Summary: Earlier this week, entrepreneur Elon Musk launched the Falcon Heavy into space. An enormous spacecraft made up of three powerful rockets strapped together, the rocket launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Two of the rockets successfully hit their marks upon landing being the first ever to land exactly where they started and at the same time. The third rocket was intended to land on a drone ship also off the coast of Florida but missed its target and was destroyed when it plummeted into the sea. The synchronized landing of the Falcon Heavy's booster rockets is not only an incredible concept but it also has great implications for future spaces programs because the rockets can be used again. With reusable rockets, the cost savings to such programs will be enormous. The Space X program also demonstrated that scientific advancements can be made with business capitol and that can be an incredible game-changer for innovations in space.
Questions:
1. Do you think government space programs can compete with business sponsored programs?
2. Why do you suppose that the third rocket didn't land with the other two?
3. What are your thoughts on the synchronized landings of the rockets?
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42969020
9 comments:
Very cool launch. I think this is one of the major leaps in the future of mankind. Ensuring species survival by becoming multiplanetary is vital in the long run. I am excited to see where SpaceX can take this technology, and whether the BFR will bring people to Mars in 2024. Hopefully I will be able to visit Mars in my lifetime.
I feel like business projects can easily overtake government-funded projects because the government has so many other restrictions with regards to funding projects like this. Businesses can put their own money into their own business however they want, so they will have the opportunity to use more money and fund more projects. But I'm happy that this project was successful for the most part, and I hope that SpaceX will continue to expand its realms and invent new technology to accomplish unimaginable things.
I agree with Sahith that the government has less freedom when it comes to projects that are designated for specific field such as this one; whereas businesses specialize in that specific field and are better able to use their funds. I think that the landings were very cool and I think that the whole project is very interesting. I look forward to seeing more successful projects like this from the program in the future.
I strongly disagree with those above, particularly the idea that "business projects can easily overtake government-funded projects." There is no incentive for private businesses to conduct space exploration on their own; they don't stand to make any profit off of it, and businesses don't just take it upon themselves to explore space as an act of generosity to mankind. Rather, Musk and others are competing for government contracts to build rockets for NASA (to replace the Space Shuttle, for which NASA will pay billions of dollars. For example, many think that the space shuttle was built by NASA, but this is incorrect. Rather, NASA paid Boeing $2.6 billion to develop the technology. Likewise, with other types of military vehicles (such as fighter jets and tanks) the government gives contracts to private companies to build what is needed. "Government-funded projects" ARE business projects... Businesses are paid to build rockets for the government; there isn't a civilian consumer market for space rockets (except for extremely rich people who want to go to space and back and will pay millions of dollars to do so... in any case, this space tourism doesn't amount to space exploration). So, space-related government projects have always been funded by the government and they likely always will be, as I don't think that private businesses will go out on their own to explore space (although in a few decades I might be wrong).
I have no clue why the 3rd rocket didn't land as planned. These things happen with experimental technology. It took the US dozens of efforts to finally make it to the moon.
As for space exploration in general, I oppose it. In my mind, the notion that we might someday inhabit another planet is just an excuse for us to continue to trash our own planet. If people think that we can just colonize mars or something as soon as we have polluted our air and water, cut down all our trees, and used up all of our mineral resources, they are much less likely to try to protect our Earth, as it can be viewed as dispensable if space exploration programs continue to perpetuate the misguided hope of finding a "new earth." We have used satellites and telescopes to search for inhabitable planets millions of light years away, and so far we have found none. The idea that we might be able not only to find, but also to transfer millions of people, to one of these planets in the near future is an unrealistic relic of the past. In fact, I would argue that the whole idea of space exploration is one that has only been present in the collective American conscience after the Soviets launched Sputnik, and our NASA operation was launched primarily to give ourselves a good old shot of nationalism. It serves no practical purpose at this point, other than possibly a nuclear deterrent program.
I don't think business projects can overtake government-funded projects, but they would likely be similar or close. They can use their own money, but the government has a lot more wealth and they also have to pay taxes to the government. Either way, it is nice to see Space-X succeed, especially after all the funds Elon Musk put into that company (resulting in the struggles of Tesla).
However, I strongly disagree with what Mr. Daniel Jadallah said. The notion that we will just trash our planet once we colonize Mars is kind of a stretch. If we transformed/terraformed Mars or some other planet, then why do we need a Earth in the first place? Plus, if we can't just transfer billions of people to different planets, why would we want to trash Earth, especially if people can't just leave Earth? They will live there for, probably, ever and can't just destroy their own home. Lastly, the reason why people are going for space exploration is because in thousands of years later or so, there will be no earth, meaning there will be no humans. If we want our future selves to continue to live, then we should ensure that the human species has a chance to survive, meaning finding a new place to inhabit and continue life.
There may be no foreseeable profit or benefit to pursuing space exploration, but if they succeed a whole new market would be born. That's the whole point of these experiments and tests. The incentive for SpaceX to continue its venture in space exploration is the possibility of profit. There may not be immediate gains, but that's why it is called an investment.
My thoughts on the boosters landing: 2/3 is greater than 0
If you want the answer to number one look at Jadallah's first paragraph. As for my opinion on space travel. I think it is quite interesting and demonstrates the great technological and mathematical advances of our race. Most space travel is to explore the limits of our abilities and learn which satisfies our human quest for knowledge. As for expanding to other worlds, let's just say that I'd rather have government funding be spent on the possibility of finding a solution to overpopulation than giving out free money which makes overpopulation a more impending issue.
I think business sponsored programs have more freedom than government programs in the idea that they have more freedom on what to spend money and research on. There was probably technical and other issues for why the third rocket didn't't land. I think that synchronized landing is a great concept that with more practice and research could be more effective.
I believe that NASA will be able to promote any government space programs and attract enough attention to be able to compete with business sponsored programs. They have accomplished many space achievements during the Space Race, and have a lot of control over space-related activity. Regarding why the 3rd rocket didn't land with the other 2, it was likely just an error that occurred either during the launch or in the air. Finally, I believe that the synchronized landing and reusable rockets are great implications for future programs and techniques.
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