avoid designing launch vehicles)
SpaceX has designed 3 (four if you include Falcon 1) launch vehicles: Falcon 1, Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy and Starship. The first three run the same engine family and are arguably in the same vehicle family.
SpaceX has absolutely embraced avoiding designing new launch vehicles (and even major components) until the fundamental limitations of the existing approach are exceeded.
> capsule (?) for humans riding to the ISS looks reminiscent of the 1960s too
Dragon 2 [1] looks like the Apollo and Gemini craft for the same reason it resembles Soyuz 3 [2]. Crewed disposable atmospheric reëntry vehicles launched in cylinders and soft landed or splashed down under parachutes are going to look similar.
Perhaps, based on specific context, let the Law's vote!
> Law 11: Sometimes, the fastest way to get to the end is to throw everything out and start over.
> Law 16: The previous people [...] did not have a direct pipeline to the wisdom of the ages. There is therefore no reason to believe their analysis [was optimal].
> Law 31 (Mo's Law of Evolutionary Development): [...] understand the fundamental limitations of [the existing] technology/approach.
IMHO: Law 31 is the kicker. That triggers Law 11. With general support from Law 16.