974.  It's a long term coastal investment. 

(February 6, 2018 at 5:58 pm)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: recap: https://youtu.be/wbSwFU6tY1c

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(February 6, 2018 at 5:55 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: I'm a tad conflicted over all this.  I'm a big supporter of space technology, and Elon Musk is doing a helluva lot to make it ever more feasible.

But let's be frank - the guy is one lab accident away from becoming a super-villain.

Boru

You really need to put the comic books down.

I don't READ comic books, smart arse.  Bruce Wayne told me they were bad for me.

Boru

(February 6, 2018 at 7:06 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote:

(February 6, 2018 at 5:58 pm)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote: recap: https://youtu.be/wbSwFU6tY1c

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You really need to put the comic books down.

I don't READ comic books, smart arse.  Bruce Wayne told me they were bad for me.

Boru

Sorry, I should have known you weren't reading them, your lips weren't moving. 

(February 6, 2018 at 5:55 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: I'm a tad conflicted over all this.  I'm a big supporter of space technology, and Elon Musk is doing a helluva lot to make it ever more feasible.

But let's be frank - the guy is one lab accident away from becoming a super-villain.

Boru

But think about it, a wacko who thinks it makes sense to launch an electric car into space has a better space program than the US.

(February 6, 2018 at 8:23 pm)Anomalocaris Wrote:

(February 6, 2018 at 5:55 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: I'm a tad conflicted over all this.  I'm a big supporter of space technology, and Elon Musk is doing a helluva lot to make it ever more feasible.

But let's be frank - the guy is one lab accident away from becoming a super-villain.

Boru

But think about it, a wacko who thinks it makes sense to launch an electric car into space has a better space program than the US.

Musk is impressive. His work is the Apollo launches of this era! Impressive accomplishments. When I first read of his goals, thought pie in the sky. Soon, I believe a private entity might make it to Mars before any nation.

(February 6, 2018 at 8:23 pm)Anomalocaris Wrote:

(February 6, 2018 at 5:55 pm)BrianSoddingBoru4 Wrote: I'm a tad conflicted over all this.  I'm a big supporter of space technology, and Elon Musk is doing a helluva lot to make it ever more feasible.

But let's be frank - the guy is one lab accident away from becoming a super-villain.

Boru

But think about it, a wacko who thinks it makes sense to launch an electric car into space has a better space program than the US.

"wacko"? He need a payload for Falcon H and an unproven system isn't appealing to the insurance companies. I'm pretty sure he can afford another car.

......yet another opportunity to export undesirables off-world passes us by.

(February 6, 2018 at 8:29 pm)chimp3 Wrote:

(February 6, 2018 at 8:23 pm)Anomalocaris Wrote: But think about it, a wacko who thinks it makes sense to launch an electric car into space has a better space program than the US.

Musk is impressive. His work is the Apollo launches of this era! Impressive accomplishments. When I first read of his goals, thought pie in the sky. Soon, I believe a private entity might make it to Mars before any nation.

Launching satellites is big profitable business.  Hence private funding for rockets in the expectation for return on investment.    Launching capsules to the space station is big profitable business because it taps int}o the rich vein of government funding made possible by 5 successive administrations touting the illusory virtues of a space station and tying national prestige to it, hence private funding for capsules in the expectation of return on investement.

What is the motivation for private funding for a manned trip to Mars?

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(February 6, 2018 at 8:31 pm)Gawdzilla Sama Wrote:

(February 6, 2018 at 8:23 pm)Anomalocaris Wrote: But think about it, a wacko who thinks it makes sense to launch an electric car into space has a better space program than the US.

"wacko"? He need a payload for Falcon H and an unproven system isn't appealing to the insurance companies. I'm pretty sure he can afford another car.

I am joking.  Also, for an amount equally trivial to him he could have financed a rack carrying some useful payload like a privately funded disposible experiments.

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(February 6, 2018 at 8:32 pm)Khemikal Wrote: ......yet another opportunity to export undesirables off-world passes us by.

Indeed, 50 tons of payload is enough to send the the shit gibbon, his immediate family, all slime molds who could sink so low as to consent to be in his administration, plus the whole republican congress crawling critter contingent into outer space, or at least burn up trying.  Also, unlike the electric car, that payload would have been of absolutely no use whatsoever if left on the ground.

I think that this is just the kind of whimsical payload to send the message that he can do it, with any payload. It's sure as fuck better than the first Delta IV Heavy Demo launch by the ULA (LockMart-Boeing hybrid) that left a shit ton of brass rods ( a dummy payload) in the wrong orbit.

(February 6, 2018 at 8:29 pm)chimp3 Wrote:

(February 6, 2018 at 8:23 pm)Anomalocaris Wrote: But think about it, a wacko who thinks it makes sense to launch an electric car into space has a better space program than the US.

Musk is impressive. His work is the Apollo launches of this era! Impressive accomplishments. When I first read of his goals, thought pie in the sky. Soon, I believe a private entity might make it to Mars before any nation.

I disagree with his space goals. I believe artificial orbital space colonies in the vision of Gerard K O'Neil - spinning to give you what ever simulated gravity you want - are the future - not colonizing frozen snowballs like Mars. The first steps to building those are settlements on the moon and near-Earth asteroids to mine them for the necessary materials.

That said: I LOVE Musk. He has visions totally lacked by the government. He has the will and the skill to make the world a better place. Thank goodness for guys like him and Jeff Bezos.