SpaceX Updates (Thread 8)

[DocM]

[+John. Subscriber¹]

6 minutes ago, DocM said:

 

[DocM]

December 7, 10:30am EDT

 

We are finalizing the investigation into our September 1 anomaly and are working to complete the final steps necessary to safely and reliably return to flight, now in early January with the launch of Iridium-1. This allows for additional time to close-out vehicle preparations and complete extended testing to help ensure the highest possible level of mission assurance prior to launch.

[DocM]

SpaceX job posting

 

We are looking for talented, inspired, and creative software engineers to build, deploy, and own our satellite fleet management and Internet gateway data centers all around the world. These systems are massively distributed, highly available, secure, high performance, and fault tolerant

[Blue-Vision]

Nice, getting infrastructure ready.  Won't be long now.

 

[EDIT] They're gonna need some of these on Mars too, eventually.  

[DocM]

Yup, and orbital/deep space nodes using Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN.)

 

BTW: the Seattle facilities are adding people fast, and they're expanding the Palo Alto facility where those former Broadcom engineers are working.

[Blue-Vision]

 Yessir. The IT Majors at school are being asked to double up their class loads and graduate early -- and are being paid to do so by an unnamed party. Anyone who does "will be compensated, but must sign a Recruitment NDA". I assume this is that "unnamed party".

[Blue-Vision]

IM'd one of the IT Majors I know if they know what the scoop is, and he said that they're being very particular about who is actually being offered the Recruitments. It's only the top 10%, and he's not part of that group. Sounds like SpaceX's M.O.  

 

[EDIT] Chatting with him some more, it's Seniors only that are being pushed to finish up their Degrees starting next Term, Juniors in the same bracket are being offered a slot in the Internship Program but it'll still count as Credits toward their Degree. The screening process will forward the top 3% of that 10% that they're looking at. Wow ... stiff. They aren't messing around. The other 7% will have a chance later on once they complete their Degrees and get some experience elsewhere OR if the Recruiter needs the extra help with the Project.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Unobscured Vision

[DocM]

This is similar to what happened when SpaceX hired 6+ of the M aerospace graduating class a few years ago. 

[Blue-Vision]

Oh yeah! I forgot about that one. This is gonna be bigger than that, I think. Much larger Project, this one. SpaceX needs Datacenters (and IT Staff doing things the SpaceX way) all over Earth ... so I think it's gonna be a big hiring spree.  

[DocM]

I figure they'll need at least 2 kilosouls in Seattle alone, not to mention opening Boca Chica and an outside shot at another launch site at Spaceport Camden in Georgia,

 

http://spaceportcamden.us

 

BTW: SpaceX made GlassDoors 50 best places to work in 2017 list.

Edited December 8, 2016 by DocM

[FloatingFatMan]

Seems a little short sighted of them to limit themselves to US recruiting though. The UK also has quite a few extremely talented programmers, you know...

 

[DocM]

19 minutes ago, FloatingFatMan said:

Seems a little short sighted of them to limit themselves to US recruiting though. The UK also has quite a few extremely talented programmers, you know...

 

Unless they want to come here as resident tech workers, which needs a special visa, or to become citizens it presents an ITAR issue.

 

ITAR: International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Many space techs are dual-use and could be diverted for military purposes.

[Beittil]

SpaceX lost a customer:

 

[+John. Subscriber¹]

2 hours ago, Beittil said:

SpaceX lost a customer:

 

Bound to happen. At least it's only for one flight. Also I suggest editing that post if possible.

[Blue-Vision]

Yeah, it's just because of schedule slips due to the September mishap. They'll probably launch other birds with SpaceX later on.

[IsItPluggedIn]

So with the Falcon 9 being grounded all of this time and the expansion in all of their workforce. How are they currently making money, are they just burning through their cash reserves until they can start launching again?

[Beittil]

Downpayments and investment money... but yup

[DocM]

During May's fundraising round it was said their private share price was up 24% to $96.42/share, they have have $billions in cash reserves and their valuation was $15 billion. 

 

Just my opinion, but I've long suspected they're doing black projects for DoD.  Stories of flag officers visiting McGregor well before F9 v1.1 and the EELV battle, other bits, then topping it off last year Musk had a private meeting with SecDef Ashton Carter at the Pentagon. Musk blew it off as discussions about a flying armor suit ( ), which with the PR blurbs sounded like a deflection. 

Edited December 9, 2016 by DocM

[Blue-Vision]

In all fairness, if a company wants to make it -- really make it -- then Mil/Gov work is the place to do it. Honorable intentions are all well and good, but business is business and money is money. Musk and Co. are smart to do things this way, if in fact that's what they're doing. All of the ventures with Tesla, SolarCity, and SpaceX (and the other companies that are not as well-known under the umbrella of Musk) that want that deep-rooted business in the U.S. Infrastructure? This is the way to do it. 

 

I've got no problem with this. Let them get some of the pie that LH/M, Boeing and Honeywell and others have been eating for the better part of 75 years (or more). Business changes, so does Technology; and the needs of the U.S. Government change with it. It must change. So long as it doesn't become stagnant. That's the true lesson to be learned.  

[SarK0Y]

On 12/2/2016 at 1:03 AM, John. said:

Well, in other slightly better Space news today ...

 

 

©Low№$ never been good for Rocketry ∯CiEnce == he's been steadily gambling w/ so-called innovations & comedy has arrived to its pity end.

 

Quote

Due to scheduling delays, one of SpaceX’s customers has decided to go with a different rocket. British satellite operator Inmarsat announced today that it will launch one of its satellites on a European Ariane 5 rocket, instead of on one of SpaceX’s vehicles like it had originally planned. On short notice, Inmarsat was able to secure a mid-2017 launch for the spacecraft — a communication satellite for the European Aviation Network (EAN).

http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/8/13883640/spacex-satellite-launch-inmarsat-arianespace-schedule-delay

 

[Blue-Vision]

Very old news, and we've moved on. Suggest you move on too.  

[DocM]

Don't feed....

 

 

[IsItPluggedIn]

17 hours ago, SarK0Y said:

©Low№$ never been good for Rocketry ∯CiEnce == he's been steadily gambling w/ so-called innovations & comedy has arrived to its pity end.

 

 

I have no idea what this says. Can we please have this in English or French, I can do French. 

[Blue-Vision]

I got about half of it, past the truly terrible translation. A slam on SpaceX, I'm assuming. We're leaving it alone, given the poster and the history of stirring pots. Moving along is best.