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SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

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Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#461

Post by jamesknelson »

Inconel wrote: post #423
Kutta wrote: post #403

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have given a fairly comprehensive explanation (here and in other comments) as to why it's unreasonable to be disturbed by the chanting and why it would be beneficial for SpaceX employees to be let chanting as they wish. I don't think is enough or appropriate. A significant fraction of global viewership is disturbed and alienated by the chants. It might well be that they're having the wrong feelings for wrong reas…

Thanks for sharing your point of view and I appreciate you doing so in a respectful manner and taking my own feelings on the subject into account. I'm still not sure what the best solution to this problem would be. While I certainly believe that everyone, including and perhaps especially Americans, should be more cognizant of how our actions are viewed by others, I don't in general like the idea of constantly being f…

Reading this thread has been an interesting opportunity for introspection. A number of people on both sides have made very valid points. In particular, your description of the atmosphere on the inside makes the whole thing quite a lot easier to accept, and even get behind.

With this said, I think I've also come to understand more about why instinctively I feel a little uncomfortable. It is because as a foreigner who would love to work for SpaceX, I don't feel I can - because it is nigh impossible in this day and age to become American without some decent amount of wealth. If it wasn't for ITAR, I think the chant would be less uncomfortable, because it would be less exclusionary.

That said, I don't think you or other Americans should give a rats about what randoms on HN think. We're just jealous of your opportunity to be part of history. Don't feel guilty about having an opportunity, but instead do your best with it. And if that means chanting USA, then do it without any second thoughts!

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#462

Post by lostlogin »

CydeWeys wrote: post #460
mikeash wrote: post #417

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The barge was located about 400 miles downrange of the launch site in this case, so if you're landing in Lake Michigan then you're launching from somewhere around western Iowa/Minnesota or eastern Nebraska/South Dakota. When your rocket goes off course or explodes, you'll rain parts and fuel down on Minneapolis or Chicago or whatever other inconvenient population happens to be in the way.

This is a typical engineer conversation. "Oh, I'm sure I know a lot better than the accumulated centuries' worth of knowledge from actual rocket scientists, and I can come up with solutions to their problems based on no in-depth knowledge of the field and a minute's thought."

Not at all, it was an observation that bodies of fresh water exist that don't require huge effort to make massive floating ponds on the sea.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#463

Post by gallonofmilk »

Kutta wrote: post #403
Inconel wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I too find it hard to see how so many have conflated chanting for a group, in this case the USA, as being equivalent to actively admonishing another group. The employees at SpaceX aren't burning the flags of foreign countries or otherwise disrespecting or mocking them, they are simply expressing pride in the nation that many of us view as playing an instrumental part in our success. I also don't know what could be do…

You have given a fairly comprehensive explanation (here and in other comments) as to why it's unreasonable to be disturbed by the chanting and why it would be beneficial for SpaceX employees to be let chanting as they wish. I don't think is enough or appropriate. A significant fraction of global viewership is disturbed and alienated by the chants. It might well be that they're having the wrong feelings for wrong reas…

this is ridiculous... at what point do we have to just water down everything so much that we walk on egg shells 24/7 so we don't misconstrue our actions or unintentionally disturb the 7billion people of the world. Give me a break.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#464

Post by robryan »

gozur88 wrote: post #456
greedo wrote: post #455

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Coming from a lot of the people who have doubted reusable rocket engines...

I don't think so. Engines have been used before. Rockets have been landed on their tails by many organizations. And I don't think too many people doubt SpaceX can go to Mars. The questions are over the date.

Most spacex dates slip. Sure they are wildly optimistic but the end result is still much faster than anyone else.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#465

Post by dang »

hoorayimhelping wrote: post #165

> P.S. Downvotes for this question? Really? There are always people on HN who love being contrarian and trying to diminish amazing things. It's like they hate seeing people excited for something and want to point out that this isn't that big of a deal. We're literally watching things happen for the first time ever, and this person's response is "what's so great about this?" while implying that people who are excited…

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11643617 and marked it off-topic.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#466

Post by dang »

rfrey wrote: post #370
thrownear wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>diminish amazing things.. Sorry. We are living in a period where mediocrity and even complete fraudulent stuff is hailed as profound and "amazing". People with differing opinions matter, and I would say they matter more than ever. And I don't think people love being a contrarian". It is quite easy being a fanboy, but it is hard to go against popular opinion, and be a "contrarian". There is no love in being a contrar…

Even easier than being a fanboy is to promote one's own superiority via dismissal and sneering at the efforts of others. You probably see yourself as sophisticated, but your remarks are no different than a 7 year old putting down somebody for throwing like a girl. It's adolescent, not contrarian.

Please don't respond in kind when someone else is name-calling. Instead, flag the comment (by clicking on its timestamp to go to its page, then clicking 'flag') or email us at hn@ycombinator.com.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#467

Post by dang »

thrownear wrote: post #392
rfrey wrote: post #370

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even easier than being a fanboy is to promote one's own superiority via dismissal and sneering at the efforts of others. You probably see yourself as sophisticated, but your remarks are no different than a 7 year old putting down somebody for throwing like a girl. It's adolescent, not contrarian.

>Even easier than being a fanboy is to Easier? How? Because you said so? >promote one's own superiority via dismissal How come I haven't noticed that it isn't working, then? >sneering at the efforts of others.. This is where you show your fanboy colors. The GP said something along the line "I don't think that is as amazing as you say", and you overreact, saying that they are, "sneering at others efforts". Another com…

We've banned this account for repeatedly violating the HN guidelines. If you don't want it to be banned, you're welcome to email hn@ycombinator.com. We're happy to unban people when there's reason to believe that they'll only post civil, substantive comments in the future.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#468

Post by j1vms »

mathgenius wrote: post #458
bryanlarsen wrote: post #358

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Musk would probably be offended by that comment -- Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison were bitter rivals and enemies.

I get the impression that Edison was more of a showman than a business man. Musk is at a whole other level.

Tesla is really great, but there exists a "take" on Edison that makes him also not so bad.

Here, listen to Linus talk about him a bit:

https://youtu.be/o8NPllzkFhE?t=17m24s

Linus: "I'm more of an Edison..." (TED2016, Feb. 2016)

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#469

Post by gozur88 »

robryan wrote: post #464
gozur88 wrote: post #456

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think so. Engines have been used before. Rockets have been landed on their tails by many organizations. And I don't think too many people doubt SpaceX can go to Mars. The questions are over the date.

Most spacex dates slip. Sure they are wildly optimistic but the end result is still much faster than anyone else.

That's the point, though. They do miss most of their deadlines, and if they miss the 2018 date they're going to have to wait a few years for a comparable launch window.

Re: SpaceX lands rocket at sea second time after satellite launch

#470

Post by MertsA »

tlrobinson wrote: post #338
vermontdevil wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually no they did not weld anything to the legs. Elon said that they realize it wasn't needed. They did use octojack though to support the weight off the legs.

What's octojack? Can't seem to find any other references to that.

To add to the other comment.

http://www.spacex.com/news/2006/01/01/octaweb

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