SpaceX News

Point out news stories, on the net or in mainstream media, related to polywell fusion.

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zapkitty
Posts: 267
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 8:13 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by zapkitty »

Unfair would have been something like "Boeing will be primary for 7 billion with a guaranteed 10 year CC contract upon completion and SpaceX will be allowed to play at backup for 150 million...maybe"

... worse has been done to companies in the industry.

GIThruster
Posts: 4686
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

Maui wrote:
birchoff wrote:What I am hearing is spacex bid was much lower than the total size of the contract.
Indeed:
Lueders said the different amounts set aside for the two companies were based on the amounts proposed by the companies themselves.
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/bo ... is-n204706
Well the link says Boeing is going to launch their capsule with the Atlas V through ULA, but that rocket has never been man rated either, and no gantry exists for it either, IIUC. So yeah, the money to SpaceX will go much, much further, not just because SpaceX designed around man-rating, but because they fly a better rocket that costs so much less. Looks to me like Boeing can't compete. One wonders what they think they'll do after spending a billion dollars on man rating and find they still need twice as much money as SpaceX to launch. How are they going to COMPETE ?
"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

GIThruster
Posts: 4686
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

GIThruster
Posts: 4686
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

GIThruster
Posts: 4686
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

GIThruster
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Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

I don't recall if I posted this the other day when i stumbled upon it but just making sure everyone knows Musk finally did a reveal on the hyperloop idea.

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/20 ... -hyperloop

Sounds basically like jet engines on trains inside semi-evacuated tubes. Planes without wings. Pretty clever! And they're electric planes, so this can be done with solar. Very clever!
"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

Betruger
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Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 11:54 am

Re: SpaceX News

Post by Betruger »

Good article from Aeon, but the Hyperloop reveal was a year ago. IIRC at least one small group took up the task of following thru on actual design. I don't remember their name.
You can do anything you want with laws except make Americans obey them. | What I want to do is to look up S. . . . I call him the Schadenfreudean Man.

GIThruster
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Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

I was aware he was talking about it, but this seems to be the first time Musk has explained that he's talking about putting electric motors inside the cars moving in the tunnel. This is a natural progression from his electric SST concept, based upon the same principles. It's important to note though, that the capsules moving inside the tubes have to be pressurized, and the tubes have to be evacuated, so I can't see how this is going to be nearly as cheap to build as he suggests. Getting power to the capsules while the thing is moving at hundreds of miles per hour, would likewise seem problematic. Electrical contacts would wear out very quickly, so he's got to be using fields, much like wireless recharging. I haven't seen that part of the plan yet but I don't see another way to have the power dissipated in the capsule.
"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

Maui
Posts: 586
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 12:10 am
Location: Madison, WI

Re: SpaceX News

Post by Maui »

GIThruster wrote:...but this seems to be the first time Musk has explained that he's talking about putting electric motors inside the cars moving in the tunnel...
But that article is dated August 12, 2013.

GIThruster
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Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

Ooops. Boy do I feel like a dope.

I am surprised there hasn't been constant buzz on this idea. I am not in favor of mass transit like this, but this is a lot better than high speed rail. I just think it will cost much more than he thinks.
"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

Betruger
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Re: SpaceX News

Post by Betruger »

The other major obstacles are safety and real estate, IIRC. Those kinda killed the buzz. Less the engineering.

It is curious we haven't really heard from that design effort.
You can do anything you want with laws except make Americans obey them. | What I want to do is to look up S. . . . I call him the Schadenfreudean Man.

GIThruster
Posts: 4686
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

The real estate issue is not so bad because he's proposing an elevated tube, so you don't have to purchase all the land with eminent domain, but rather you can purchase rights to use it and stick a short tower every few hundred yards or so. Safety though, is a huge issue for anything going fast on the surface, which is why I'm no fan of mass transit. I think we need to hold out for flying cars.
"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

Betruger
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Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 11:54 am

Re: SpaceX News

Post by Betruger »

Random thermite vulnerability is one thing I almost immediately thought. Then again that's no different from any other railroad or highway.

The real estate aspect I don't recall exactly, but many times I saw the same complex practical reality referred to by different people, that only those people in the field are savvy to. One of those absurd red tape technical obstacles..
I really don't remember what it was. Only that I mentally wrote off looking forward to news of Hyperloop progress for the foreseeable future, after seeing that unfeasible aspect.
You can do anything you want with laws except make Americans obey them. | What I want to do is to look up S. . . . I call him the Schadenfreudean Man.

GIThruster
Posts: 4686
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 8:17 pm

Re: SpaceX News

Post by GIThruster »

"Courage is not just a virtue, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." C. S. Lewis

mvanwink5
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Location: N.C. Mountains

Re: SpaceX News

Post by mvanwink5 »

Any update on SpaceX barge landing plans for December launch? Is it still a possibility?
Counting the days to commercial fusion. It is not that long now.

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