Rocket catch!

[Mickwhitt 4,605]

Say what you want about Elon Musk, well he says what he wants about everyone else. Lol

But watch that super heavy booster rocket come in to land, or rather to be caught by a tower. 

Wow! First time!

Now that was impressive my friends....

[davem1111 2,030]

I agree - very impressive. As a big SciFi fan, and also one who wants us to be exploring space, I'm happy to see significant progress.

 

I won't say much about Musk other than I'm glad he (SpaceX) is funding these innovations, but I also think he is an idiot who, like some others who I won't name here, became very rich by what were probably a combination of wise and lucky choices, agressiveness and narcissism. I don't have much admiration for people like that. My opinion, your mileage may vary.

[953 nut 55,155]

In my opinion Elon Musk is our modern day Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Nikola Tesla, Eli Whitney, George Eastman and wright Brothers all rolled up in one marvelous package. He has improve existing science and provided the United States with a new spirit of entrepreneurship. Rather than thinking big government agencies like NASA and the Transportation Department are the answer he has surpassed their goals and risked his own money and reputation in the process.

Few people have risen from an obscure mapping and directory company founder to create an innovative transportation empire which is leading the world's transition to autonomous spacecraft. While the government was funding the Boeing Starliner at $ 90 million per seat, Elon Musk succeeded in launching the SpaceX Crew Dragon for $ 55 million per seat. Musk's rather small company outshined the big boys and saved NASA.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,524]

 

But... uhm... @953 nut... you forgot to list Elmer and Cecil Pond in that list of greats...

 

 

 

[Mickwhitt 4,605]

I wouldn't say Musk ranked alongside Tesla or Eddison and the like. Is he not just a entrepreneur not an engineer? 

True he created business success but did he have anything to do with designing and building the things?

Eddison was a true inventor, genius.

[953 nut 55,155]

Few if any of these great inventors started with nothing and invented an entirely new item without assistance or a base to work from. Musk probably didn't do all of the engineering on SpaceX but had the vision to hire good people and not get in the way of their efforts.

Here is a bit of information on his formal education.

In 1990, he entered Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Two years later, he transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League university in Philadelphia, where he earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts in physics, and a Bachelor of Science in economics from the university's Wharton School

I dare say he has exceeded the accomplishments of the majority of his classmates who went on to Master's and Doctoral Degrees.

[Mickwhitt 4,605]

NASA definitely could have done with that kind of mindset rather than the micro managing that led to challenger and other disasters I guess.

 

[Handy Don 12,201]

2 hours ago, 953 nut said:

In my opinion Elon Musk is our modern day Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Nikola Tesla, Eli Whitney, George Eastman and wright Brothers all rolled up in one marvelous package

Much of the “history” of these gentlemen has been colored by their successes and in some cases avoids their foibles.

Edison and Ford, in particular, were hard nosed and, at times, pugnacious. Both took great advantage of their wealth. Both climbed atop the shoulders of expertise they observed, hired, or stole BUT both had the talent to see the “big picture” and leveraged what they had to bring products to market that would sell wildly.

[SylvanLakeWH 25,524]

5 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Much of the “history” of these gentlemen has been colored by their successes and in some cases avoids their foibles.

 

Sounds like every obituary ever written... 

[squonk 41,050]

Not that I'm a twitter or "X" as they called user it but he has pretty much destroyed that platform. Nothing but disinformation and now first responders to our national weather disasters have been getting threats trying to help. Musk can go play in the road.

[Pullstart 62,829]

Pretty cool…

 

 

 

 

Edited October 14 by Pullstart

[Handy Don 12,201]

1 hour ago, Pullstart said:

Pretty cool

I've watched this several times from the different angles that are out there and I’m I awe every time.

That thing is huge and they are balancing and moving using thrusters. Some mighty slick programming being done in that shop.

[953 nut 55,155]

I have no idea how much a booster rocket costs or how many NASA dumped into the Atlantic Ocean over the years but the savings have to be substantial.       

[kpinnc 11,979]

I can’t say whether or not he is a modern equivalent to Tesla or Edison or the like because I wasn’t around back then. My kids think I was, but nope. 

 

But it’s a bit difficult to name very many in my lifetime that represents so much technical innovation. Whether he had direct input or not, he certainly provided an outlet for someone’s imagination. 
 

On 10/14/2024 at 9:05 AM, squonk said:

Not that I'm a twitter or "X" as they called user it but he has pretty much destroyed that platform. Nothing but disinformation and now first responders to our national weather disasters have been getting threats trying to help. Musk can go play in the road.

Not trying to be dismissive @squonk but rather adding another perspective here.

This forum is as close as I get to social media. That said I’ve seen what my wife and kids pointed out from twitter. Hard to say something that awful was ruined by anything other than shutting it down completely. Given the amount of censorship forced into everything these days, it’s easy to see why many would welcome a little free speech here and there, and easy to see how those who fear such things will despise it.
 

Of course from a military standpoint, the power over dissemination of information is paramount to controlling a civilization… 

 

Attempting to control what a free society consumes in the media and believes to be acceptable isn’t social media, it’s social engineering. Right or wrong, I prefer to decide for myself. We are all guaranteed that right in this country. 
 

In short many have played in the road plenty. Some just refuse to do it while wearing a blindfold. 

Edited October 16 by kpinnc

[kpinnc 11,979]

On 10/13/2024 at 3:08 PM, Handy Don said:

Edison and Ford, in particular, were hard nosed and, at times, pugnacious.

And if you ever doubt it, with Edison at least, there are some silent movies he made at a fair when he killed an elephant to demonstrate (and scare the pants off) to the public the dangers of AC electricity. 
 

I don’t care who you are, that’s brutal. Had something like that been done today, he’d be wearing striped clothes for many years and answering to the name sweet Tommy Sue Edison… 

Edited October 16 by kpinnc