I love watching these videos it’s amazing how far that channel has come, from one guy with a camera and a helmet to regular access to the world’s richest person. The power of YouTube to elevate talent and channel significant resources towards them is honestly amazing - in may ways I think it’s purest example of the power of markets. YouTube is the laissez-faire to Netflix’s central planning.
I have a lot of time for Elon - his unfiltered thoughts on areas he’s familiar with are very interesting and a refreshing change from the sanitised messaging from other CEOs.
It’s a shame that his voice carries a lot weight in areas that he’s clearly less familiar with (or willfully deceptive), but you’ve got to take the bad with the good.
I’ve decided to ignore Elon when he’s not talking about Software, EV’s, Tunnels or Space. As someone who talked about his achievements years ago I do feel a little tarnished by association with Elon’s Fan Boy Troll Army.
Space X just landed their 111 Falcon 9 booster while every other space company have so far landed … 0!
I’l never get bored of watching these
And whilst that stat is always amazing* it has even more impact when you remember that never mind companies, there isn’t even a nation state (including the USA) whose national space programme has launched/landed a proper rocket!
*even more so given that some of the boosters have flown/landed a dozen times.
So many hurdles in the way of asteroid mining, We’ve not landed on the moon for 2 generations but to asteroid mine. You’d need to land on something smaller, faster & further away. Then you’d need to mine on a scale we haven’t ever done before timing you exit to be able to come back to earth in the right orbit.
We’re more likely to get nuclear fusion working quicker and then abundant cheap green electricity means we can mine and refine far easier.
Awesome, I watched the first one. As someone who works in business/engineering I learned a lot from watching these about how he manages his businesses and achieves high productivity.
I’ve also watched clips of senior employees talking about his business practices. A lot of people say he’s not really an engineer or involved in design, but that’s not really the point. I feel he has an extremely strong feel for what is achievable in a company.
Some principles that I’ve seen him talk about:
First principles thinking. Take it back to the basic building blocks, sometimes down to basic molecules and fundamental equations from physics, as opposed to looking at what the current industry norms are. See SpaceX’s cost to launch rockets as an example.
Every engineer is a chief engineer. This means everyone has a broad understanding of the project/product as a whole. This allows people to be aware of their effect on the overall product. I try to apply this to the business I work for, everyone should have a high level understanding of how the business works.
The best part is no part. Designing out parts is a key principle. From a manufacturing, quality and cost perspective this is always a benefit.
I saw the President of SpaceX say that Elon waits until the company is running comfortably and then he pushes it to make that next step forwards. So as soon as the company is in a position to make the next big step, they take it. They don’t continue as normal, they are always pushing at the fastest sustainable rate.
Oh **** off Sky News. One tiny rocket launched off one of Branson’s planes does not make a country a space power or even a space superpower.
The UK is the only country on earth to have had an orbital class rocket program and then give it up, cancelled by a regressive government (that usual political party) in 1971. I’m not claiming that the UK would have become a major space power - geography and population density is against us but… angry mooing and ranting tails off.
I have to agree with @CashCow. The whole point of Virgin Orbit is the ability to launch from almost any long runway with minimal ground support, they bring it with them inside the plane.
Shetland launch complex would be the first step in making the UK an “orbit capable” country. This is important given we seem to be trying to remain part of ESA on a buffet basis and that won’t wash forever.
There was already a lot of talk this is probably the last NASA built rocket that will ever be made, and these issues probably make that more likely. They can save money using commercial services and deploy savings to other areas.
It was still flamey end down, just more flame than anyone expected. Good to see the escape system working well, interesting as this is a reliable booster on its 9th flight.
