Talk:Overpromising
A Middle Ground could perhaps be "Stretch Goals". You have your SMART Goals based on Incrimentive Validation / Working up that TRL Ladder, BUT THEN you also have a "Nice to Have" / Stretch Goal if you secure hype/funding/things go better than expected etc
All in all though i think Underpromise and Overdeliver yields more Legitimacy in the average bystander's review than Overpromising and Underdelivering, even if the intention in doing so is justifiable.
"Elon Time" and all comes to mind / Vaporware and all that. Not that OSE is ANYWHERE NEAR all that, but perception can be reality and all that.
Granted being TOO inflexible/secretive may make you go the Blue Origin route where people doubt your abilities etc, but hopefully their strategy pays off over the Starship "Break Rules, Do Lawsuits Later" approach etc (Not that Amazon/Jeff Bezos is some benevolent great power either but i digress)