Japan’s Space agency is considering SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy as the main launch for its HTV-X. Thie HTV-X would be used to supply a new Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway.
The European Space Agency is looking to launch a six-ton lunar station module around 2024. The European Space Agency is also considering the SpaceX Falcon Heavy.
The SpaceX Heavy would cost between $100 to 150 million to launch instead of the $400 million for the Delta IV Heavy or the potential $1 billion for the Space Launch System.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
Strong possibility: ULA’s cronies will have their buddies on the SEC jail Musk, thus throwing the stock price of every company Musk runs into a tailspin. Then ULA — with government financing guarantees to be sure — will swoop in and buy it all up, with Space Force forcing the issue at the critical moment. Then they shelve SpaceX’s tech and keep selling their Delta IVs and…eventually…their SLS to the Japanese and Europeans. If either Japan or Europe make noises of starting up their own programs, Space Force/ULA will threaten to deploy SpaceX tech to bankrupt them after they’ve sunk billions into rebuilding their programs. Before the Ignoramuses on here scream that Space Force is about the military, I’ll be nice and head them off the pass by mentioning they should look more closely at Space Force’s DECLARED full mission/scope is.
When one is in the throws of a Muskgasm while posting to NBF, mistakes like that can happen.
They added a speech synthesizer module? Or are they just throttling the engine really fast? Brian, SpaceX is in talks with Japan and Europe. The SpaceX Falcon Heavy is a booster, it can’t enter into talks with anyone.
Good. The more business for Falcon Heavy, the more money for building BFR, which could succeed it. I’m not considering BFR as a done deal either, so it is also good to have a proven workhorse for heavy payloads so things can continue happening in space regardless.
Strong possibility: ULA’s cronies will have their buddies on the SEC jail Musk thus throwing the stock price of every company Musk runs into a tailspin. Then ULA — with government financing guarantees to be sure — will swoop in and buy it all up with Space Force forcing the issue at the critical moment. Then they shelve SpaceX’s tech and keep selling their Delta IVs and…eventually…their SLS to the Japanese and Europeans. If either Japan or Europe make noises of starting up their own programs Space Force/ULA will threaten to deploy SpaceX tech to bankrupt them after they’ve sunk billions into rebuilding their programs.Before the Ignoramuses on here scream that Space Force is about the military I’ll be nice and head them off the pass by mentioning they should look more closely at Space Force’s DECLARED full mission/scope is.
When one is in the throws of a Muskgasm while posting to NBF mistakes like that can happen.
They added a speech synthesizer module? Or are they just throttling the engine really fast?Brian SpaceX is in talks with Japan and Europe. The SpaceX Falcon Heavy is a booster it can’t enter into talks with anyone.
Good. The more business for Falcon Heavy the more money for building BFR which could succeed it.I’m not considering BFR as a done deal either so it is also good to have a proven workhorse for heavy payloads so things can continue happening in space regardless.
Don’t be silly – BFR represents a powerful capability, and nobody’s going to discard that for the sake of cronyism. Even if Congressional pork-barrel interests want to keep SLS going, they’ll be hard-pressed to do so, let alone dare to block the quantum leap forward from BFR. I predict SLS will eventually die a natural death, once BFR goes into operation.
Watching Falcon Heavy launch and then land was fantastic! Move over World Cup Soccer, space launches are the new spectator sport – le plus grand spectacle! It’ll be great if Falcon Heavy sees more activity – the regular Falcon-9 launches are feeling a bit riutine now – at least this platform will get some use before it gets retired by BFR.
Yes, I am still somewhat skeptical that BFR is the right design. I was somewhat dismayed that Musk said they were going all-in on it and stopping production and development of Falcon 9/Heavy in the near term.
Musk doesn’t run any other public companies. ULA buying SpaceX would be quite a feat, given that Musk has 78% voting control.
and…eventually…their SLS to the Japanese and Europeans.” For what purpose? SLS doesn’t even pretend to be commercial, and no one currently has.a commercial payload needing that capacity. (nor will one materialize, given the probable launch price) “If either Japan or Europe make noises of starting up their own programs, Space Force/ULA will threaten to deploy SpaceX tech to bankrupt them after they’ve sunk billions into rebuilding their programs. ” If ULA thinks it can actually ‘shelve,’ then dust off and use that tech (with SpaceX engineers and technicians long gone elsewhere in your scenario…possibly to Blue Origin), more power to em’ if they think they *can* make it work well enough and soon enough to matter. Europe and Japan aren’t likely to give up their own launcher programs to begin with (Japan, especially, would want domestic launch capability of its own milsats, just as we do). ULA would be in trouble, if that bluff is called.
