SpaceX Falcon Heavy Launch

[Boberro]

@gabgio - I agree ^^

 

You must be kidding right? Show me someone else that have a rocket with 27 engines working together. Or even have plans for such a vehicle! :huh: And lands all the cores back safely! This is ground breaking engineering m8.

No, I am not kidding :P

I just do not see in Musk somebody higher (better) than billionaire who makes own dream successful. He just uses different toys, which are impressive and useful for science.

But he didn't make those rockets, he didn't engineer them. He seems to be good manager and can persuade people to work for his dream, which came very useful for science.

I like what has been achieved by this launch, but I just don't put Musk on the throne as mostly anyone with high amount of money can realise own dream, useful or less useful for mankind.

His are mostly useful so that is good :D

Edited February 7, 2018 by Boberro

[NineLine]

Guys, I appreciate you wanting to solve all the worlds problems, or at least prioritize how they are worked on, but keep the discussion on SpaceX and the launch, it was pretty damn impressive.

 

[gabgio]

Guys, I appreciate you wanting to solve all the worlds problems, or at least prioritize how they are worked on, but keep the discussion on SpaceX and the launch, it was pretty damn impressive.

 

 

I concur: this was not only stunning to see, but not even remotely easy to accomplish: those boosters re-entered the atmosphere at thousands km/h in a coordinated descent, landing simultaneously. An applause is in order! I can only imagine the elation in that control room.. how I wish to have been part of that

[Tripleinside]

This launch was mighty... congratulations to all involved, it blew me away in all fairness. Pity about the main core, but i have no doubts they'll fix this eventually.

 

And now this car heading to Mars... just mind blowing...

[Emmy]

It's only a matter of time...

[Texac]

Open up your ears. These are some great audio recordings.

 

[gabgio]

Open up your ears. These are some great audio recordings.

 

 

Fantastic! And those multiple sonic booms at the end .. nice!!

[Emmy]

That is an awesome clip to listen to with headphones on...

[HiJack]

@gabgio - I agree ^^

 

 

No, I am not kidding :P

I just do not see in Musk somebody higher (better) than billionaire who makes own dream successful. He just uses different toys, which are impressive and useful for science.

But he didn't make those rockets, he didn't engineer them. He seems to be good manager and can persuade people to work for his dream, which came very useful for science.

I like what has been achieved by this launch, but I just don't put Musk on the throne as mostly anyone with high amount of money can realise own dream, useful or less useful for mankind.

His are mostly useful so that is good :D

You are wrong again, Musk designed Falcon one, falcon nine and falcon heavy. OK he of course had help. He is also the inventor and designer of the Mars rocket they are building now. I think you just are jealous and hates to see someone have success :)

[leafer]

I'm starving right now. :D

[Emmy]

I'm starving right now. :D

 

Make a sammich... :thumbup:

[Boberro]

You are wrong again, Musk designed Falcon one, falcon nine and falcon heavy. OK he of course had help. He is also the inventor and designer of the Mars rocket they are building now. I think you just are jealous and hates to see someone have success :)

Well, I do not change my opinion about him^, as I am enough happy and have no need to compare to anybody.

It does not mean I undermine this achievement for science which is clearly visible. That would have been done by NASA or Russian Space Agency if funded well enough, though ^^

Edited February 8, 2018 by Boberro

[gabgio]

You are wrong again, Musk designed Falcon one, falcon nine and falcon heavy. OK he of course had help. He is also the inventor and designer of the Mars rocket they are building now. I think you just are jealous and hates to see someone have success :)

 

I highly, highly (did I say highly enough?) doubt he designed any of those. That is, if you mean anything else than drawing it on the napkin during a lunch meeting with a bunch of engineers. Designing a rocket for orbit placing is not a single-man job. Nor it is his job. He is the CEO of many companies, getting funds and acting as 'catalyst', let's say. And I mean this with the utmost respect (see my post before: I have nothing else than the utmost admiration for him). Just defending my poor, maltreated category :D

[Emmy]

I highly, highly (did I say highly enough?) doubt he designed any of those. That is, if you mean anything else than drawing it on the napkin during a lunch meeting with a bunch of engineers. Designing a rocket for orbit placing is not a single-man job. Nor it is his job. He is the CEO of many companies, getting funds and acting as 'catalyst', let's say. And I mean this with the utmost respect (see my post before: I have nothing else than the utmost admiration for him). Just defending my poor, maltreated category :D

 

So, you're a Rocket Scientist? :smilewink:

[Vitormouraa]

That was amazing. Watching two rockets landing in formation, vertically, must be the most beautiful thing of this century, yet.

[some1]

Well, I do not change my opinion about him^, as I am enough happy and have no need to compare to anybody.

It does not mean I undermine this achievement for science which is clearly visible. That would have been done by NASA or Russian Space Agency if funded well enough, though ^^

 

The question is - how much funding is well enough?

 

As I posted in this thread, the estimated cost of Falcon Heavy development is 500 milion $ and the price of single launch can be driven down to 90 milion thanks to reusability of the cores. The next big thing, Delta IV Heavy rocket from ULA costs 400 milion per launch and has half the payload capability. NASA current Space Launch System (SLS) project has something like 7-10 bilion $ budget for developing the rocket alone, and that thing is marred with delays and cost overruns, won't fly before the end of 2019 at best.

 

You could say that Falcon Heavy is cheap because it reuses the tech from the regular Falcon 9, but the same can be said about NASA SLS, as it reuses most of the stuff from the Space Shuttle era (engines, boosters, fuel tank).

 

The thing about SpaceX is not that they advance science much. In fact, there are very few scientists there (if any) and certainly no bureaucrats. This is a company filled with engineers who work to deliver an efficient product that performs the required task on a limited budget and within a reasonable time frame. Something that NASA has problem doing since, well, Apollo days. The biggest achievement of SpaceX is showing that space flight can be done by a private entrepreneur and on a budget. And that they can capture the attention and imagination of people around the world in a way that old space companies did not.

Edited February 8, 2018 by some1

[Pilotasso]

Elon musk already saved 2018 from being a terrible year. :)

 

(that was what the people said in 1969 ;) )

[rjetster1]

Is there an actual live feed link for Starman in the roadster?

[gabgio]

Is there an actual live feed link for Starman in the roadster?

 

only for the first 5 hours, batteries run out, there was no plan for solar panels or other power supplies

[Pilotasso]

The car was parked in orbit for a few hours yesterday but the second stage was lit again after that, and it has been sent away from earth by now.

[cichlidfan]

That would have been done by NASA or Russian Space Agency if funded well enough, though ^^

 

Sure NASA could have done the same thing, for at least 20 times as much money.

[Pilotasso]

the last photo, already heading away.

 

[Emmy]

The car was parked in orbit for a few hours yesterday but the second stage was lit again after that, and it has been sent away from earth by now.

 

We saw that burn here in Arizona...

[some1]

Sure NASA could have done the same thing, for at least 20 times as much money.

 

Actually, they did a cost estimate several years ago for something like the the original Falcon 9:

 

The activity estimated Falcon 9 would cost $3.977B based on NASA

environment/culture. NAFCOM predicted $1.695B when all technical inputs were

adjusted to a more commercial development approach.

 

https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/586023main_8-3-11_NAFCOM.pdf

 

At that point in time, SpaceX estimated their development costs at around 400 milion, depending on who's counting and what is included.

[Pikey]

Watching those boosters return like that was something I will never forget, its so visually impacting and just like something out of a terrible Sci-Fi B movie. Really amazing to see that Space has not been completely forgotten and we are doing great things on the planet.