Search found 72 matches

by NotAPhysicist
Sun Jul 02, 2017 9:10 pm
Forum: News
Topic: SpaceX News
Replies: 2324
Views: 1154399

Re: SpaceX News

They reckon good weather is only 40% for the launch today. Also, the range is apparently down for maintainence/upgrade, which explains some of the slow down in launch candence. That is probably a good thing!.. Link: https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/07/spacex-to-attempt-its-fourth-rocket-launch-i...
by NotAPhysicist
Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:22 am
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

I'm going to go with yes, I appreciate this is a gut reaction. While I'm certain there is unpleasant stuff associated with solar panel production and disposal I'm also certain that there is active research to reduce and mitigate this. I'd also suggest that the lethality of solar waste is somewhat le...
by NotAPhysicist
Sun Jul 02, 2017 8:06 am
Forum: News
Topic: SpaceX News
Replies: 2324
Views: 1154399

Re: SpaceX News

Nice one, good luck! :)
by NotAPhysicist
Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:37 pm
Forum: News
Topic: SpaceX News
Replies: 2324
Views: 1154399

Re: SpaceX News

Yes, I wonder if they can find some way to fill that gap. They've been doing so well otherwise :) Third flight on a boosted would be great nice, wonder when we'll see that. Some photos from the booster launched on Friday returning to port: http://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2017/06...
by NotAPhysicist
Thu Jun 29, 2017 2:30 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

As a note on business in general, I'd say the use of solar in most cases isn't intended to complete remove you from the grid but to supplement your power and reduce you reliance (and bills). If the panels are produced, installed, etc using less CO2 than the amount created in the power they offset th...
by NotAPhysicist
Thu Jun 29, 2017 2:24 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

Assuming you are talking about the Gigafactory rather than a general statement of solar use in business. I think the idea was to also use wind. And yes, also lots of batteries. It is a battery factory. To be slightly less snarky about that there are a few things there. Yes they will use a lot of bat...
by NotAPhysicist
Tue Jun 27, 2017 3:09 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

Congratulations on the house :) I'm afraid my place is significantly sub-optimal for solar, still, if it gets super super cheap I guess it would still make sense. Fingers crossed. If we get to a point where it becomes the standard (economically & environmentally sensible) option on new builds that w...
by NotAPhysicist
Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:30 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

One thing to keep in mind, even if you use solar panels to create your Tesla car batteries, you also have CO2 issues creating your solar panels, along with other gases. https://www.seeker.com/a-potent-greenhouse-gas-used-to-make-solar-panels-is-on-the-rise-2288834288.html Yes, sounds like that is s...
by NotAPhysicist
Mon Jun 26, 2017 1:50 pm
Forum: News
Topic: SpaceX News
Replies: 2324
Views: 1154399

Re: SpaceX News

Yes it was all rather impressive and somewhat nail-biting. The Sunday landing looked pretty dodgy - lots of buffeting on the way down. Still, they made it - again! :) I imagine people are still a bit nervous about reused (flight proven? :)) boosters. Sure, 2 out of 2 is good but most of these compan...
by NotAPhysicist
Sat Jun 24, 2017 1:39 pm
Forum: News
Topic: SpaceX News
Replies: 2324
Views: 1154399

Re: SpaceX News

The landing was tense. I was pretty sure they'd lost it from the groans coming out of the control room (or at least just outside the control room). The loss of signal was troubling but not unexpected - that I can say not seeing simultaneous live feeds from a barge out at sea and from the rocket land...
by NotAPhysicist
Fri Jun 23, 2017 7:58 am
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

Yes, well, maybe hey. That doesn't mean their criticism is wrong in this case. For instance the extremely low CO2 output they've used for the gasoline car is unreasonable (either the car is extremely efficient or is only being driven a very short distance each year). Or failing to take in to account...
by NotAPhysicist
Thu Jun 22, 2017 9:47 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

Tesla battery production creates as much CO2 as 8 years gasoline powered driving. http://www.nyteknik.se/fordon/stora-utslapp-fran-elbilarnas-batterier-6851761 Except that is basically wrong: http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/hybrid-electric/news/a27039/tesla-battery-emissions-study-fake-news/
by NotAPhysicist
Thu Jun 22, 2017 9:38 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

Why do you think solar is a scam? Why is it subsidized? Why is base load power required? Why is CO2 always added as the major factor in selling it? There are niche power applications for it, but it is not a base load power source. If fusion power was cheap would we even be talking about solar??????...
by NotAPhysicist
Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:35 am
Forum: General
Topic: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks
Replies: 47
Views: 76487

Re: Elon Musk Is In Bed With Crooks

I am a Musk fan also, but solar is a scam, pure and simple. Even without Polywell, TriAlpha is nearly there. Solar is a niche power solution. Electric cars is a solution looking for a problem. Batteries is also a niche solution. Musk is counting on the government to fund his Mars project. He acts l...
by NotAPhysicist
Wed May 17, 2017 6:14 am
Forum: News
Topic: SpaceX News
Replies: 2324
Views: 1154399

Re: SpaceX News

To be fair to SpaceX while they've certainly given us a lot of footage from their rockets a lot of their even more speculative stuff and testing has been away from the cameras. When they've got closer to properly nailing it we may see more. Also, cameras and transmission equipment on the fairings se...