That’s some wishful thinking your first two points. Also is Space Force mainly NOT military? I can’t find a good mission statement from them. Regardless deploying assets for the military I thought was going to be their mission (pretty much just re-branding Air Force Space Command) since discharging of weapons cannot be done in space as per the Outer Space Treaty. Any violation of that would reduce the U.S.’s global standing and allow adversaries increased leverage and all for pretty much nothing (ASATs tests”” are easy).”””
Don’t be silly – BFR represents a powerful capability and nobody’s going to discard that for the sake of cronyism. Even if Congressional pork-barrel interests want to keep SLS going they’ll be hard-pressed to do so let alone dare to block the quantum leap forward from BFR. I predict SLS will eventually die a natural death once BFR goes into operation.
Watching Falcon Heavy launch and then land was fantastic! Move over World Cup Soccer space launches are the new spectator sport – le plus grand spectacle! It’ll be great if Falcon Heavy sees more activity – the regular Falcon-9 launches are feeling a bit riutine now – at least this platform will get some use before it gets retired by BFR.
Yes I am still somewhat skeptical that BFR is the right design. I was somewhat dismayed that Musk said they were going all-in on it and stopping production and development of Falcon 9/Heavy in the near term.
Musk doesn’t run any other public companies. ULA buying SpaceX would be quite a feat given that Musk has 78{22800fc54956079738b58e74e4dcd846757aa319aad70fcf90c97a58f3119a12} voting control.
and…eventually…their SLS to the Japanese and Europeans.””For what purpose? SLS doesn’t even pretend to be commercial”” and no one currently has.a commercial payload needing that capacity. (nor will one materialize”” given the probable launch price)””””If either Japan or Europe make noises of starting up their own programs”””” Space Force/ULA will threaten to deploy SpaceX tech to bankrupt them after they’ve sunk billions into rebuilding their programs. “”””If ULA thinks it can actually ‘shelve””‘ then dust off and use that tech (with SpaceX engineers and technicians long gone elsewhere in your scenario…possibly to Blue Origin) more power to em’ if they think they *can* make it work well enough and soon enough to matter.Europe and Japan aren’t likely to give up their own launcher programs to begin with (Japan especially would want domestic launch capability of its own milsats just as we do). ULA would be in trouble”” if that bluff is called.”””
SpaceX is a private company that Musk owns most of it. There are very few investors and the SEC doesn’t involve itself in the matters of private companies only public ones. The IRS or FBI handles investigations of private companies.
No need to get too excited about SpaceX and reusability. Below are links demonstrating some of the already available technologies for space flight much appropriate for the purpose than chemical rockets that are not publically known to be used for the purpose although there is a rumor that they are and that the secrecy is part of a larger conspiracy to keep people small by depriving them of knowledge about their true potential. If this is not the case, the a question should be asked why these technologies are not used for space flight. Here are the simple demonstration links from light to heavy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeyDf4ooPdo&t=211s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=160 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006d36WWyaQ&t=96s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=157 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYJXE4FCm7Q&t=0s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=158 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ChsZUwqTeE&t=0s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=159
The new US Space Force should be front and centre for building new Falcons and Falcon heavies, including sufficient to surge launch replacement satellites or X-37’s in the event of an emergency.
Leave your insults at the door, please. Yes, it bans WMDs as well as firing WMDs, testing any type of weapon, military installations, military maneuvers, and military personnel that are not directly being used in the pursuit of science. Hence, my question to you.
I’ll repeat: he doesn’t run any other public companies. Other than Tesla. Which is the only one.
He doesn’t run Tesla?
…BFR represents a powerful capability, and nobody’s going to discard that for the sake of cronyism.” Yet another one who thinks the world operates otherwise than it truly does. I am not the one being silly, here.
Wow. Two things: 1) You are ignorant. 2) Outer Space Treaty only bans stationing of WMDs into space. Not weapons in general nor the firing of WMDs in space. Which returns us to point #1.
That’s some wishful thinking, your first two points. Also, is Space Force mainly NOT military? I can’t find a good mission statement from them. Regardless, deploying assets for the military I thought was going to be their mission (pretty much just re-branding Air Force Space Command) since discharging of weapons cannot be done in space as per the Outer Space Treaty. Any violation of that would reduce the U.S.’s global standing and allow adversaries increased leverage, and all for pretty much nothing (ASATs “tests” are easy).
