The SpaceX Business Plan: Help Build a Spacefaring Civilization
34 replies, posted
[QUOTE]by NANCY ATKINSON on DECEMBER 9, 2010
[IMG]http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/musk-580x435.jpg[/IMG]
SpaceX's Elon Musk with the Falcon rocket. Credit: SpaceX
Elon Musk conceded that the space business world is an extraordinarily difficult place to make money. But that isn’t his main priority anyway.
“The reason I’m doing SpaceX,” Musk said during the Falcon 9/Dragon post-flight press conference, “is that I just happen to have a very strong passion for space and I want us to become true spacefaring civilization and even a multi-planetary civilization. That is my goal for SpaceX.”
“Other companies have profit goals and such, but for SpaceX it is really about furthering the cause of space,” Musk continued. “We must bring in more money that we spend, but maximizing profitability is not really what it is about.”
Musk said he has been upfront with investors in SpaceX that a high profit margin is not his priority, “and so they can’t be mad when that doesn’t happen.”
He added that he wants to make science fiction –“what you read about the future,” — to become reality.
The discussion of profit started when Musk revealed that the Falcon 9 second stage was restarted and flew to 11,000 km (6,800 miles) to release some secondary satellite payloads, including a U.S. Army nanosatellite. SpaceX was paid minimally for only some of those payloads, Musk said.
Wednesday’s test flight was the first of three financed by NASA under a $278 million Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement, the main cog of a program designed to encourage commercial space companies to develop rockets and spacecraft to deliver cargo – and later perhaps crew — to the International Space Station after the space shuttle is retired next year.
[IMG]http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/dragon-config-580x408.jpg[/IMG]
The interior configuration of the Dragon capsule. Credit: SpaceX
After the Dragon’s initial success, Musk said he hopes NASA will consider allowing Dragon to go directly to the International Space Station on the next flight, estimated to take place in mid-2011. Since Dragon is capable of carrying 5987 kg (13,200 pounds) of cargo in pressurized and unpressurized cargo bays, it can bring more than twice as much cargo as Russian Progress resupply ships.
Musk also thinks Dragon can compete with Lockheed’s Orion capsule, the only part of the Constellation Program that NASA has maintained.
“What I’m hopeful for is that NASA may consider the Dragon as good as Orion,” Musk said. “It is good to have multiple companies doing something, so Lockheed has Orion and we have Dragon and we would certainly like to have Dragon considered for anything that Orion could do. Perhaps we could do more because our heat shield is significantly more advanced.”
While Musk said SpaceX could not have gotten where it is today without NASA’s support and path-making, Alan Lindenmoyer, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Program Office, said with the success of this flight, the benefits might be going both ways.
“As much as SpaceX is learning from NASA, there are certainly things we can learn from SpaceX,” he said.
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Source: [url]http://www.universetoday.com/81570/the-spacex-business-plan-help-build-a-spacefaring-civilization/[/url]
Why don't they work with NASA?
[QUOTE=General_Xing;26592913]Why don't they work with NASA?[/QUOTE]
these companies usually end up manufacturing and selling equipment to NASA anyways
[QUOTE=General_Xing;26592913]Why don't they work with NASA?[/QUOTE]
At least NASA has funded them.
Because NASA spends nine-tenths of its time raiding the Senate with shotguns to secure next year's budget while Republicans brush it off like the rest of the science budget.
These are the people that we need leading companies and countries. None of this 'Make more money than everyone else' bullshit, only furthering humanity.
Elon sounds like one of the best people that humanity has ever shoved out.
As long as I can live my retirement on the moon I will be happy.
[QUOTE=General_Xing;26592913]Why don't they work with NASA?[/QUOTE]
They do. A lot.
Goddamnit I want to see someone just say "Fuck it", haul a couple hundred tons of supplies into orbit over a few years, and build a motherfucking [i]spaceship[/i]. Capsules are, of course, needed, but I just don't think they are big enough to actually go anywhere.
[QUOTE=MrBob1337;26593850]Goddamnit I want to see someone just say "Fuck it", haul a couple hundred tons of supplies into orbit over a few years, and build a motherfucking [i]spaceship[/i]. Capsules are, of course, needed, but I just don't think they are big enough to actually go anywhere.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://nextbigfuture.com/2010/08/spacex-talks-falcon-x-heavy-for-125.html[/url]
Read the carrying capacity of their future rocket.
