Blue Origin first human flight • Hacker News Board

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#351

Post by RIMR » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:24 PM UTC

quijoteuniv wrote: post #292

Ajedi32 wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's the dream; affordable space tourism for the masses. If Starship manages to hit the price and performance targets Musk has set for it (~$2 million/launch[1], max of 1000 passengers[2]) you could get a ticket to orbit for around $2000. Throw in some extra for profit margin, a stay at an orbital space hotel, and a few additional expenses, and it might well be possible to take a vacation in space for less than $10…

I hope people have better dreams. That is my dream.

For real, people straight up fetishize the experience of "going to space", but the reality is that you're crammed in stinky tin can for a while, and eat preserved food.

The real magic of human spaceflight for me is the science that is done up there. Sending a bunch of untrained rich people into space for the fun of it is not especially inspiring. The idea of getting crammed like sardines into a giant rocket so I can experience this with the masses is just not a great dream.

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#352

Post by mulmen » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:25 PM UTC

rtkwe wrote: post #322

arriu wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let me clarify, my point is neither about their wealth or expertise. I'm simply pointing out that this could be a similar point in time for future commercial travel; focusing on their wealth is beside the point. Or it could fizzle out...

IDK Virgin Galactic seemed to be virtually dead for a decade or so until there was a chance to one up Bezos I wouldn't be surprised to see these continue to barely operate after this big push.

So it is your belief that Virgin Galactic did nothing for a decade and then made a working spacecraft in the course of a few months but you don’t find this amazing?

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#353

Post by zackbloom » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:26 PM UTC

marshallbananas wrote: post #8

This felt so underwhelming. I don't know if it's because I've seen SpaceX doing much more complicated missions or it's just not that big of a deal. They got about two minutes of zero G and came down immediately. You can experience that for much longer with a regular plane, for much less money. It really shouldn't count as space travel unless they go into orbit around Earth.

If you listen to the stream there's a moment when they ask each astronaut for a mock-serious 'status update'. At least one forgets to even respond. It feels like cosplay, like a tourist experience where you are pretending to be an astronaut despite having no responsibilities and little training. I would struggle to not feel embarrassment at pretending to be something I am not, and at the knowledge they are stroking my ego purely for my ego's benefit on the back of the very well earned reputation of real astronauts.

It reminds me of what might happen on a tourist experience in Bali, where they have you hold a big spear and take a photo for Instagram as if you were a tribal hunter. I would take the Blue Origin flight if it was free, but I would wish they would treat me honestly: as a random schlub who knows how to sit in a seat and smile.

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#354

Post by DennisP » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:26 PM UTC

TheOtherHobbes wrote: post #267

mavhc wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Problem is you only get rich by taking money for other people's work. But as long as everyone also pays to clean up the pollution they cause, not terrible.

Jeff Bezos could vaccinate the entire world against Covid without changing his lifestyle even slightly. He could hire the smartest people in the world to work on breakthrough propulsion, SETI, blue sky physics, and computing research. The money would barely be a rounding error in his wealth. He could fund the greatest space observatories in history, fund game changing contributions to cancer research, genomics, and o…

In fairness to Blue Origin, they're attempting a pretty large orbital rocket too. They've just been a lot slower about it than SpaceX.

As for Bezos, he also started the $10 billion Earth Fund to support climate change solutions. He could do a lot more, but he can't do it all at once; most of his wealth is in Amazon stock, and if he sold it all at once then it wouldn't be worth $200B anymore.

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#355

Post by rtkwe » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:27 PM UTC

Axsuul wrote: post #159

Really clean launch! I think this was the first time a reusable rocket was landed with humans onboard? It must’ve fell 100k feet at the end in less than a minute which must’ve been nuts.

No it's basically the same as the SpaceX CrewDragon flights where the capsule parachutes down and the booster lands separately except the capsule doesn't go to orbit.

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#356

Post by nickik » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:29 PM UTC

notJim wrote: post #301

bob1029 wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Out of all of these space-faring corporations, SpaceX has orders of magnitude more aerospace infrastructure and assets to work with. Their entire ethos since inception was getting humanity to Mars, not sending a handful of wealthy people into suborbital trajectories. Elon/SpaceX have certainly participated in a lot of PR throughout, but it always seemed to be along an engineering axis, not some feel-good emotional ax…

Not sure a tiny island that’s 6-7’ above sea level is such a genius investment these days.

By far small enough that you could easily protect it if need be.

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#357

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:30 PM UTC

samstave wrote: post #339

Ajedi32 wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's the dream; affordable space tourism for the masses. If Starship manages to hit the price and performance targets Musk has set for it (~$2 million/launch[1], max of 1000 passengers[2]) you could get a ticket to orbit for around $2000. Throw in some extra for profit margin, a stay at an orbital space hotel, and a few additional expenses, and it might well be possible to take a vacation in space for less than $10…

But for a $10k vacation, you get to sleep in a bed, order room service, go outside, go golfing, see a show, etc. 10k in space will get you what? --- Random thought: If they were able to get enough water into space such that one could swim through a sphere of water in a weightless environment, what would the sensation of being encapsulated in water while weightless feel like (clearly needing scuba or some other air co…

[deleted]

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#358

Post by GiorgioG » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:30 PM UTC

zaaakk wrote: post #317

GiorgioG wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's debatable if it's evil. But it's certainly lacking ambition and boring. He's the richest man on earth - who started one of the biggest and most successful companies on the planet, I'd say he had plenty of ambition. Excuse him for having a little fun. "He could do this, that and the other thing." Well thank you for telling him what he should/could do with his money. You know what, why don't you go start a compa…

You have no moral compass. Your only guidance for what is right is money. If he has the money to do it then it is justified. There is something missing in your brain and that is why you will eagerly simp for a billionaire.

If he has the money to do something that won't hurt anyone, then it is justified IMO. I'm not rich, and I can't fathom what it's like to be a billionaire, but I can tell you what I don't like: people sticking their nose in my private business and deciding what is morally correct for me.

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#359

Post by DennisP » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:30 PM UTC

iso1631 wrote: post #160

ethbr0 wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Walk before you run. I very much doubt Blue Origin intends to freeze rocket development after this launch. Blue Origin now has a successful manned flight under their belt, and a revenue stream. While it might surprise some here, Amazon started by selling just books... It feels like similar attitude comments on that would have been "They'll never compete with Walmart. Real retail stores sell all kinds of things."

20 yeas from founding to a suborbital demo flight, 15 years of development for the rocket itself. New Shephard will never make orbit, it's a dead end. New Glenn would be great if it existed. As it stands it's likely to be eclipsed by Starship. B.O. are going to have to change into a whole new gear if they want to compete. I have far more confidence in rocketlab scaling upwards from electron than in Blue Origin scalin…

I mostly agree but BO does at least plan a variant of the New Shephard engine for New Glenn's upper stage.

Re: Blue Origin first human flight

#360

Post by pantalaimon » Tue, Jul 20, 2021, 6:32 PM UTC

BitwiseFool wrote: post #210

croes wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good place to watch the decay of the human species because of climate change. Space tourism will accelerate it.

Or perhaps, the passengers will be galvanized by the experience and end up taking environmental issues more seriously: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overview_effect The carbon emissions of Starship already pale in comparison to the reforms we need to pass, but lack the political will to do so.

That can be had cheaper with a dose of LSD