Private Enterprise Stalls on the Final Frontier by ANTHONYT

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

Private Enterprise Stalls on the Final Frontier

POSTED BY: ANTHONYT
UPDATED: Friday, May 25, 2012 12:57
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VIEWED: 1410
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Saturday, May 19, 2012 5:59 AM

Freedom is Important because People are Important

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/19/tech/us-spacex/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

Hello,

I was somewhat dismayed that the launch was missed on this rocket. I am glad that the safety of the payload is being given a high priority. However, I feel that we need to get to a place technologically where we are capable of launching payloads routinely on-time and without complication.

I yearn for the day when the launching of a rocket is fraught with no more technical glitches than the starting of a new automobile.

(And now someone will tell the hilarious story of new cars that break down in the dealership.)

--Anthony

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Saturday, May 19, 2012 7:09 AM

FREMDFIRMA

That one was NOT my fault!
Fekkin (north) American made crap...

-F

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Saturday, May 19, 2012 10:25 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Did it blow up on the launch pad ?

No? Is it rescheduled for a later take off ? Yes ?

Then what's the fuss ?

" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

"The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 4:10 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Engage!

To boldly go, where no private enterprise has gone before!

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off with an unmanned Dragon capsule into dark skies above the the cape at 3:44 a.m. ET — three days after a last-second scrub kept it bolted to the launch pad even as the countdown clock ticked toward zero.

Some 11 minutes after launch, the solar arrays deployed on the Dragon, prompting cheers and high-fives among SpaceX employees in the Hawthorne, Calif., mission control center. The solar array deployment had been considered the first big post-launch test.

"Falcon flew perfectly!!" SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk tweeted from California. "Dragon in orbit. … Feels like a giant weight just came off my back."

At a post-launch news conference, Musk described the moment as a major adrenaline rush, and "obviously an extremely intense moment."

"For us, it's like winning the Super Bowl," he said.

" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

"The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 4:28 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Anthony, as I said before; our previous ventures into space, from what I've read, were spurred by the Cold War, and the Space Race was financed by the military. Without the need to have some military advantage, the odds of any government putting the kind of money into it to make it successful are few to none. I don't think private enterprise will succeed as quickly or as well, so it probably won't be in our lifetimes that anything moves ahead enough for your dream to come true. CERTAINLY not in my lifetime, if ever.

It's a shame, too, as I feel the same way you do to a degree. At the same time, I have concerns about us taking our species out into the galaxy and messing things up THERE as badly as we have here, so it doesn't bother me that it won't happen outside our own sphere for influence while I'm alive!

Nonetheless, I know how you feel, I just wouldn't get my hopes up.

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 5:08 AM

CAVETROLL

Niki,
Space is REALLY big and a really cold, unforgiving bitch. The stupid and lazy will die in droves, sadly taking many smart and diligent people with them. But ultimately it will be a natural selection process. I think it will be statistically impossible for us to screw all of space up.

I really hope this is a baby step and leads to successively bigger and more ambitious steps. We've had all of our eggs in one basket for far too long.

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 5:11 AM

M52NICKERSON

DALEK!

Quote:
Originally posted by CaveTroll:
I think it will be statistically impossible for us to screw all of space up.

Never underestimate man's ability to fuck something up.

I do not fear God, I fear the ignorance of man.

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 8:25 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by CaveTroll:
Niki,
Space is REALLY big and a really cold, unforgiving bitch. The stupid and lazy will die in droves, sadly taking many smart and diligent people with them. But ultimately it will be a natural selection process. I think it will be statistically impossible for us to screw all of space up.

Like anytime a new frontier is settled, those with the most drive, ingenuity and ability to survive against the odds and elements will do so.

Our species will learn how to leave this planet, or it will eventually become extinct. One way ,or another.

" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

"The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 1:15 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Sort of surprised there's not been more chatter about this, and especially HERE.

In a way, what we have w/ this launch, is the direct forerunner to... our own SERENITY!

A privately operated ship, carrying cargo off world, taking jobs as they come...

" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

"The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 2:54 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up

Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Engage!

To boldly go, where no private enterprise has gone before!

More than you know.

Apparently, James Doohan's ashes were included in the cargo of the SpaceX Falcon 9, along with those of astronaut Gordon Cooper and NASA engineer Bob Shrake.

Quote:
The ashes were in a special container, which SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell confirmed Tuesday was in the second stage of the Falcon rocket. That section of the rocket was jettisoned about 10 minutes after launching a capsule full of supplies for the International Space Station. It will remain in orbit for about a year then burn up as it returns to Earth.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57439689/star-treks-scotty-finally
-launched-into-space/

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 3:12 PM

DREAMTROVE

Quote:
Originally posted by FREMDFIRMA:

That one was NOT my fault!
Fekkin (north) American made crap...

-F

Musk probably agrees.

I found this quote curious: "I believe $500 per pound or less is very achievable."

Not by his design here, but he knows that. Speaking of Elon, how's Tesla doing?

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 3:47 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Geezer:
Quote:
Originally posted by AURaptor:
Engage!

To boldly go, where no private enterprise has gone before!

More than you know.

Apparently, James Doohan's ashes were included in the cargo of the SpaceX Falcon 9, along with those of astronaut Gordon Cooper and NASA engineer Bob Shrake.

Wow! That IS fraking cool!

Kinda also reminds me of ST: First Contact, where a back yard genius goes up in a home made rocket, and ushers in the warp drive era for humans.

OK, maybe not, but the tie in is still quite impressive.

" We're all just folk. " - Mal

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

"The world is a dangerous place. Not because of the people who are evil; but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012 4:17 PM

OONJERAH

Quote CaveTroll: "We've had all of our eggs in one basket for far too long."

I imagine that humans will actually survive our rape of planet earth and nature
. . . not all of us, of course, but a few of the fittest (as in rich = fit).

If one plans for the worst case scenario, then Islands in the Sky are a must
and soon. I've always wanted one of those. *sigh*

. . . . .The worst and most frequent consequence of paranoia is that it's self-fulfilling.

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Friday, May 25, 2012 12:52 PM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up

Need to change the title of this thread.

The Dragon capsule sucessfully docked with the ISS this morning.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/25/us/spacex/index.html

Now all that's left is successful de-orbit and recovery.

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Friday, May 25, 2012 12:57 PM

ANTHONYT

Freedom is Important because People are Important

Hello,

The thread title is accurate to the stated event. To whit: Launch date was missed due to technical difficulties. Op goes on to wish for a time when rockets will be as reliable as brand new automobiles.

I am very glad the rocket reached the space station after launching late, but this changes none of the observations or commentary about the missed launch or wishes for the future.

--Anthony

Note to Self:
Raptor - women who want to control their reproductive processes are sluts.
Wulf - Niki is a stupid fucking bitch who should hurry up and die.
Never forget what these men are.
“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.” -Thomas Szasz

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