Elon Musk on 60 Minutes

[clifp]

Did anybody catch the segment on 60 Minutes on the economic devastation that happened area around the Kennedy Space Center after the end of the shuttle.

I really feel sorry for all of these talented guys and gals, and Elon can't afford to hire all of them. Although with 1800 employees he is making a dent.

 

[Midpack]

I just viewed the daily show interview with Elon Musk. I will not bother to post the URL. Mr. Musk is quite an accomplished individual but the questions were very disappointing to me. Sort of like asking Einstein how much is 2+2 and then marveling when he answered 'four'.

Funny as he can be, science & technology are not Stewart's forte. It was interesting that he pointed out that only 4 entities had put a space vehicle into orbit and also brought it back to earth under control - USA, USSR, China & Elon Musk/SpaceX.

Did anybody catch the segment on 60 Minutes on the economic devastation that happened area around the Kennedy Space Center after the end of the shuttle.

I really feel sorry for all of these talented guys and gals, and Elon can't afford to hire all of them. Although with 1800 employees he is making a dent.

It is sad, but predictable. I wonder how many saw the writing on the wall and left with some equity? The people they interviewed seemed to have known well in advance, I guess they just believed Congress would change their minds and fund NASA anyway. But still sad no matter what...

 

[Texas Proud]

Did anybody catch the segment on 60 Minutes on the economic devastation that happened area around the Kennedy Space Center after the end of the shuttle.

I really feel sorry for all of these talented guys and gals, and Elon can't afford to hire all of them. Although with 1800 employees he is making a dent.

It is sad, but predictable. I wonder how many saw the writing on the wall and left with some equity? The people they interviewed seemed to have known well in advance, I guess they just believed Congress would change their minds and fund NASA anyway. But still sad no matter what...

Yes, they did seem to know... but I think it would have been a bigger impact if they had not had most of the people on that probably have a great pension and can retire....

The thing that was more compelling was the knock on effect... where there were so many other business that went out of business since people were moving...

Just another example of why you should not be in a one company town....

 

[MuirWannabe]

See attached link for an article about SpaceX considering Texas location as a new Cape Canaveral. Interesting, especially to those of us from Texas and the NASA community.
SpaceX proposes Texas site for future rocket launches | Fox News

 

[clifp]

Funny as he can be, science & technology are not Stewart's forte. It was interesting that he pointed out that only 4 entities had put a space vehicle into orbit and also brought it back to earth under control - USA, USSR, China & Elon Musk/SpaceX.

.

I rolled my eyes a bit about this since that is exactly how the 60 Minutes piece on Elon started. Considering how Stewart rails on the media for being copy cats... I had to laugh.

 

[Chuckanut]

Funny as he can be, science & technology are not Stewart's forte. It was interesting that he pointed out that only 4 entities had put a space vehicle into orbit and also brought it back to earth under control - USA, USSR, China & Elon Musk/SpaceX.

True. I wish he had asked Musk about the rocket engines being built into the Dragon space craft. Unlike the old NASA vehicles, there will be no launch escape tower to jettison while still sitting on top of a burning rocket, so there will be more ability to escape a launch gone wrong. And, apparently, the engines can also be used for a soft landing on land. Nobody is doing that yet to my knowledge.

 

[clifp]

For those keeping score on the latest space race. It looks like is Elon Musk 3, North Korea 0. I hope the guy has good security I can just see the crazy North Korean trying to kidnap the guy to run their rocket program.

I was just thinking how mind boggling it would be for a North Korean rocket scientist to find out that one guy and one private company in the US is so far ahead of entire country.

 

[ChadR]

For those keeping score on the latest space race. It looks like is Elon Musk 3, North Korea 0. I hope the guy has good security I can just see the crazy North Korean trying to kidnap the guy to run their rocket program.

I was just thinking how mind boggling it would be for a North Korean rocket scientist to find out that one guy and one private company in the US is so far ahead of entire country.

I was thinking about this today as well. I came to the conclusion that Elon Musk has a very indirect but huge subsidy in the form of talent pool available to him. The USA having had such a significant space program for the past 50 years makes what Elon is doing possible. If he was in New Zealand it might be a bit harder to get the necessary talent for example.

 

[Chuckanut]

Mr. musk has been quite candid about help SpaceX has got from NASA.

 

[ERD50]

I was thinking about this today as well. I came to the conclusion that Elon Musk has a very indirect but huge subsidy in the form of talent pool available to him. The USA having had such a significant space program for the past 50 years makes what Elon is doing possible. If he was in New Zealand it might be a bit harder to get the necessary talent for example.