SpaceX is a private company that Musk owns most of it. There are very few investors and the SEC doesn’t involve itself in the matters of private companies only public ones. The IRS or FBI handles investigations of private companies.
No need to get too excited about SpaceX and reusability. Below are links demonstrating some of the already available technologies for space flight much appropriate for the purpose than chemical rockets that are not publically known to be used for the purpose although there is a rumor that they are and that the secrecy is part of a larger conspiracy to keep people small by depriving them of knowledge about their true potential. If this is not the case the a question should be asked why these technologies are not used for space flight. Here are the simple demonstration links from light to heavy:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeyDf4ooPdo&t=211s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=160https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006d36WWyaQ&t=96s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=157https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYJXE4FCm7Q&t=0s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=158https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ChsZUwqTeE&t=0s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=159
The new US Space Force should be front and centre for building new Falcons and Falcon heavies including sufficient to surge launch replacement satellites or X-37’s in the event of an emergency.
Leave your insults at the door please. Yes it bans WMDs as well as firing WMDs testing any type of weapon military installations military maneuvers and military personnel that are not directly being used in the pursuit of science. Hence my question to you.
I’ll repeat: he doesn’t run any other public companies. Other than Tesla. Which is the only one.
He doesn’t run Tesla?
…BFR represents a powerful capability” and nobody’s going to discard that for the sake of cronyism.””Yet another one who thinks the world operates otherwise than it truly does.I am not the one being silly”””” here.”””
Wow.Two things:1) You are ignorant. 2) Outer Space Treaty only bans stationing of WMDs into space. Not weapons in general nor the firing of WMDs in space.Which returns us to point #1.
We will have long forgotten your post “, speak for yourself. Now he’s a sockpuppeting troll, so it will have changed it’s name so as to be unaccountable in any way for it’s present idiocy, but I for one will call the fool on it if I have the opportunity.
ULA’s cronies will have their buddies on the SEC jail Musk
A) Vuukle will not show links. It would be good of Mr. Wang to explain why he continues to entertain the use of crippled, and incomprehensibly conceived commenting systems. If it involves monetization — I thought that was what the Patreon account of his which I signed up to was for. B) No, there are no more appropriate space access technologies in the near term for getting into LEO, because none you could possibly mention have any ability to become mature systems within the next 5 years, at which point the cost (not necessarily price) of Methalox chemical launchers will be below $35/lb for humans and bulk cargo. The “more appropriate” technologies have to beat that price.
We will have long forgotten your post “”” speak for yourself.Now he’s a sockpuppeting troll so it will have changed it’s name so as to be unaccountable in any way for it’s present idiocy”” but I for one will call the fool on it if I have the opportunity.”””
ULA’s cronies will have their buddies on the SEC jail Musk “” “””
A) Vuukle will not show links. It would be good of Mr. Wang to explain why he continues to entertain the use of crippled and incomprehensibly conceived commenting systems. If it involves monetization — I thought that was what the Patreon account of his which I signed up to was for.B) No there are no more appropriate space access technologies in the near term for getting into LEO because none you could possibly mention have any ability to become mature systems within the next 5 years at which point the cost (not necessarily price) of Methalox chemical launchers will be below $35/lb for humans and bulk cargo. The more appropriate”” technologies have to beat that price.”””
Stating that you are ignorant is simply an observation. This isn’t a ‘safe place’ to protect your feelings from feed back. “…as well as firing WMDs” No, it does not. And conventional weapons can still be used, like KEWs, which are better than nukes anyway in many ways.
Musk Derangement Syndrome! Amazing.
Stating facts is not ‘talking about paranoia and conspiracy’. And the ‘took on the…’ BS is just straight up Musk Fluffing. Period.
Talk about paranoia and conspiracy. Musk took on the financial institutions with his PayPal He took on the auto industry with Tesla He took on the oil companies with his battery technology and pricing He is challenging the rail industry He is challenging tunnel boring industry He has talked about taking on the aerospace with electric wide body aircraft He took on the power industry with his Solar City. And he hasn’t been bumped off by any men-in-black, CIA, corporate goons, military-industrial lobbyists and the like. The best thing about what you said is that most of it can be tested against future events. We will have long forgotten your post, but it’s good if YOU test your predictions in the next 20 years, simply by keeping in touch with events.
