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SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

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Re: SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

#11

Post by mtrpcic »

mrfusion wrote: post #7
Animats wrote: post #5

If SpaceX can fly out their 2015 manifest, that will be impressive. This is the year the Falcon Heavy is supposed to launch. Their first manned flight has apparently been postponed; it's been "2-3 years" away for 2 years now.[1] I notice they've stopped putting dates on their manifest for future flights.[2][3] SpaceX is doing a great job, but they're behind their own schedule. They're two flights behind on ISS resupp…

How will the spaceport in Texas help?

The spaceport is being built specifically to accommodate SpaceX rockets. The idea is to have the rocket automatically fueled when it gets docked, use robotics to stand things up, and add a bit more automation to the overall process. There are a few articles about it online, but I just found this one from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-07-11/elon-musks-f...

It's not the be-all and end-all of space stations, but it's better than something that was built decades ago for a previous generation of vehicle.

Re: SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

#12

Post by wolf550e »

mrfusion wrote: post #7
Animats wrote: post #5

If SpaceX can fly out their 2015 manifest, that will be impressive. This is the year the Falcon Heavy is supposed to launch. Their first manned flight has apparently been postponed; it's been "2-3 years" away for 2 years now.[1] I notice they've stopped putting dates on their manifest for future flights.[2][3] SpaceX is doing a great job, but they're behind their own schedule. They're two flights behind on ISS resupp…

How will the spaceport in Texas help?

They had to delay launches because of resource contention on shared resources at CCAFS.

Re: SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

#13

Post by wolf550e »

Animats wrote: post #5

If SpaceX can fly out their 2015 manifest, that will be impressive. This is the year the Falcon Heavy is supposed to launch. Their first manned flight has apparently been postponed; it's been "2-3 years" away for 2 years now.[1] I notice they've stopped putting dates on their manifest for future flights.[2][3] SpaceX is doing a great job, but they're behind their own schedule. They're two flights behind on ISS resupp…

A few launches got delayed because of the customer.

Re: SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

#14

Post by toomuchtodo »

mtrpcic wrote: post #11
mrfusion wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How will the spaceport in Texas help?

The spaceport is being built specifically to accommodate SpaceX rockets. The idea is to have the rocket automatically fueled when it gets docked, use robotics to stand things up, and add a bit more automation to the overall process. There are a few articles about it online, but I just found this one from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-07-11/elon-musks-f... It's not the be-all and end-all of spac…

I don't believe launches from the Cape have enough fuel to boost back to Boca Chica though, do they?

Re: SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

#16

Post by wolf550e »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #14
mtrpcic wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The spaceport is being built specifically to accommodate SpaceX rockets. The idea is to have the rocket automatically fueled when it gets docked, use robotics to stand things up, and add a bit more automation to the overall process. There are a few articles about it online, but I just found this one from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2014-07-11/elon-musks-f... It's not the be-all and end-all of spac…

I don't believe launches from the Cape have enough fuel to boost back to Boca Chica though, do they?

Correct, also they are not allowed to overfly land.

Re: SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

#17

Post by josephjrobison »

I love how the writer phrased Google's incentive for investing as "Google has a practical goal in linking up with SpaceX. It wants to beam the Internet to hard-to-reach regions of the planet so it can take in more advertising revenue."

While...

"'Space-based applications, like imaging satellites, can help people more easily access important information, so we’re excited to support SpaceX’s growth,' Google spokesman Aaron Stein said in a statement."

Re: SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

#18

Post by cryptoz »

yeldarb wrote: post #8

When's the IPO?

SpaceX will IPO when their Mars Colonial Transporter is making regular trips between Earth and Mars. Elon thinks that taking the company public before then would result in a potential derailment of Mars colonization plans. Having MCT making regular Earth-Mars trips before going public will ensure that quarterly-return-investors won't try to interfere with sending millions of people to go live on Mars.

Citation: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/342566837852200960

Re: SpaceX Profitable as Musk Pulls in NASA Contracts, Google Cash

#19

Post by Crito »

cryptoz wrote: post #18
yeldarb wrote: post #8

When's the IPO?

SpaceX will IPO when their Mars Colonial Transporter is making regular trips between Earth and Mars. Elon thinks that taking the company public before then would result in a potential derailment of Mars colonization plans. Having MCT making regular Earth-Mars trips before going public will ensure that quarterly-return-investors won't try to interfere with sending millions of people to go live on Mars. Citation: https…

For anyone that isn't aware, this is actually what Elon Musk has stated in interviews in the past.
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