Space X Booster 'Catch' Successful - The 'Chopsticks Worked

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   GA Andersonposted 6 months ago

   The 'chopsticks' worked. Space X successfully 'caught' the returning starship booster — on its first try.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   Which is more important, Elon Musk's politics or his society-benefiting achievements?
   
   As a side note, the FAA's initial delay (end-of-November launch approval) reasoning seems to have changed quickly right after Musk's Starlink was in the news for helping disaster areas restore emergency communications. This leads to a second side note: Was he a victim of a regulatory version of 'lawfare'?
   
   GA

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   1. 85

      tsmogposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      "Which is more important, Elon Musk's politics or his society-benefiting achievements?"
      
      A little wandering without being resolved or chained to a stake/position like an elephant in training.
      
      I ask, "Are they mutually exclusive?"  Also, "His recent politics especially publicly ran consecutively after his initial bold achievements, right?" Is that simply growth as an individual? I am thinking of Erik Erikson's stages of human development right now.
      
      Frankly, I began to get a foul taste for him when he purchased 'X', Twitter, while didn't consider his prior achievements. I was affected by the fall out then and while it continues today. Maybe that isn't fair?
      
      Essentially, I see the questions and info provided as trying to connect dots, yet are they on the same plane, within the same dimension, or in the same universes?
      
      Value judgments are always a challenge, aren't they?
      
      I place higher value on his achievements that really were a team effort when it comes down to it, though know they are interlinked with world politics as well as national. I 'feel' it is sad he decided to get involved with politics to the extent he is today. But, hey, he holds the world in his hands as far as money goes and he does have the corner of some of the market/fields today. Good for him!! Admirable!! How can it hurt him? If he seeks that attention for himself then surely he has reasons for it.

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      1. 86

         GA Andersonposted 6 months agoin reply to this

         As a perception, in the vein of ideologies (L or C, D or R), they are not mutually exclusive in the minds of Liberals. As in, his successes cannot be lauded because his politics suck. He supports Trump so there can be nothing good about him.
         
         Relative to 'stages of development,' it could be as simple as Musk feeling free enough to act on what he believes.
         
         Yes, per your description of its origin, the "foul taste" is unfair. As rhetoricals — Did you have an opinion of him before he bought Twitter? Did you have a negative view of the Twitter files' revelations?
         
         Oh Lordy, lordy Tsmog. a 'yeah but' when talking about his achievements? He is making the science fiction of our youth into reality. Of course, it was a team effort. He created and led the team. The team that succeeded would not have done so without Elon Musk. That is a part of the point, paradigm-changing achievements are 'qualified' with 'yeah buts' because of his politics.
         
         GA

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            tsmogposted 6 months agoin reply to this

            "Yes, per your description of its origin, the "foul taste" is unfair."
            
            Then so be it!!!
            
            "As rhetoricals — Did you have an opinion of him before he bought Twitter?"
            
            Let me repeat what was written to answer that question. Apparently you missed it.
            
            "I place higher value on his achievements that really were a team effort when it comes down to it . . ."
            
            I suppose you thought I inferred I arrived at the view after he acquired 'X'? How can that be since his achievements arrived before he purchased 'X'?
            
            "Did you have a negative view of the Twitter files' revelations?"
            
            Frankly, I didn't give a damn about them. It wasn't anything surprising to me.
            
            "Oh Lordy, lordy Tsmog. a 'yeah but' when talking about his achievements? He is making the science fiction of our youth into reality. Of course, it was a team effort. He created and led the team. The team that succeeded would not have done so without Elon Musk. That is a part of the point, paradigm-changing achievements are 'qualified' with 'yeah buts' because of his politics."
            
            It seems you are the one stuck on his politics specifically as to his choice with the them vs us attitude, not me!!!
            
            "The team that succeeded would not have done so without Elon Musk."
            
            Duh!!! And, importantly, Elon Musk wouldn't be who he is today without the other teammates, thus the team doesn't exist as two separate parts = leader + fellow doers. So, in my eyes, it is the synergistic reality of the sum of the parts are greater than whole. In other words, it is the entity Tesla or StarLink or SpaceX that made all the technological wonders reality!
            
            I am more upset with him getting involved in politics, period, to the extent he is especially publicly. I don't give a damn (I used damn instead of f***) if liberal or conservative and if Republican or Democrat. In other words, as far as respect for business acumen I had to remove his image with others like Warren Buffet or John Menard to a lower pedestal. I am unsure if to put him on the pedestal with the Koch brothers and George Soros, but definitely fell in 'my' eyes.

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               GA Andersonposted 6 months agoin reply to this

               To your "business acumen" point, Musk agrees with you. He says he is an engineer or 'technologist', not a great businessman.
               
               When you credit the entities with the achievements you are also crediting the creator of those entities. Musk. He led from the factory floor, not a CEO's corner office.
               
               To get unstuck from politics, catching that 'super heavy' booster was a hellava technological feat.
               
