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SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

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Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#61

Post by pm »

Osmium wrote: post #36
tbabb wrote: post #18

Back of the envelope calculation for the price of an Earth-to-Earth ticket: Musk's stated goal is $500k/ticket to Mars. It's a shorter trip, so perhaps ~5x as many passengers in the same volume (i.e. 500 total; cf. a380 which seats 850). It takes five (?) orbital refuel trips for the martian journey, but we'd need none of those. Depending on how much less than a full tank the passenger vehicle needs (payload could be…

Ironically, I think SpaceX will have a lot more trouble with any E2E ambitions than they would with missions to Mars. So much red tape, no one's going to want a space-port in their backyard, different/difficult economics, safety concerns, terrorism concerns, etc. etc.

Honestly I would love a spaceport in my backyard, seeing as we just hosted the International Astronautical Congress too.

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#62

Post by perilunar »

ciconia wrote: post #60

Just like everybody else I'm really blown away by what SpaceX does, but at the same time I think the question begs to be asked: Has humanity already given up on earth as a home? Is the future really about planets as disposable habitats?

No. Even Elon hasn't given up on Earth — why do you think he's running Tesla?

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#63

Post by dillchen »

ciconia wrote: post #60

Just like everybody else I'm really blown away by what SpaceX does, but at the same time I think the question begs to be asked: Has humanity already given up on earth as a home? Is the future really about planets as disposable habitats?

If you were in Europe in the Age of Discovery, would you have said that about coming over to the Americas?

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#64

Post by Diederich »

karterk wrote: post #58

An update from Elon on the pricing[1]: > Fly to most places on Earth in under 30 mins and anywhere in under 60. Cost per seat should be about the same as full fare economy in an aircraft. Forgot to mention that. [1]: https://www.instagram.com/p/BZnVfWxgdLe/

I imagine you can gain a lot of efficiencies with this approach. Just guessing here:

1. You can't leave your seat. Very high seat density.

2. No restrooms.

3. No food or any other services.

4. Very few (if any) cabin staff.

5. Fully automated flight; perhaps no pilot.

6. More reliable flight schedule; only a small bit of earth's weather on either side of the flight matters.

Personally, I'd put up with a lot if the whole flight was On the other hand, the vomit. So much vomit. :(

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#65

Post by rybosome »

audeyisaacs wrote: post #29

Musk's speaking is always a little awkward (in an endearing way), but did he seem significantly more nervous/emotionally affected than usual in the first part of this speech? It seemed that way to me, curious if anyone else interpreted it like that. He calms down when he starts talking about risk and it being the anniversary of a launch. edit: Good and fun presentation regardless! edit2: Thoughts: - Maybe he feels in…

I wondered if I was really noticing that or if I was projecting my own fear of public speaking on him.

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#66

Post by Diederich »

neuronexmachina wrote: post #34
boznz wrote: post #13

Nothing on Moon Base Alpha except a picture. Would be nice to have a timeline for this (maybe the gap years where Mars transit is too long?)

I get the impression Elon's stance is, "If somebody else wants to build a Moon Base, you're welcome to buy launches from us. Here's how you'd do it." Elon himself pretty much just cares about Mars.

I agree.

Part of me thinks that the whole moon base thing was a pitch to legislators/NASA.

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#67

Post by sidcool »

Osmium wrote: post #11

Honestly, Elon's presentations are some of the most impressive, inspiring I've ever seen. And the way he just stumbles out words and sentences that are completely revolutionary... casually dropping these absurd, incredible statements. I find it incredible. If anyone else was saying this, was showing these graphics, you'd think it was just wish fulfillment; a fantasy. And I'm sure their timeline is a bit aggressive. B…

The best one was: "It's 2017 and there's no lunar base, come on"

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#68

Post by piyush_soni »

spike021 wrote: post #49
Osmium wrote: post #11

Honestly, Elon's presentations are some of the most impressive, inspiring I've ever seen. And the way he just stumbles out words and sentences that are completely revolutionary... casually dropping these absurd, incredible statements. I find it incredible. If anyone else was saying this, was showing these graphics, you'd think it was just wish fulfillment; a fantasy. And I'm sure their timeline is a bit aggressive. B…

His presentation style usually seems to be pretty raw, in a good way. It's not as crisp/polished as Jobs' presentations were, or in fact others. As in, it's not as marketable. It's doesn't seem like it's been a style of preparation for a pure sales/marketing kind of pitch. Kind of interesting, in my opinion.

Honestly, I'd cringe if he started doing Jobs' style presentations. It's good the way it is!

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#69

Post by perilunar »

schwarrrtz wrote: post #55
perilunar wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not negative, since you are creating just as much CO2 burning the CH4 as you removed in the first place. Carbon neutral though.

Carbon neutral assuming you are creating the CH4 using atmospheric CO2. On Earth I suspect that most CH4 comes from natural gas. On Mars it would be carbon neutral - but that's actually a bad thing, assuming that your goal is to increase the atmospheric density on Mars.

Yes, that was the assumption of the parent question. I expect that initially all the fuel for Earth launches will be sourced from natural gas, but if they start doing regular sub-orbital passenger flights they'd have to convert to renewable energy + atmospheric CO2, otherwise they'd just (partially) undo the work Tesla is doing.

Re: SpaceX: Making Life Multiplanetary [video]

#70

Post by kornish »

Osmium wrote: post #11

Honestly, Elon's presentations are some of the most impressive, inspiring I've ever seen. And the way he just stumbles out words and sentences that are completely revolutionary... casually dropping these absurd, incredible statements. I find it incredible. If anyone else was saying this, was showing these graphics, you'd think it was just wish fulfillment; a fantasy. And I'm sure their timeline is a bit aggressive. B…

There was a thread on HN about Flexport the other day, and about how branding as "unsexy" was actually a selling point because customers appreciated the authenticity – they'd rather you be reliable than sexy as a logistics company.

I think a lot of people feel the same way about Elon. He's not overpolished, rehearsed, or manipulative...it's just honest and unapologetic.

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