So what happens now to all the people who worked on that project? They shop themselves around the X building to see what other project(s) they could interview for and join? Or is this so big a change that this has a broader impact even to the job market around X?
Loon’s final flight
151–160 of 264 posts
Re: Loon’s final flight
#152Earlier quoted context omitted.
The internet says: "The Apollo program's total cost was about $25.4 billion, about $152 billion in today's dollars." That's about Google's entire revenue for 2020. I don't think even Google could put a man on the moon at those rates. Literal moonshots are expensive.
I think SpaceX could put a man on the moon for much less? We’re currently at a few billion to put a whole horde of them on Mars I believe.
We don't have the technology to get a person to Mars or to land them when they get there. We probably have the technology to build a spaceship that they could die in on the way there - but that's the closest that we realistically have.
Re: Loon’s final flight
#153So what happens now to all the people who worked on that project? They shop themselves around the X building to see what other project(s) they could interview for and join? Or is this so big a change that this has a broader impact even to the job market around X?
Go to Amazon and work on project Kuiper
Re: Loon’s final flight
#154Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wouldn't call this a strategic failure. Google is a big SpaceX investor.
Well a nine year investment in a company to end in failure isn’t what I’d call a strategic success.
A single investment is not strategy though.
Think of the investments in Loon, Taara, SpaceX and Google Fiber as part of a larger strategy to bring internet access with decent bandwidth to a larger number of humans. Some investments will not pan out, others will bear fruit.
Re: Loon’s final flight
#155Earlier quoted context omitted.
This ignores the cost of sending data wirelessly over cellular networks so remote operators can see the vehicle, the cost of maintaining the software and hardware on the vehicle itself, the cost of maintaining the vehicle fleet, the cost of creating and operating a consumer-facing support system (!!! for Google), the cost of dealing with the enormous amounts of data those vehicles create (even for Google this is not…
Most importantly, their fleet could be made obsolete by personal ownership of assisted driving vehicles. So by any of car manufacturers... (Better version of Tesla autopilot for instance.)
Taxis exist today even if a lot of people own cars, there'd still be uses for them ( e.g. when flying somewhere, you won't bring your car)
Re: Loon’s final flight
#156IMHO, this is NO different from google closing down any other product. If, however, this news came with a grant of all the patents into the public domain, then it would be another story. Could a startup set up a commercial balloon based mesh network without running into patents now held by google? Probably not. THIS is the problem with these "skunkworks" type projects from megacorps. They suck all the air out of the…
> If, however, this news came with a grant of all the patents into the public domain, then it would be another story...THIS is the problem with these "skunkworks" type projects from megacorps. They suck all the air out of the room and prevent others from innovating. > Loon didn't fail, Google/Alphabet just decided they were going to discontinue funding. Now they hold a pool of patents they don't intend to do anything…
I wasn't aware of that - that is fantastic.
However, this is certainly not the norm. Lets see if it holds true for Loon.
Re: Loon’s final flight
#157People often make fun of Google/Alphabet for their graveyard of failed initiatives/products. While some of it might be warranted, projects like this—that strive to solve a large, global issue through somewhat charitable actions—are generous and have only increased my respect for the Google/Alphabet/X team. I hope they don't get flamed for this, and hopefully some of their research and donation funds can live on and s…
If it's so generous, why is it being cancelled like almost every other non-search product?
Re: Loon’s final flight
#158Earlier quoted context omitted.
I suspect that Starlink will render it unneeded.
You mean starlink's failure will supplant loon's? Think carefully before you respond. I am one of about 5 engineers to help invent both globalstar and iridium.
> Think carefully before you respond. I am one of about 5 engineers to help invent both globalstar and iridium.
I don't think this kind of warning is a helpful part of the conversation.
If you want to make an argument against Starlink, fine, go ahead and make it. But what is the use of the admonition for someone to "think carefully before they respond"?
It seems to be the only real effect that is intended to have is to deter additional conversation.
Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and ignore your warning, and the credentials you present: I think Starlink is going to be a commercial success. If they solve the satellite interlink problem (which, admittedly, is a big problem), I think it will be a viable path to delivering a global internet solution.
Re: Loon’s final flight
#159Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think SpaceX could put a man on the moon for much less? We’re currently at a few billion to put a whole horde of them on Mars I believe.
We don't have the technology to get a person to Mars or to land them when they get there. We probably have the technology to build a spaceship that they could die in on the way there - but that's the closest that we realistically have.
Surviving on the way to Mars isn't a huge leap in difficulty over a space station, and we have those on lock.
Re: Loon’s final flight
#160IMHO, this is NO different from google closing down any other product. If, however, this news came with a grant of all the patents into the public domain, then it would be another story. Could a startup set up a commercial balloon based mesh network without running into patents now held by google? Probably not. THIS is the problem with these "skunkworks" type projects from megacorps. They suck all the air out of the…
> If, however, this news came with a grant of all the patents into the public domain, then it would be another story...THIS is the problem with these "skunkworks" type projects from megacorps. They suck all the air out of the room and prevent others from innovating. > Loon didn't fail, Google/Alphabet just decided they were going to discontinue funding. Now they hold a pool of patents they don't intend to do anything…
Yeah. This is how prejudice works. It doesn't matter what you do, if you're X you'll be (pre)judged as an X and nothing short of an immaculate behaviour will prevent people from just pointing at some past mistakes or self-serving behaviours to undo all positive actions you may have done