               GA

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                  tsmogposted 6 months agoin reply to this

                  "When you credit the entities with the achievements you are also crediting the creator of those entities. Musk. He led from the factory floor, not a CEO's corner office."
                  
                  There never was an intention of not giving credit to Musk. I don't see how anyone could say otherwise from what I wrote. It is a matter of personal perspective. I see the janitor with as much value as the CEO whether on the floor or sitting at a desk.
                  
                  That's just me. Maybe it is my education in automotive science. I know the engine won't run if there is not a spark plug(s) even though the Electrical Control Unit(s) [The brain] is in the car and working fine.
                  
                  And, yes, one could say it was miraculous that the new concept became reality with the booster's successful landing. Who would have thunk it was possible? I seem to remember Sheldon went to NASA and explained how to bring back the rockets and he was very young.
                  
                  Young Sheldon Solves the Rocket problem for NASA YouTube (6:07 min) Skip to the 2:10 min mark. Be sure to watch through 5:10 min mark to see the surprise humorous ending.
                  
                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjVEnUe3dnc

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                     GA Andersonposted 6 months agoin reply to this

                     That was good. Especially the end.
                     
                     GA

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                  Ken Burgessposted 6 months agoin reply to this

                  I think politics interfered with his efforts... that is why he got involved.
                  
                  He didn't get involved with politics until they were impacting his companies.
                  
                  CA just the other day told him he could not launch more rockets:
                  
                  California officials cite Elon Musk’s politics in rejecting SpaceX launches
                  https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/1 … x-00183371
                  
                  Coastal Commission rejects SpaceX plans for more Southern California rocket launches
                  https://ktla.com/news/california/coasta … es-report/
                  
                  And then there were the forced shutdowns of Tesla during Covid:
                  
                  Tesla Closing New York, California Factories in Response to Coronavirus
                  https://hubpages.com/technology/forum/3 … cks-worked
                  
                  They continually harassed his companies, sued, fined, etc.
                  
                  Court Certifies Historic Race Harassment Class Action Against Tesla: Thousands of Black Workers at Fremont, California Factory May Participate
                  https://www.bryanschwartzlaw.com/court- … rticipate/
                  
                  So WHY pay attention to what Musk thinks and relates about our politics?
                  
                  Well, he has intimate knowledge of how other countries operate, especially the likes of China and Germany where he has factories, he has a much better grasp of the world than most because he has to directly engage in governments State and National.
                  
                  It gives him great perspective and allows him insight that many of us lack.

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                     GA Andersonposted 6 months agoin reply to this

                     Your closing sounds right to me, and I do believe this administration has 'attacked' him simply because of his recent political change of heart. The latest example is the administration's recent turnabout on the permit for the Starship 5 launch. Spurning Tesla in Pres. Biden's domestic producer EV summit might have been the first example.
                     
                     Counters to claims against Musk always end with a 'Yeah but he's still a little weird."
                     
                     As a side note, I have read that the CA Commission doesn't have any authority to restrict launches — it's simply a political statement. *shrug*
                     
                     GA

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   Ken Burgessposted 6 months ago

   Think about it... he went out of his way to build plants in CA and NY, he was once as Liberal and pro-Democrat as anyone.
   
   Until the Democrat party became a place for something very un-American, and their politics began hurting his company's efforts rather than helping them.
   
   Like I often say... pay attention to who has left the Democrat party or had their careers and lives ruined by them or are constantly being attacked by them.
   
   That tells an interesting story I think... how do the uber-liberal Eric and Bret Weinstein go from being champions of the Left to outcasts calling out for Americans to vote Trump?
   
   Why did Tulsi Gabbard break ranks and leave the Dems?
   
   An interesting interview:
   Brothers Together at Last | Eric Weinstein & Bret Weinstein
   https://www.bretweinstein.net/explore/t … -weinstein

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3. 71

   Ken Burgessposted 6 months ago

   How unreal... on the 1st try...
   https://www.youtube.com/shorts/o1mjvMH9Ny4
   
   
   
   
   And this guy supports Trump

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   abwilliamsposted 6 months ago

   It gave me goosebumps!

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   1. 71

      Ken Burgessposted 6 months agoin reply to this

      ELON MUSK: "I would prefer not to be in politics. I stepped into the arena because I think the stakes are extremely fundamental. I fear if Trump does not win, we are going to have a single-party state that is going to be worse than California.
      
      The one thing that keeps California from going even further is that people can move out of California and still be in America. But if you've got no place to move, then it's going to be much worse than California, and that's the danger that we face.
      
      An oppressive totalitarian state that has extreme restrictions on freedom of speech that continues extreme over-regulation that makes government even bigger than it is today and takes away the liberty of the people.
      
      It's not something I wanted to do, but I thought it was critical to do it, or America is not going to be America."
      
      https://x.com/KanekoaTheGreat/status/18 … 3735702587

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