So SpaceX, a tech startup, has managed to land the first stage rocket from a commercial launch to geosynchronous transfer orbit... on a motherfracking boat in the middle of the Atlantic.
SpaceX's launches are already about 30% cheaper than the competition. It's interesting to note that SpaceX's main competitors, America's United Launch Alliance and Europe's Arianespace, have lobbied their respective governments for funds so they can better compete with this (basically) privately funded initiative.
Damn exciting. Time to Occupy Mars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlnIT39NkVM
I want to see humans land on Mars in my lifetime. I currently think the best chance may be either an uber rich US private company (probably Bezos as he has way more money and seems to have a better plan) or a consortium of rich and uber rich private businesses (Musk would be among them).
As a Giants fan, I guess I see Musk as the "Jerry Jones of space" in his personality and way he plays the media. I prefer more of the "Eli Manning / NY Giants" approach regarding humility.
This thing is the height of a 12-story building. The landing legs that come out at the bottom are like school busses. It's heavy. It's coming back into the atmosphere from 200 km above earth where there is no air at all, at 7200 km/h (4500 mph) BACKWARDS with it's rocket engines pointing downwards, on a ballistic trajectory (how accurately it was launched determining where it will land), slamming into the slowly thickening air five times faster than a fighter jet and resisting the friction and heat. With barely any fuel to spare (intentionally made to run out at the last second), it relights the engines a couple times in a very specific fashion to slow itself down shortly before gently setting itself accurately onto this barge that's 100 feet wide, rocking back and forth in the open ocean waters in high wind. It's 12 storeys tall. Don't let the video deceive you.
The autonomous drone ship barge uses GPS and 3D thrusters to stabilize itself while bringing the thing back home, where it's recovered, inspected, refurbished, and hopefully reused, once they have more data and expertise on how well this whole process works.
All throughout, from launch to separation to landing, including the later satellite deployment on the second stage which remained in space, there's no human intervention - the whole thing is preprogrammed and accurately computer-controlled, but those computers were built and told exactly what to do by people. It took 4000 people ten years to get here.
This thing is the height of a 12-story building. The landing legs that come out at the bottom are like school busses. It's heavy. It's coming back into the atmosphere from 200 km above earth where there is no air at all, at 7200 km/h (4500 mph) BACKWARDS with it's rocket engines pointing downwards, on a ballistic trajectory (how accurately it was launched determining where it will land), slamming into the slowly thickening air five times faster than a fighter jet and resisting the friction and heat. With barely any fuel to spare (intentionally made to run out at the last second), it relights the engines a couple times in a very specific fashion to slow itself down shortly before gently setting itself accurately onto this barge that's 100 feet wide, rocking back and forth in the open ocean waters in high wind. It's 12 storeys tall. Don't let the video deceive you.
The autonomous drone ship barge uses GPS and 3D thrusters to stabilize itself while bringing the thing back home, where it's recovered, inspected, refurbished, and hopefully reused, once they have more data and expertise on how well this whole process works.
All throughout, from launch to separation to landing, including the later satellite deployment on the second stage which remained in space, there's no human intervention - the whole thing is preprogrammed and accurately computer-controlled, but those computers were built and told exactly what to do by people. It took 4000 people ten years to get here.
As well as Uranus.
There's a vocal anti-cult of personality against the guy. He said something to somebody once somewhere....it seems very non-specific.
Yeah, what a terrible analogy...
SpaceX was designed from the beginning to send people to Mars. It's sending an un-manned ship to Mars in 2018.
I'll take SpaceX and you can take the field....tell me how much you want to bet?
Quote:
with Jerry Jones again?!
There's a vocal anti-cult of personality against the guy. He said something to somebody once somewhere....it seems very non-specific.
There's a vocal anti-cult of personality against Rosie o'Donnell too, and I don't see them comparing her to Jones either. This is just weird.
Blue Origin has recovered a vehicle and reflown it. Musk hasn't done that (although NASA did it first way back in 1981).
The difference is the Blue Origin doesn't seek the headlines they way Musk does. And Bezos' net worth is 3.5x times what Musk has. Bezos likely has the resources; not sure about Musk.
There has been some minor "Twitter wars" (and legal fights) between Musk and Bezos. My money is on Bezos (more money, better approach, less ego).
Blue Origin - ( New Window )
Jeff Bezos wants to partner with United Launch Alliance to build an orbital rocket. In 2020. Paid for by the US government. And won't initially be reusable.... The plan is for helicopter retrieval, which has severe limits in practicality, range and safety.
So what's so great about Blue Origins approach? It has more in common with Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne. Which did what Blue Origin is trying to do, ten years ago. And actually made some money doing it.
Saying Blue Origin is ahead of SpaceX because Bezos is richer than Musk is just idiotic.
Honestly you are too stupid to even engage with here. I'm done.
So what's so great about Blue Origins approach?
The humility and lack of ego behind it!
Have you spoken with people who have been in the same room with Musk or Bezo (separately of course) and observed their personalities and knowledge? I have. These folks are much more impressed with Bezos / Blue Origins than Musk / Space-X and actually very concerned with "cutting corners" occurring at Space-X. Many feel it's not if, but when he has his first spectacular failure (hopefully not when he's transporting crew).
If you haven't, you can continue to be impressed by Space-X's early lead. Musk may be ahead of Bezos now, but I stand by my prediction that Bezos will blow past and leave Musk in the dust.
Again, I hope their competition leads to an earlier human landing on Mars than the 2030s, 2040s that the current government "plan" shows.
Have you spoken with people who have been in the same room with Musk or Bezo (separately of course) and observed their personalities and knowledge? I have. These folks are much more impressed with Bezos / Blue Origins than Musk / Space-X and actually very concerned with "cutting corners" occurring at Space-X. Many feel it's not if, but when he has his first spectacular failure (hopefully not when he's transporting crew).
If you haven't, you can continue to be impressed by Space-X's early lead. Musk may be ahead of Bezos now, but I stand by my prediction that Bezos will blow past and leave Musk in the dust.
Again, I hope their competition leads to an earlier human landing on Mars than the 2030s, 2040s that the current government "plan" shows.
There were accusations of cost-cutting -- without specifics -- on SpaceX's part by the leadership of the United Launch Alliance. You know, the same organization that has been relying on Russia to supply their rocket engines to them. ULA/Orbital/Arianespace would love to accuse SpaceX of cost-cutting because SpaceX continually, and dramatically, undercuts them on launch prices. (which BTW SpaceX publishes and ULA and others don't).
What is so impressive about Blue Origin? Please tell us one thing that they have that SpaceX doesn't. Blue Origin just recently announced an unnamed orbital rocket and won't launch until 2020 at the very very earliest. They're working with ULA to squeeze funding for their taxpayers to build a new rocket to replace the Atlas rocket-- because of issues with the Russian-built rocket engines that they rely on.
Personally while I have yet to meet Bezos (apparently an endearing mix of Tom Joad and Atticus Finch who would give you the shirt off his back), I have met Musk and I have not seen any of the exaggerated claims of ego run amok. But whatever!
Ha!
I'd probably throw in some sort of Morgan Freeman character composite as well.