tturner86 

Competition is always a driving factor of improvement.

Very much agree. Let's have a race....

Bob.

SpaceX Has Explained Falcon 9 Explosion, May Still Lose Launch Order

News Flash: SpaceX No Longer "Profitable and Cash-Flow Positive" -- The Motley Fool

tturner86 

News Flash: SpaceX No Longer "Profitable and Cash-Flow Positive" -- The Motley Fool

I know pretty much nothing about Space X, and, of course, I'm not alone if you are talking about detailed knowledge of the business, which is closely held.

My general take, however, is that you should expect some drastic ups and downs in any business involved in space flight at this particular time. Consider how reliable early airplanes were (or weren't), and how long it took for any new industry to become established and reliable.

I'm not surprised that some rockets have blown up. Likely many more will, before the launches can become routine.

NASA did make shuttle launches routine, but it took a long time and a lot of work, and some tragedy too. Expanding space flight out into the commercial world, where it needs to go if it is to become something ordinary, just like flying a plane, is going to take a lot of these kinds of setbacks and false starts.

It's still extremely cool that someone, anyone, is launching rockets into space. Sort of like when people first paddled their canoes very far off-shore, or however they first went out into the big ocean.

Bob.

bobwest 

I know pretty much nothing about Space X, and, of course, I'm not alone if you are talking about detailed knowledge of the business, which is closely held. My general take, however, is that you should expect some drastic ups and downs in any business involved in space flight at this particular time. Consider how reliable early airplanes were (or weren't), and how long it took for any new industry to become established and reliable. I'm not surprised that some rockets have blown up. Likely many more will, before the launches can become routine. NASA did make shuttle launches routine, but it took a long time and a lot of work, and some tragedy too. Expanding space flight out into the commercial world, where it needs to go if it is to become something ordinary, just like flying a plane, is going to take a lot of these kinds of setbacks and false starts. It's still extremely cool that someone, anyone, is launching rockets into space. Sort of like when people first paddled their canoes very far off-shore, or however they first went out into the big ocean. Bob.

Also don't forget there were 135 shuttle launches... 2 missions ended in failure with complete loss of craft and life.

Space X have launched 29 rockets and have had 2 failures. Luckily without loss of life.

It will take time, it will get safer, but there will also be an element of danger riding an explosive device into space.

tturner86 

Also don't forget there were 135 shuttle launches... 2 missions ended in failure with complete loss of craft and life. Space X have launched 29 rockets and have had 2 failures. Luckily without loss of life. It will take time, it will get safer, but there will also be an element of danger riding an explosive device into space.

Calling it an explosive device is right on. In fact, it's an explosive device that is exploding right underneath you, and you just hope it stays contained long enough that you can live through it.

There's just an amazing level of both courage and ingenuity at work in all this. My hat's off to all of them, no matter what the role they may play.

Bob.

https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/30/spacex-loads-iridium-satellites-for-first-falcon-9-mission-since-explosion/

tturner86 

https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/30/spacex-loads-iridium-satellites-for-first-falcon-9-mission-since-explosion/

Good. They need to get back up on that horse.

I do hope they figured out the fix, and it was the helium thing. It will not be good at all if there's another accident. Only way to find out is to launch again, I guess. These things happen, and I hope the next launch goes well.

Bob.

Success! Also first Pacific landing! @Big Mike





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