Stating that you are ignorant is simply an observation. This isn’t a ‘safe place’ to protect your feelings from feed back….as well as firing WMDs””No”” it does not. And conventional weapons can still be used like KEWs”” which are better than nukes anyway in many ways.”””
Musk Derangement Syndrome! Amazing.
Stating facts is not ‘talking about paranoia and conspiracy’.And the ‘took on the…’ BS is just straight up Musk Fluffing. Period.
Talk about paranoia and conspiracy.Musk took on the financial institutions with his PayPalHe took on the auto industry with TeslaHe took on the oil companies with his battery technology and pricingHe is challenging the rail industryHe is challenging tunnel boring industryHe has talked about taking on the aerospace with electric wide body aircraftHe took on the power industry with his Solar City.And he hasn’t been bumped off by any men-in-black CIA corporate goonsmilitary-industrial lobbyists and the like.The best thing about what you said is that most of it can be tested againstfuture events. We will have long forgotten your post but it’s good if YOUtest your predictions in the next 20 years simply by keeping in touch withevents.
You’re right, this isn’t a safe place. And don’t worry, my feelings are quite alright. I just didn’t want your argument to look any weaker than it already was from to your warrantless name calling. “No, it does not. And conventional weapons can still be used, like KEWs, which are better than nukes anyway in many ways.” What you’re telling me, then, is that you can’t place WMDs in space, but you can fire them from space. Ask yourself: does this make sense? Again, yes; firing WMDs from space is illegal under the OST. Even if it weren’t, military installations, and military maneuvers, and the testing of *any* weapon is still prohibited. Please, be my guest. Go read the Outer Space Treaty on the UNOOSA website. It’s literally spelled out in black and white for all to see. Additionally, for your information, the use of KEWs as impactors on Earth’s surface *can* constitute them being branded a WMD depending on the energy released, but that is another discussion for another time.
You’re right this isn’t a safe place. And don’t worry my feelings are quite alright. I just didn’t want your argument to look any weaker than it already was from to your warrantless name calling.No” it does not. And conventional weapons can still be used like KEWs” which are better than nukes anyway in many ways.””What you’re telling me”” then is that you can’t place WMDs in space but you can fire them from space. Ask yourself: does this make sense? Again yes; firing WMDs from space is illegal under the OST. Even if it weren’t military installations and military maneuvers and the testing of *any* weapon is still prohibited. Please be my guest. Go read the Outer Space Treaty on the UNOOSA website. It’s literally spelled out in black and white for all to see. Additionally for your information the use of KEWs as impactors on Earth’s surface *can* constitute them being branded a WMD depending on the energy released”” but that is another discussion for another time.”””
Sockpuppet derangement syndrome. That word doesn’t mean what you think it means. Look up the word sockpuppet. It does not mean “changes his name every six months or so, in a totally transparent way”.
Unless R.Kimhi knew perfectly well that there would be no links and so was making a point that there are no such links because no such fancy new space tech.
Sockpuppet derangement syndrome. That word doesn’t mean what you think it means.Look up the word sockpuppet. It does not mean changes his name every six months or so” in a totally transparent way””.”””
Unless R.Kimhi knew perfectly well that there would be no links and so was making a point that there are no such links because no such fancy new space tech.
Except he wasn’t transparent about it and denied it later. Changing your online ID in an unclear way is not sockpuppetting how?
Except he wasn’t transparent about it and denied it later. Changing your online ID in an unclear way is not sockpuppetting how?
Really?
Huh, first comment didn’t post. Damn Vuukle. A sockpuppeteer is someone who uses more than one commenting name to avoid accountability for bad behavior under another name, and or to make their opinions seem to be better supported. I don’t know why you’d think he isn’t doing both, and he’s certainly trolling. Just ask him to quote the “2nd tweet” where he claims Musk retracted anything.
Really?
Huh first comment didn’t post. Damn Vuukle.A sockpuppeteer is someone who uses more than one commenting name to avoid accountability for bad behavior under another name and or to make their opinions seem to be better supported. I don’t know why you’d think he isn’t doing both and he’s certainly trolling.Just ask him to quote the 2nd tweet”” where he claims Musk retracted anything.”””
Really?
Huh, first comment didn’t post. Damn Vuukle.