Mr. musk has been quite candid about help SpaceX has got from NASA.

One formula for success is being smart enough to see an opportunity and then being bold enough to act on it.

-ERD50

 

[clifp]

I was thinking about this today as well. I came to the conclusion that Elon Musk has a very indirect but huge subsidy in the form of talent pool available to him. The USA having had such a significant space program for the past 50 years makes what Elon is doing possible. If he was in New Zealand it might be a bit harder to get the necessary talent for example.

You are right and large talent pool and an entrepreneurial culture are big advantages. He is from South Africa but fortunately immigrated to the US via Canada by himself at 17. Interestingly enough the professor that started the Hawaii Angels organization that Nords' and I are member of also is from South Africa also. As a country we are very fortunate that America still attracts these type of people.

 

[Chuckanut]

It looks like Mr. Musk and his band of wonderkin have done it again!

SpaceX

 

[Midpack]

It looks like Mr. Musk and his band of wonderkin have done it again!

SpaceX

The missions not over but so far so good. I hope all goes well, it is impressive indeed. Elon Musk is remarkable and fascinating IMO...

 

[ChadR]

It looks like Mr. Musk and his band of wonderkin have done it again!

SpaceX

Very cool! I'm hoping for a docking! Fingers crossed.

 

[Free To Canoe]

Met him a few years back at his factory with the Deputy Administrator of NASA. Really neat guy,cofounded Paypal, started a car company and builds rockets on a general Russian design. Uses oil line welders to fabricate the larger stages. Does it cheaper than other US companies and cheaper than the Russians. I loved visiting the plant, I felt that if I were younger I would have bolted NASA and tried to work there, it just 'smelled right', like going around some of the labs at CALTECH only more production oriented. (Not like I was some important guy, I was just in the back of the room with these and other top folks but I could actually see what was going on and its really good.) Have no idea how he will look on TV, I'll have to watch.

Had lunch with some of the SpaceX people when I worked in El Segundo. Interesting stuff they work on.

 

[Zathras]

Not only that but Tesla announced today the final crash results were in and they can now start selling the Model S!
First customers are to receive theirs June 22nd

Elon had a very very good day today!

 

[Chuckanut]

Here is an interesting look at the life, accomplishments and future goals of Elon Musk. I must admit I would like to know more about the HyperLoop transportation system.

Elon Musk, the 21st Century Industrialist - Businessweek

 

[Chuckanut]

Interesting article on recent developments in international relations and SpaceX. Elon Musk must be wearing a watermelon smile at the moment.

Russia's New Space Sanctions Mean SpaceX Is About to Get Paid | Motherboard

Russia just announced plans to shut down the International Space Station in 2020, and prohibited companies in the country from selling engines to Lockheed Martin and Boeing for military launch purposes.

 

[Totoro]

Interesting article on recent developments in international relations and SpaceX. Elon Musk must be wearing a watermelon smile at the moment.

Russia's New Space Sanctions Mean SpaceX Is About to Get Paid | Motherboard

Bold predictions for 2020:

• The ISS will still be there
• The russians are back in the poor house
• Europe is energy independent
• The Chinese embark on a five year plan to match SpaceX on price, and fail
• The Ariane program is restructured three times until french-speaking Germans run the whole thing

 

[sailor]

Bold predictions for 2020:

• Europe is energy independent

That's probably the most ambitious goal in your prediction.
How do you think it's going to be achieved?
There is no way I can see Europe investing in energy development during next 6 years bringing it to "independence".
What do you mean by independent?
As far as I know there are no new technologies coming available soon.
DEMO tokamak won't be operational until at least 2033 and Energy Catalyzer is probably a scam.

 

[Totoro]

I meant independent as in in self-reliant, certainly not ditching fossil fuels.

Right now Europe is importing about 30% of its gas needs from Russia, that's what I was referring to

On a good windy summer day Germany now has more solar / wind production than it needs - they are actually selling power at negative prices at times (!).

Ways to achieve: Solar, nuclear (France gets 60% of electricity from that), insulation and energy savings, a bit of wind.

And the rest is plain old rotten dinosaur and plant remains, gotten from the North sea, Norway or NL.

 

[clifp]

Interesting article on recent developments in international relations and SpaceX. Elon Musk must be wearing a watermelon smile at the moment.

Russia's New Space Sanctions Mean SpaceX Is About to Get Paid | Motherboard

This will be an interesting case study in the power of lobbyist. The SpaceX solution will have less political risk, will undoubtedly be less expensive and will use almost entirely US sourced parts.

The ULA solution will have a longer track record and will spread the pork out among more congressional and senate seats.