These make sense. However, SpaceX seems to be keeping SN16 intact and protected indoors, suggesting to me that they plan to use it for additional “drop/rotate/land” tests after the first Super Heavy test flight from the orbital launch pad.

To begin revenue flights, they will need the cargo Starship with the clamshell fairing. They don’t seem to be constructing one of those, yet, so revenue flights are likely not to start for a little while. Perhaps next year.

Because so many Raptor engines are needed for each Super Heavy/Starship, I expect that SpaceX will soon switch from expending its orbital or near-orbital test units to recovering them for reuse, or at least engine reuse, on future flights.

Meanwhile, I have been trying to imagine how they plan to load 100 tons into a Starship of similar weight, with half of a nosecone open and hanging off to one side, possibly moving the center of mass off the centerline, but hopefully not farther than the landing feet, otherwise the Starship will lose balance and tip over. Unless SpaceX has a special stand for loading these Starships, the landing feet under the clamshell will have to be strong enough to hold up under the off-center weight. On the other hand, if the top of the clamshell is held by a crane, then the balance may move in the opposite direction, which may help in loading the payload.

A payload cannot be loaded straight in, because the other half of the nosecone is in the way. To load the payload may require that the mount point be movable to be off the centerline so that a crane (payloads are often mounted to rockets with cranes) can lower it in place, but that could cause Starship to tip over, too, before the payload — and the center of mass — can move back to the centerline. It seems to me that it is a puzzle of balance and reach. I’m sure SpaceX has ideas and is testing them on models.

The sooner that Starship becomes operational, the sooner people will be able to use it for inexpensive construction of space stations and inexpensive exploration of space, and the sooner another company will get the idea that they can make their own rocket that is even more competitive. In their rush to get Starship developed, SpaceX has left plenty of room for improvement.