SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video] • Hacker News Board

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#161

Post by ggreer » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 7:21 AM UTC

y0ssar1an wrote: post #159

ggreer wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aluminum alloy and carbon fiber, because both have high strength to weight ratios. Steel is denser, so its specific strength isn't as high. But it retains strength at both lower & higher temperatures, and it's much cheaper. It's also cheaper/quicker to modify a steel design, as welding is easier than aluminum (at least for low carbon steels used in Starship). And if the same structure were made of carbon fiber, it wo…

you should come back to this comment in 10 years. stainless steel starship will not have left LEO.

Does this mean you think Starship HLS will fail? It will use a steel structure and is planned to be part of future Artemis missions.

Also are you willing to stake money on that claim? How about this: If before July 25th, 2036, any version of Starship made primarily of steel (HLS, future Mars versions, etc) has an apogee above 2,000km, you pay me $1,000. If not, I pay you $1,000. If you like, we can bet some other amount up to $10k. And if you prefer, the loser could donate the amount to a non-profit/charity of the winner's choosing.

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#162

Post by WalterBright » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 7:44 AM UTC

serf wrote: post #156

WalterBright wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't consider "pedo boy" to be slander any more than someone in the west calling another a "motherfucker". It's not actionable, and the lawsuit alleging it to be libel failed for that reason.

>I don't consider "pedo boy" to be slander any more than someone in the west calling another a "motherfucker". 'motherfucker' is a common phrase even outside of strictly english - speaking countries , and very few people go on to explain how the person had sex with a mother. 'pedo boy' is impossibly uncommon, regardless of what the singular defending belligerent claims, and furthermore he went on to publicly accuse t…

> 'pedo boy' is impossibly uncommon

All it has to be is common in S Africa where he grew up. As I mentioned before, different cultures have widely varying common forms of insults.

> furthermore he went on to publicly accuse the person of actual pedophilia.

That was after being sued for $195 million. I've also remarked that I am not defending libel. A common insult is not libelous.

P.S. People successfully sue rich people all the time, because that's where the money is.

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#163

Post by croisillon » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 9:22 AM UTC

qwerpy wrote: post #114

appplication wrote: post #19

It’s interesting the cognitive dissonance this brings out in me. As much as I think Musk carries a fairly reprehensible aura, I would still like to see SpaceX succeed. Space has a funny, transcendent way of inspiring us.

I’m glad that of all places, HN is still able to grudgingly put aside red/blue team sports to appreciate really cool science and engineering.

[flagged]

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#164

Post by estearum » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 11:32 AM UTC

WalterBright wrote: post #162

serf wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I don't consider "pedo boy" to be slander any more than someone in the west calling another a "motherfucker". 'motherfucker' is a common phrase even outside of strictly english - speaking countries , and very few people go on to explain how the person had sex with a mother. 'pedo boy' is impossibly uncommon, regardless of what the singular defending belligerent claims, and furthermore he went on to publicly accuse t…

> 'pedo boy' is impossibly uncommon All it has to be is common in S Africa where he grew up. As I mentioned before, different cultures have widely varying common forms of insults. > furthermore he went on to publicly accuse the person of actual pedophilia. That was after being sued for $195 million. I've also remarked that I am not defending libel. A common insult is not libelous. P.S. People successfully sue rich pe…

So your argument is that:

1. Musk calling him "pedo boy" isn't Musk actually calling him a pedophile, and there's nothing wrong with a grown man using insults (against an aid worker risking his own life to save children) that 14-year olds in the 80s in South Africa allegedly used on playgrounds

2. Musk telling Buzzfeed that the same exact guy is actually a pedophile (specifically a child rapist) who took a 12 year old bride was totally unrelated to the prior "pedo boy" comment, and you would never defend such an action

Fascinating pretzel you've folded yourself into. Not sure who you think you're fooling, hope it's not you though!

To be clear, I don't think anyone here is suggesting Musk should be held legally accountable for anything. Not sure why you keep falling back to this "libelous" standard. No one cares and defamation suits are virtually impossible in the US.

Your original snarky question was what is reprehensible about him. You are now defending his clearly reprehensible moral character, through some convoluted "didn't mean it but it was okay but also he totally did say the same thing in clearer terms weeks later and I would never defend that."

Interesting to note your own motte-and-bailey retreat on this point too though.

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#165

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 11:38 AM UTC

WalterBright wrote: post #146

ceejayoz wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet here you are, doing it. Reminder: > "pedo boy" sounds like an insult, not a charge... This is evident from you changing his word from "pedo boy" to "pedophile".

I don't consider "pedo boy" to be slander any more than someone in the west calling another a "motherfucker". It's not actionable, and the lawsuit alleging it to be libel failed for that reason.

[deleted]

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#166

Post by jaybrendansmith » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 12:41 PM UTC

pudgywalsh wrote: post #42

appplication wrote: post #19

It’s interesting the cognitive dissonance this brings out in me. As much as I think Musk carries a fairly reprehensible aura, I would still like to see SpaceX succeed. Space has a funny, transcendent way of inspiring us.

Actual, literal Nazis got us to the Moon and frankly no one cared. Not then, not now. Try separating politics from the advancement of humanity, you'll feel better.

Perhaps it takes a Nazi to make a good rocket?

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#167

Post by ryandrake » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 1:55 PM UTC

WalterBright wrote: post #93

atq2119 wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

If he meant it to be a nazi salute, why did he do it in conjunction with saying "I give my heart to you"? Currently on TV is a WW2 documentary narrated by Tom Hanks. It's pretty good, with significant coverage of nazis. I recommend watching it. I'm a bit of a history wonk, and have read extensively about WW2. I'm afraid I don't see any parallels between the nazis and Musk.

[flagged]

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#168

Post by tim333 » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 1:58 PM UTC

matthewdgreen wrote: post #145

Geee wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is still about space. AI and space computers are just the vehicle to fund it all.

The graveyards are full of blockchain companies who said something similar.

Not many that launched rockets or anything like that.

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#169

Post by tim333 » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 2:01 PM UTC

yieldcrv wrote: post #27

amanaplanacanal wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The tiny part of SpaceX that is actually about space, yes. Unfortunate that it has been bolted onto the hulk of Musk's AI fever dreams.

Even at $38/share it will still be number 20 on the fortune 500 by marketcap Too bad for Elon gullibles its at $113/share but its a great company at $38

Depends a bit on how the AI stuff goes.

Re: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 livestream [video]

#170

Post by ButlerianJihad » Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 2:09 PM UTC

atq2119 wrote: post #65

WalterBright wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

[flagged]

So, there is little question about the type of gestures that Musk made, but I'm deeply curious about where it was directed.

Because we who read history all know that the "Nazi salute" or even the very American "Bellamy salute", and the Roman salutes before them, were directed to the leader, or a flag. And the Nazis in conjunction with saying "hail" to their leader. So far, so good?

But Musk was standing at a podium and looking out upon a crowd of people...voters...delegates... and he did not, in my view, try and face President Trump, or any leader standing at another podium, when he directed his salute outwards from the podium: outwards toward the crowd, opposite the camera angle.

So if Musk was not saluting President Trump: was he saluting a flag? Or the citizens? Because if he was saluting the citizens in this way, it gives a very, very different interpretation to the entire gesture, and if he was not saluting the president, or some leader, I do not see how this could be interpreted in the same way as the traditional salute of any type.