Space X

[ScottHall]

Very sad. But it's impossible to do something this hard while pushing forward so many parts of the tech without accidents. They've been through worse before... I just feel really bad for everybody who worked on this launch for so long. Must be a really bad moment to go through.

 

+1

[giofranchi]

Very sad. But it's impossible to do something this hard while pushing forward so many parts of the tech without accidents. They've been through worse before... I just feel really bad for everybody who worked on this launch for so long. Must be a really bad moment to go through.

 

+1

 

+2

 

Gio

[rkbabang]

First time I've ever cursed out loud reading the morning news. Sad to see that happen, and hope they bounce back quickly.

 

Yeah, I'm sure they will.

 

First time I've ever cursed out loud reading the morning news. Sad to see that happen, and hope they bounce back quickly.

 

Really, the first time?  I've cursed out loud reading the news many, many, many times.

 

[Liberty]

Oh, and it was also Elon Musk's birthday. Probably not a very happy one...

[Liberty]

http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/08/how-and-why-spacex-will-colonize-mars.html

[adesigar]

http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/08/how-and-why-spacex-will-colonize-mars.html

 

+1

 

You beat me to it.

[Pelagic]

http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/08/how-and-why-spacex-will-colonize-mars.html

 

Thank you sharing that, it's inspirational to say the least.

 

I'm of the belief that there will need to be an economic incentive for colonizing Mars or anywhere else in our solar system. The "insurance" argument Musk puts forward makes a lot of sense at a higher, collective, level but I think history has shown time and again that the pursuit of wealth is a far better motivator at the individual level. I'm still curious what Musk sees will be the draw to Mars once the exploration stage has passed.

 

 

[Jurgis]

I haven't read the article yet.

 

I believe Mars will be colonized (if ever) after we have replaced our bodies with synthetics or made them much more durable via nanotech or such. While Mars is romantic, think about how many people live in Siberia, Antarctic or in the oceans. We have oodles of Earth uninhabited because of the harsh environment, why would a lot of people go to Mars?

 

In the past the argument was population growth. However in the best case for humanity (i.e. we don't blow ourselves up), the population will stabilize and start dropping sometime in this century. So I don't believe population growth will be stimulus for Mars colonization.

 

I am also skeptical about resource-driven expansion. Asteroids and solar energy are likely much better resources if we need resources outside Earth at all. Resources down in gravity well (though smaller than Earth) are not attractive.

 

So, tourism and research pretty much. Maybe terraforming, but I'd put my bet on our-bodies-will-change before we-terraform-planets.

 

Live long and prosper.

[Travis Wiedower]

I'm of the belief that there will need to be an economic incentive for colonizing Mars or anywhere else in our solar system. The "insurance" argument Musk puts forward makes a lot of sense at a higher, collective, level but I think history has shown time and again that the pursuit of wealth is a far better motivator at the individual level. I'm still curious what Musk sees will be the draw to Mars once the exploration stage has passed.

 

First off, that article is fascinating. It's a shame so few humans (like myself just a few months ago) know what's going on in the AI/space exploration fields--amazing stuff to say the least. To the above comment, there will be plenty of financial incentive. It's a completely new civilization so all kinds of businesses will need to be started and the successful ones will be financially rewarding. Also, being one of the first people in a new civilization and having some small effect on how that new world develops is pretty damn cool and something that hasn't really been possible for centuries. Maybe I'm naive but I think a ton of people will want to go for that reason alone--financial incentive or not.

[Liberty]

I've started reading this book recently:

 

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51DozrQ0NdL._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

 

http://www.amazon.ca/Man-Moon-Voyages-Apollo-Astronauts/dp/014311235X

 

It's crazy how little I knew about what we've already done... I'm super impressed by the whole Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects and how they could do all that with 1950s-1960s technology.

 

I've also re-watched the film Apollo 13 this weekend for the first time since the 1990s, and it's quite excellent. Very inspiring, and they apparently went to great lenghts to make it realistic (even filmed the weightless scenes inside an airplane doing parabolas - over 600 of them - to have the real thing), having NASA as consultants and basing a lot of it on the real radio transcripts, etc.

[Jurgis]

Apollo 13 is one of the best movies ever.

[Jurgis]

Let's buy houses in Boca Chica:

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-09/elon-musk-making-enemies-fast-in-town-hosting-space-x-launches

[rkbabang]

NASA Orders SpaceX Crew Mission to International Space Station

[PullTheTrigger]

SpaceX's Elon Musk goes ballistic over Jeff Bezos' rocket feat

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/11/24/elon-musk-jeff-bezos-rocket/76317842/

 

[doughishere]

SpaceX's Elon Musk goes ballistic over Jeff Bezos' rocket feat

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2015/11/24/elon-musk-jeff-bezos-rocket/76317842/

 

I would hardly say going ballistic but a little trash talk is just good for competition. We do it all the time in the gym. Come on guys we live in a time of guys who privately put up cash to build rockets to go into space. 50 years ago it took a nation to do these things.

[Travis Wiedower]

Lol at "goes ballistic." Sensationalized click-bait headlines have become my new pet peeve.

 

Congrats to Bezos though. The more billionaires exploring space the better!

[doughishere]

Lol at "goes ballistic." Sensationalized click-bait headlines have become my new pet peeve.

 

Congrats to Bezos though. The more billionaires exploring space the better!

 

They may be rich old white dudes but at least they know how to spend their money.

[Liberty]

 

Amazing! This is going in the history books.

[jeffmori7]

 

Amazing! This is going in the history books.

 

Yup, I watched it live, it was pretty intense to hear and see the staff at SpaceX going crazy at each step along the perfect mission.

 

Wait but why has a nice little presentation on this, and you can watch the launch there: http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/12/spacex-launch-live-webcast-and-explanation-1-21-15.html

[JBird]

I was in my apartment by myself, shouting at a descending rocket.

 

This was completely amazing!

[jeffmori7]

A post from Elon Musk from just before the launch: http://www.spacex.com/news/2015/12/21/background-tonights-launch

[JBird]

"Apologies for any typos" LOL

 

Came across this from Jeff Bezos on twitter. "Congrats @SpaceX on landing Falcon's suborbital booster stage. Welcome to the club!"

 

Pitiful.

[giofranchi]

I agree. Great accomplishment. And let’s hope this will turn out to be an important step towards their final goal that will benefit all humanity.

 

Cheers,

 

Gio

 

[rkbabang]

I was in my apartment by myself, shouting at a descending rocket.

This was completely amazing!

 

I watched it with my son who just finished reading my copy of the Musk biography a week ago.

 

 

"Apologies for any typos" LOL

 

Came across this from Jeff Bezos on twitter. "Congrats @SpaceX on landing Falcon's suborbital booster stage. Welcome to the club!"

 

Pitiful.

 

Wow, I must have missed where Blue Origin put 11 satellites into orbit while returning the 1st stage to Earth.  I don't know what club he thinks he belongs to, but SpaceX doesn't have a club, it stands alone.

 

 

 

[oddballstocks]

I don't know what club he thinks he belongs to, but SpaceX doesn't have a club, it stands alone.

 

Maybe the ego club? 

 

The launch and landing was incredible.  I watched most of it live, then watched it again with my sons this morning.  My oldest loves space and to see this stuff happening monthly is incredible.  My wife commented that there was no progress for so long, and now suddenly it's going crazy.  This is how it should be.  I'm excited to see where we are a few years out at this pace.