Musk revises Mars ambitions

Post by stcredzero » Fri, Sep 29, 2017, 6:50 PM UTC

Nokinside wrote: post #75

benjaminl wrote: post #22

I don't understand why people are so quick to dismiss SpaceX's ambitions as unrealistic. They were the first to achieve re-usability of the first stage of an orbital class rocket, the first to prove out supersonic retro-propulsion and the first private company to re-fly a spacecraft (the Dragon Capsule). Given that, it seems like they should be given the benefit of the doubt when they say they are going to do somethi…

It's the colonizing Mars part Getting into Mars is solvable technological problem. Colonizing Mars is more economical and sociological problem than technological problem. Everyday living in high-tech place where everything is safety critical (like in a nuclear submarine or ISS) is extremely expensive. Productivity would have to be beyond everything that has ever existed for that becoming possibility. If Elon Musk can…

Post by kilroy123 » Fri, Sep 29, 2017, 6:51 PM UTC

nwah1 wrote: post #90

kilroy123 wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is because it will be extremely expensive to do this. Plus there are a ton of issues to be worked out before this is possible. Here is just a small list: - What food will people eat on Mars? - What space suits will they all use? - Who will train all the astronauts to go there? - Who will build the habitats? - Who is building the equipment to make fuel on mars? How much will this cost? This is far from a fully rese…

They already designed the space suits. https://www.theverge.com/2017/8/23/16188658/elon-musk-reveal...

Post by vkou » Fri, Sep 29, 2017, 6:51 PM UTC

Hypx wrote: post #46

benjaminl wrote: post #22

I don't understand why people are so quick to dismiss SpaceX's ambitions as unrealistic. They were the first to achieve re-usability of the first stage of an orbital class rocket, the first to prove out supersonic retro-propulsion and the first private company to re-fly a spacecraft (the Dragon Capsule). Given that, it seems like they should be given the benefit of the doubt when they say they are going to do somethi…

Just want to point out some misconceptions here: Arguably, the Space Shuttle was the first launch system to reuse the first stage, and the first to prove retro-propulsion landing was the Delta Clipper (on Earth anyways, supersonic retro-propulsion was used on other planetary bodies earlier). First private company to refly a spacecraft was probably SpaceShipOne, although this was suborbital not orbital. Not saying wha…

Post by stcredzero » Fri, Sep 29, 2017, 6:53 PM UTC

kbenson wrote: post #7

Last year, it was the Interplanetary Transport System, but now Musk has regressed to using the original, cheeky "code name" BFR, in which the B stands for big, the R stands for rocket, and the F stands for fun. (Not really). I'm always astounded that apparently we still can't say fuck lest some bogeyman (real or imaginary) jump out and make you regret it. It's a fucking word. For fuck's sake. I mean, at the point whe…

Post by hacking_again » Fri, Sep 29, 2017, 7:00 PM UTC

toephu2 wrote: post #27

ericjang wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is this an American cultural thing, or are other cultures just as averse to public swearing?

There aren't any real swear words in Japanese. So no it's not just an American thing.