"As Dr. Robert Zubrin, president and founder of the Mars Society, wrote after the launch: “Seven years ago, the Augustine commission said that NASA's Moon program had to be cancelled because the development of the necessary heavy lift booster would take 12 years and 36 billion dollars. SpaceX has now done that, on its own dime, in half the time and a twentieth of the cost. And not only that, but the launch vehicle is three quarters reusable.”"
It’s a Faux News story, so obviously they don’t know about other current developments in the grand global Space Race such as Rocket Lab’s 3D printed launch vehicle that just put a satellite into orbit.
They don’t know about Japan’s SS-520 “sounding” rocket that is only 20 feet tall (read: not much rocket fuel or metal+assembly costs) and just put a satellite into orbit, either.
Rutan’s venture with Virgin Galactic has put two Americans into Space, privately... and is on track to launch paying Space tourists. The innovative approach there is an aerial rocket launch from 50,000 feet.
SpaceX is to be lauded, but someone more cerbrial than Fox News needs to do it.
Maybe even a Blue Origin/Bezos mention...
Starman, and the boosters landing, was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.
Private sector breathing some real excitement back into American space exploration.
Meanwhile NASA gov scientists say: “Global warming is real and we must do something about it.”
My family is sort of living this. Our kid will graduate as an astronautical engineer in may. His college job is on Flight Operations at NASA with a satellite that is 21 years old. Its mission was supposed to be four years and it’s still almost fully functional.
We’re excited for him and his career choice and the awesome timing he’s been blessed with.
Newt, I would be a lot more impressed if his burn out of orbit had put his rocket anywhere near his intended target. His rocket is headed nowhere in particular.
Also, It would have been nice to see him launch a full payload instead a 3500 lb sedan with a dummy inside.
Oh, one more thing, Newt, in another year and a half NASA is gonna be launching a rocket that will be about double the payload of the Falcon Heavy.
Incorrect. The space shuttle produced 7.8 million pounds of total thrust versus the Falcon 9 heavy’s 5.1 million pounds.
Obama and world communists are very saddened, yet these Musk types still seem to vote left because they like the government’s help, as if it could be safely harnested.
It’s not quite as much as a 737 aircraft. I have a Boeing 737 type rating and the smallest currently flying is the 737-700. A 737-700 is 154,500 pounds Max takeoff weight.
but Starman is going the Wrong Way
Government has held back space technologies since about 1972.
The NRO, a name rarely mentioned but it is the most important name in space today, has held back the use of space.
What was the exclusive domain of the NRO is now a common technology. It is amazing the NRO still keeps photographic satellites classified when everyone know about space-based photos and uses them daily.