SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch: Here's how and when it'll happen

CNET ^ | February 4, 2018 9:39 AM PST | Eric Mack

[BenLurkin]

Elon Musk has been given the official green light to send his red Tesla Roadster into space.

The Federal Aviation Administration gave its official blessing to the launch when it issued a license to SpaceX on Friday for "A flight of the Falcon Heavy launch vehicle from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) transporting the modified Tesla Roadster (mass simulator) to a hyperbolic orbit."

...

SpaceX confirmed in a release on Saturday that it's targeting the launch for Tuesday during a two-and-a-half hour window that begins at 10:30 a.m. PT Tuesday. So if all goes perfectly, Falcon Heavy will fire up its 27 Merlin engines at that time, but all launches, especially a demonstration launch like this one, are subject to delays.

...

If Musk's Roadster and Falcon Heavy do survive liftoff and the journey out of Earth's gravity well, we could be treated to another sort of spectacle: SpaceX's first attempt at landing three first-stage rocket boosters nearly simultaneously.  Musk on multiple occasions has also attempted to lower expectations for Falcon Heavy's first launch, warning that it may end in spectacular, but explosive failure.

[LouieFisk]

“send his red Tesla Roadster into space.”
—
As far as I’m concerned, they can send all the plug-in cars into deep,deep space.Along with the driverless cars.

[qwertyz]

Where’s the outrage over the planet/climate impact of this carbon-burning/resource-wasting ego exercise?

[doorgunner69]

Would not it be cheaper to send an old golf cart up?

[zeestephen]

How long will the Tesla batteries hold their charge in the temperature extremes of outer space?

[longfellowsmuse]

Capitalism expanding into space exploration is a good thing, I think it’s great. NASA has been mothballed by Obama and will take a long time to recover. Sadly, we are currently paying the Russians to let us hitch a ride to the ISS... we can do better, let private industry lead the way.

[Pontiac]

we can do better, let private industry lead the way

I agree.

But I would call Musk semi-private. Space-X and Tesla are heavily subsidized.

[longfellowsmuse]

Understood, but even semi-private progress is better than what we’ve got currently... which is nada.

[chaosagent]

But I would call Musk semi-private. Space-X and Tesla are heavily subsidized.

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I’ll give you Tesla, but I keep hearing people say this about SpaceX buy how is SpaceX subsidized except by the government paying them to launch satellites, instead of paying someone else, like the Russians?

[Moonman62]

What is heavily subsidized? Ten percent maybe.

[Pontiac]

Elon Musk's growing empire is fueled by $4.9 billion in government subsidies .

I won't say that it is necessarily bad considering there isn't anyone out there that is totally independent.

But don't be deceived that Musk is a capitalist.

[longfellowsmuse]

yup...thanks for the info.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin, with a ping to the old APoD list. One of the vids was shot from some distance, and the crowd reacts after a bit, when the sound finally reaches them.

falcon heavy static fire test site:youtube.com

[Moonman62]

But don’t be deceived that Musk is a capitalist.

...

Almost his entire net worth is invested in his companies. He’s been CEO of four companies that he either started or help found. I’d say he’s more capitalist than most.

[Pontiac]

I’d say he’s more capitalist than most.

He also seems to be good at getting government money.

Which is of course a good part of growing a company these days.

Unfortunately.

He also is a skilled self-promoter.

Take for example sending his car on a journey out of the solar system.

He could have as easily opened a contest to college students to design and build a payload for the test.

I think that would be a more useful use of the test launch.

[Moonman62]

The market capital of Tesla and SpaceX are around $80 billion, so that means subsidies would account for about six percent.

[Moonman62]

He also is a skilled self-promoter.

...

So is President Trump.

Using the Tesla as a payload will probably be worth more in free advertising to his companies than the cost of the launch. I’d say the shareholders are thrilled about that.

Tesla has the highest customer satisfaction rating of all car companies and SpaceX customers are thrilled with the value for their dollar.

[Pontiac]

I am not attacking Musk. I am simply saying that reality doesn’t match the hype.

Take for example Tesla’s market cap exceeds that of GM. But GM in 2016 built almost 8 million cars while Tesla built 83,922.

Tesla’s fundamentals simply do not justify its lofty valuation even under the most optimistic assumptions about its future. The company produced a total of 83,922 vehicles in 2016—making its plans to ramp up to 1 million cars by 2020 an uphill climb. It loses money on every car it makes, and its margins are only going to shrink when it produces the cheaper Model 3. Add to this the massive capital expenses of the Gigafactory and Solar City, and Tesla’s financial future looks very uncertain. If fundamentals mattered, investors are delusional about valuing Tesla at over $50 billion..

[Secret Agent Man]

Its a waste of a car. They cant send anything more useful up?

[Does so]

Using the Tesla as a payload will probably be worth more in free advertising to his companies than the cost of the launch.

I'd buy a Tesla if Musk sent a Muslim into space instead. ;)