[IMG]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_b1AE8x4eLKI/TFYiWlqQsoI/AAAAAAAAYDk/ucsucdLCLdI/s1600/Img+2010-08-02+a+las+01.30.55.png[/IMG]
And this baby:
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NERVA[/url]
They are reviving it.
They're reviving NERVA?! YESSS
[QUOTE=Eudoxia;26592986]Because NASA spends nine-tenths of its time raiding the Senate with shotguns to secure next year's budget while Republicans brush it off like the rest of the science budget.[/QUOTE]
This looked really cool in my head.
i like spacex, the guy behind it is really brilliant, he's also the founder of tesla motors
Well, this guys going to make me a moon man in the future.
[QUOTE]The reason I’m doing SpaceX,” Musk said during the Falcon 9/Dragon post-flight press conference, “is that I just happen to have a very strong passion for space and I want us to become true spacefaring civilization and even a multi-planetary civilization. That is my goal for SpaceX.”
“Other companies have profit goals and such, but for SpaceX it is really about furthering the cause of space,” Musk continued. “We must bring in more money that we spend, but maximizing profitability is not really what it is about.”
Musk said he has been upfront with investors in SpaceX that a high profit margin is not his priority, “and so they can’t be mad when that doesn’t happen.”
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I love this man.
What do I have to do to get a job with these people? I would literally track down and kill any one of you to be a part of this.
[QUOTE=superdinoman;26593378]As long as I can live my retirement on the moon I will be happy.[/QUOTE]
The lower gravity (at least as we are now) would cause problems for those who don't stay fit particularly the elderly.
[QUOTE=Biotoxsin;26596460]The lower gravity (at least as we are now) would cause problems for those who don't stay fit particularly the elderly.[/QUOTE]
yes but the lower gravity will make you lighter so you can exercise more using less effort.
I love companies like this. Everything is not about money, it's about endeavor. I hope one day to have a company like this for ocean exploration.
[QUOTE=Biotoxsin;26596460]The lower gravity (at least as we are now) would cause problems for those who don't stay fit particularly the elderly.[/QUOTE]
This is in the future though man, Ill have like robotic limbs and stuff. :allears:
That or be a decrepit old man enjoying low gravity and less stress on my body
Finnally a company that cares more about moving technology forward, rather then profits. Though, I'm sure profits are still an interest, or else it wouldn't be a thriving company.
[QUOTE=goon165;26596494]yes but the lower gravity will make you lighter so you can exercise more using less effort.[/QUOTE]
That's not how it works at all.
There is no magical way to stay fit without breaking a sweat.
Oh! Look! An idealistic company!
[QUOTE=Blanketspace;26597098]Oh! Look! An idealistic company![/QUOTE]
You know, maybe only one in every hundred, or thousand idealistic people who come along are ever actually successful in their goals and dreams and make a significant, long lasting impact on humanity. But do you know what? They're the ONLY people who end up making an impact. It's NEVER the person who settles for the ordinary, for mediocrity who ends up making a difference.
So you know what? Good luck to this man. All power to him. I hope he succeeds in his ambitious goals, and if not... well... statistically speaking, we're just working our way towards the person who will succeed and make a huge impact.
i say tax the shit out of him and fuck his little space toy [/facepunch]
[quote=s0beit;26598031]i say tax the shit out of him and fuck his little space toy [/s0beit]
awesome [/facepunch][/quote]
ftfy
[QUOTE=ManningQB18;26593345]These are the people that we need leading companies and countries. None of this 'Make more money than everyone else' bullshit, only furthering humanity.
Elon sounds like one of the best people that humanity has ever shoved out.[/QUOTE]
agreed
[editline]10th December 2010[/editline]
[QUOTE=coolrider102;26596627]Finnally a company that cares more about moving technology forward, rather then profits. Though, I'm sure profits are still an interest, or else it wouldn't be a thriving company.[/QUOTE]
Yea but still WOOOOOO!
[QUOTE=goon165;26596494]yes but the lower gravity will make you lighter so you can exercise more using less effort.[/QUOTE]
That's the problem, you have to exercise our body beyond it's limits to try and stop any muscle atrophying.
holy shit it's elon musk again
have my testicles my lord, my king, my [B]GOD[/B]
[QUOTE=General_Xing;26592913]Why don't they work with NASA?[/QUOTE]
To be honest, it's because NASA's gotten too cocky recently, two launches went wrong, both for the same reason, killing a bunch of astronauts. The engineers even saw it coming, but nobody listened.
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