A sockpuppeteer is someone who uses more than one commenting name to avoid accountability for bad behavior under another name, and or to make their opinions seem to be better supported. I don’t know why you’d think he isn’t doing both, and he’s certainly trolling.
Just ask him to quote the “2nd tweet” where he claims Musk retracted anything.
Except he wasn’t transparent about it and denied it later. Changing your online ID in an unclear way is not sockpuppetting how?
Sockpuppet derangement syndrome. That word doesn’t mean what you think it means.
Look up the word sockpuppet. It does not mean “changes his name every six months or so, in a totally transparent way”.
Unless R.Kimhi knew perfectly well that there would be no links and so was making a point that there are no such links because no such fancy new space tech.
You’re right, this isn’t a safe place. And don’t worry, my feelings are quite alright. I just didn’t want your argument to look any weaker than it already was from to your warrantless name calling.
“No, it does not. And conventional weapons can still be used, like KEWs, which are better than nukes anyway in many ways.”
What you’re telling me, then, is that you can’t place WMDs in space, but you can fire them from space. Ask yourself: does this make sense? Again, yes; firing WMDs from space is illegal under the OST. Even if it weren’t, military installations, and military maneuvers, and the testing of *any* weapon is still prohibited. Please, be my guest. Go read the Outer Space Treaty on the UNOOSA website. It’s literally spelled out in black and white for all to see.
Additionally, for your information, the use of KEWs as impactors on Earth’s surface *can* constitute them being branded a WMD depending on the energy released, but that is another discussion for another time.
Stating that you are ignorant is simply an observation. This isn’t a ‘safe place’ to protect your feelings from feed back.
“…as well as firing WMDs”
No, it does not.
And conventional weapons can still be used, like KEWs, which are better than nukes anyway in many ways.
Musk Derangement Syndrome!
Amazing.
Stating facts is not ‘talking about paranoia and conspiracy’.
And the ‘took on the…’ BS is just straight up Musk Fluffing. Period.
Talk about paranoia and conspiracy.
Musk took on the financial institutions with his PayPal
He took on the auto industry with Tesla
He took on the oil companies with his battery technology and pricing
He is challenging the rail industry
He is challenging tunnel boring industry
He has talked about taking on the aerospace with electric wide body aircraft
He took on the power industry with his Solar City.
And he hasn’t been bumped off by any men-in-black, CIA, corporate goons,
military-industrial lobbyists and the like.
The best thing about what you said is that most of it can be tested against
future events. We will have long forgotten your post, but it’s good if YOU
test your predictions in the next 20 years, simply by keeping in touch with
events.
” We will have long forgotten your post “, speak for yourself.
Now he’s a sockpuppeting troll, so it will have changed it’s name so as to be unaccountable in any way for it’s present idiocy, but I for one will call the fool on it if I have the opportunity.
” ULA’s cronies will have their buddies on the SEC jail Musk ” <-- A fraudulent prosecution which will delight the idiotic, sockpuppeting troll WarrenTheApe, if such a miscarriage of justice were to be attempted. No WarrenTheTroll, SpaceX will not be nationalized,it's technology will not go unused (by them) and your fondest dreams will go unrealized.
A) Vuukle will not show links. It would be good of Mr. Wang to explain why he continues to entertain the use of crippled, and incomprehensibly conceived commenting systems. If it involves monetization — I thought that was what the Patreon account of his which I signed up to was for.
B) No, there are no more appropriate space access technologies in the near term for getting into LEO, because none you could possibly mention have any ability to become mature systems within the next 5 years, at which point the cost (not necessarily price) of Methalox chemical launchers will be below $35/lb for humans and bulk cargo. The “more appropriate” technologies have to beat that price.
SpaceX is a private company that Musk owns most of it. There are very few investors and the SEC doesn’t involve itself in the matters of private companies only public ones. The IRS or FBI handles investigations of private companies.
No need to get too excited about SpaceX and reusability. Below are links demonstrating some of the already available technologies for space flight much appropriate for the purpose than chemical rockets that are not publically known to be used for the purpose although there is a rumor that they are and that the secrecy is part of a larger conspiracy to keep people small by depriving them of knowledge about their true potential. If this is not the case, the a question should be asked why these technologies are not used for space flight. Here are the simple demonstration links from light to heavy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeyDf4ooPdo&t=211s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=160
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=006d36WWyaQ&t=96s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=157
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYJXE4FCm7Q&t=0s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=158
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ChsZUwqTeE&t=0s&list=PLtHWLvUowpcTaWtyuQSS-fgEPSPikCjr4&index=159
The new US Space Force should be front and centre for building new Falcons and Falcon heavies, including sufficient to surge launch replacement satellites or X-37’s in the event of an emergency.
