[t]https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/893226_10152671971835131_1976000318_o.jpg[/t]
[quote]Hawthorne, CA – Space Exploration Technologies’ (SpaceX) Merlin 1D engine has achieved flight qualification, a major milestone for the next generation Merlin engine. Through a 28 test qualification program, the Merlin 1D accumulated 1,970 seconds of total test time, the equivalent run time of over 10 full mission durations, and is now fully qualified to fly on the Falcon 9 rocket.[/quote]
[URL]http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20130320[/URL]
I think a few years ago, I posted about how I doubted that Space X would achieve larger space "milstones". Man I was so fucking wrong.
Fuck yeah, engineering!
Pretty amazing thrust-to-weight ratio on the Merlin 1D, of 150:1, the most for any rocket engine.
SpaceX is doing some pretty amazing work and they're not being slow about it either, so hopefully this will help get some speed into the whole space exploration thing. (If it hasn't already).
At first I thought they were referring to the Welsh prophesy.
[QUOTE=Swebonny;39981099]I think a few years ago, I posted about how I doubted that Space X would achieve larger space "milstones". Man I was so fucking wrong.[/QUOTE]
Privatization is the future of space until something really major comes up to force governments back into the space program. However it's hard to find a company willing to invest millions of dollars into something that could very well be a massive money sink.
For that, I applaud SpaceX for what they're doing, but how are they making money?
I'm not to knowledgeable on rocket engines. Does this mean they can carry more things into space? Or does it make the rocket go faster?
[QUOTE=Vilusia;39981596]I'm not to knowledgeable on rocket engines. Does this mean they can carry more things into space? Or does it make the rocket go faster?[/QUOTE]
Both
Neat
I was hoping this was a crazy dude dressed up as merlin with pyrotechnics strapped to his arms and him walking around a city talking like a wizard shooting fire from his arms
[QUOTE=KillerJaguar;39981570]Privatization is the future of space until something really major comes up to force governments back into the space program. However it's hard to find a company willing to invest millions of dollars into something that could very well be a massive money sink.
For that, I applaud SpaceX for what they're doing, but how are they making money?[/QUOTE]
NASA already paid them about $500 million for various contracts and the rest is from private investors. For instance just Elon Musk paid like $100 million.
[QUOTE=Swebonny;39981099]I think a few years ago, I posted about how I doubted that Space X would achieve larger space "milstones". Man I was so fucking wrong.[/QUOTE]
Don't worry man. It's really unfathomable how rapidly science can evolve. One can basically either be skeptic and possibly wrong, or optimistic and being viewed as naive by everyone.
I was thinking about this guy [IMG]http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/agent-winforms/Merlin_Speaks.gif[/IMG]
The movie with Sam Neill came to my mind.
[QUOTE=Swebonny;39981099]I think a few years ago, I posted about how I doubted that Space X would achieve larger space "milstones". Man I was so fucking wrong.[/QUOTE]
Swebonny, I love you, but thank God you were wrong. [B]SCIENCE BITCHES[/B].
[QUOTE=Swebonny;39981099]I think a few years ago, I posted about how I doubted that Space X would achieve larger space "milstones". Man I was so fucking wrong.[/QUOTE]
I remember seeing a TV show about the private space race, particularly the Space X-Prize. It talked about Branson's Virgin Galactic a lot and some other company. And then they go to SpaceX. At the time all it was was a modest steel building and a small Falcon-1 on its side, and a bunch of eager employees talking about their big plans. I thought to myself [I]"Pfft, these guys won't be able to do anything big in 20 years, go back to Branson!"[/I]
And now 11 years later, I have a picture of a Dragon capsule docked to the ISS as my desktop background.
[editline]20th March 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Robber;39982079]NASA already paid them about $500 million for various contracts and the rest is from private investors. For instance just Elon Musk paid like $100 million.[/QUOTE]
Elon said in a recent TED interview something along the lines of:
[I]"How does a man make a small fortune off of a space company? He starts with a large one." [/I]
[url]http://www.ted.com/talks/elon_musk_the_mind_behind_tesla_spacex_solarcity.html[/url]
It's at 12:00 But watch the whole thing, it's good.
[QUOTE=KillerJaguar;39981570]Privatization is the future of space until something really major comes up to force governments back into the space program. However it's hard to find a company willing to invest millions of dollars into something that could very well be a massive money sink.
For that, I applaud SpaceX for what they're doing, [B]but how are they making money?[/B][/QUOTE]By lowering expenses to a grade that cheap space-flight is profitable.
[editline]21st March 2013[/editline]
Oh look:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj0851Wkm9c[/media]
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