Leave your insults at the door, please.
Yes, it bans WMDs as well as firing WMDs, testing any type of weapon, military installations, military maneuvers, and military personnel that are not directly being used in the pursuit of science. Hence, my question to you.
I’ll repeat: he doesn’t run any other public companies. Other than Tesla. Which is the only one.
He doesn’t run Tesla?
“…BFR represents a powerful capability, and nobody’s going to discard that for the sake of cronyism.”
Yet another one who thinks the world operates otherwise than it truly does.
I am not the one being silly, here.
Wow.
Two things:
1) You are ignorant.
2) Outer Space Treaty only bans stationing of WMDs into space. Not weapons in general nor the firing of WMDs in space.
Which returns us to point #1.
That’s some wishful thinking, your first two points.
Also, is Space Force mainly NOT military? I can’t find a good mission statement from them. Regardless, deploying assets for the military I thought was going to be their mission (pretty much just re-branding Air Force Space Command) since discharging of weapons cannot be done in space as per the Outer Space Treaty. Any violation of that would reduce the U.S.’s global standing and allow adversaries increased leverage, and all for pretty much nothing (ASATs “tests” are easy).
Don’t be silly – BFR represents a powerful capability, and nobody’s going to discard that for the sake of cronyism. Even if Congressional pork-barrel interests want to keep SLS going, they’ll be hard-pressed to do so, let alone dare to block the quantum leap forward from BFR. I predict SLS will eventually die a natural death, once BFR goes into operation.
Watching Falcon Heavy launch and then land was fantastic! Move over World Cup Soccer, space launches are the new spectator sport – le plus grand spectacle! It’ll be great if Falcon Heavy sees more activity – the regular Falcon-9 launches are feeling a bit riutine now – at least this platform will get some use before it gets retired by BFR.
Yes, I am still somewhat skeptical that BFR is the right design. I was somewhat dismayed that Musk said they were going all-in on it and stopping production and development of Falcon 9/Heavy in the near term.
Musk doesn’t run any other public companies. ULA buying SpaceX would be quite a feat, given that Musk has 78% voting control.
” and…eventually…their SLS to the Japanese and Europeans.”
For what purpose? SLS doesn’t even pretend to be commercial, and no one currently has.a commercial payload needing that capacity. (nor will one materialize, given the probable launch price)
“If either Japan or Europe make noises of starting up their own programs, Space Force/ULA will threaten to deploy SpaceX tech to bankrupt them after they’ve sunk billions into rebuilding their programs. ”
If ULA thinks it can actually ‘shelve,’ then dust off and use that tech (with SpaceX engineers and technicians long gone elsewhere in your scenario…possibly to Blue Origin), more power to em’ if they think they *can* make it work well enough and soon enough to matter.
Europe and Japan aren’t likely to give up their own launcher programs to begin with (Japan, especially, would want domestic launch capability of its own milsats, just as we do).
ULA would be in trouble, if that bluff is called.
Strong possibility:
ULA’s cronies will have their buddies on the SEC jail Musk, thus throwing the stock price of every company Musk runs into a tailspin. Then ULA — with government financing guarantees to be sure — will swoop in and buy it all up, with Space Force forcing the issue at the critical moment.
Then they shelve SpaceX’s tech and keep selling their Delta IVs and…eventually…their SLS to the Japanese and Europeans. If either Japan or Europe make noises of starting up their own programs, Space Force/ULA will threaten to deploy SpaceX tech to bankrupt them after they’ve sunk billions into rebuilding their programs.
Before the Ignoramuses on here scream that Space Force is about the military, I’ll be nice and head them off the pass by mentioning they should look more closely at Space Force’s DECLARED full mission/scope is.
When one is in the throws of a Muskgasm while posting to NBF, mistakes like that can happen.
They added a speech synthesizer module? Or are they just throttling the engine really fast?
Brian, SpaceX is in talks with Japan and Europe. The SpaceX Falcon Heavy is a booster, it can’t enter into talks with anyone.
Good. The more business for Falcon Heavy, the more money for building BFR, which could succeed it.
I’m not considering BFR as a done deal either, so it is also good to have a proven workhorse for heavy payloads so things can continue happening in space regardless.