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All that needs to happen now is Dragon 2 success and BFR Dev to go by-the-numbers.

 

Imagine, ten years from now, how hot SpaceX's value is going to be. Starlink is gonna be up and running, BFR/BFS is going to be THE platform of choice for literally everything ... and that's just SpaceX's stuff. :yes: 

 

The 2020's are gonna be great.

4 hours ago, DocM said:

The BFR factory site is cleared & needs filling, StarLink's VLEO constellation getting approved, Boca Chica is being built, etc. etc.

This is a $500 million funding.

 

Just my opinion but Boca Chica will be pocket change for another "grasshopper" . BFR/BFS was envisioned to be done via SpaceX profits as is...Starlink is on another level and will command more than 90% of this. 

 

See my post 5 minutes ago in Starlink...Starlink is bigger than BFS/BFR at this moment.

Quote

The team at our rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas completed a static fire test last night of the Falcon 9 booster that will launch SpaceX’s first demonstration mission for @NASA’s Commercial Crew Program – one step closer to flying astronauts to the @Space_Station!

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1055978878043181056

 

DqeW9mtX0AASXaC.thumb.jpg.ec77fcdfbf50817ac3f366076913c6db.jpg

 

//   I also put this in CC...this is huge..this puppy has the new COPV's and it's eventual static fire coming up at 39A will begin the "fueling 5 count". 

 

 

Quote

That's Falcon 9 Block 5 B1051.1. A normal flow would mean this could be processed for a December mission, based on the timeline of SF at McGregor-to-Launch. DM-1 is, however, also pending Dragon 2 preparation status and the recently noted "Paperwork" on the NASA side.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1055980118194171907

 

 

  • Like 2
Quote

"NASA Invites Media to 16th SpaceX Cargo Launch to Space Station" - which firms up the launch date target of *December 4*, T-0 at 1:38pm EST. Booster will be landing at LZ-1.

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1057651378523435013

 

 

  • Like 1

in reference to this...

 

DrCdc7fU8AADFn_.thumb.jpg.c67bdc7dbac4a690db5f73d0ed6bec21.jpg

 

had a laugh at this...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0Jv9K4KAgU&feature=youtu.be

 

..will have to use the link....posting is fussy today...30 sec Starman gif

 

  • Like 1

Bloomberg..

 

Quote

SpaceX Seeks $750 Million Loan Via New Arranger BofA


Elon Musk’s rocket company SpaceX is planning to launch a $750 million leveraged loan this week, which will now be led by Bank of America Corp. instead of Goldman Sachs Group Inc., according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Bank of America has scheduled a Nov. 7 presentation for potential investors, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the transaction is private.
>

 

Quote

r/SpaceX is too talented. Render of Falcon 9 with mini-BFS upper stage by u/purpleefilthh

 

https://twitter.com/TGMetsFan98/status/1060315564646821898

 

Drb_YVCVAAEw1o8.thumb.jpg.2b0ad051668b30e70f8a6730137df849.jpg

 

larger image...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Drb_YVCVAAEw1o8.jpg:large

 

 

  • Like 2
Quote

SpaceX circulates price guidance on $750 million term loan https://reut.rs/2Qs4cHU

 

https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1060308517075255297

 

SpaceX circulates price guidance on $750 million term loan

 

Quote

NEW YORK (LPC) - Elon Musk’s rocket and spacecraft company SpaceX on Wednesday circulated pricing on a proposed $750 million term loan that will put cash on the company’s balance sheet, two sources said.

 

The company floated pricing in the 400bp-425bp over Libor range with a 0% floor and a discount of 99. The loan will have six months of soft call protection at 101.

 

Bank of America Merrill Lynch is leading. Commitments are due November 16.

 

As it markets the deal among potential investors, SpaceX is keeping close tabs on the company’s financials, according to sources.

 

However, this secrecy has not deterred interest from the investment community.

 

“It’s a brave new world,” said one loan investor. “I think there are some companies in this new economy space that are really interesting and this is why you’re seeing Uber and WeWork and even Tesla to some extent able to line up debt.”

 

SpaceX is based in Hawthorne, California, and employs more than 6,000 people. Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, founded the company in 2002 with the goal of assisting humans in living on other planets.

 

SpaceX declined comment. BAML did not immediately return a request for comment.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-spacex-pricing-idUSKCN1NC2WR?utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5be370d204d3015cddbb1ab4&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

 

  • Thanks 1

It's a really, really smart move. Having a sub-scale article like this lets them do all sorts of real-world testing on the materials and aero surfaces that the simulations can't possibly predict. The "kitchen sink" testing methodology. I'm a strong proponent of it. :yes: 

  • Like 2

Can someone explain to me how they are landing the second stage in layman's terms?  I can make some assumptions but aerosurfaces and high mach control surfaces are a couple new word I haven't seen much here.  I assume high mach control surfaces are new ways of directing stage 2 on the way down?  I did a little looking up on Aerosurfaces and it talks about gliding down, but I don't see stage 2 or BFS having wheels and landing like the shuttle did so what are they going to do?  I've also seen the Mars simulation but they can't fire the mVac engines up for a propulsive landing.

You guys know what everyone else does from the tweets.

 

My guess...

 

Boca Chica for the sub orbital test vehicle, which includes propulsive landing.

 

F9 second stage mod for LEO ED and not L....but they will want to look over the goodies in addition to telemetry...non reusable.

 

Aerobrake, lifting body to "skydive mode" and then chute/parafoil into the drink with bouyancy ring, bouncy castle or questionable Mr Steven but the size bothers me and damage to ship is too risky for my liking.

 

My guess is that they will "claim" a previously enjoyed S1, also use it for analysis as it gets pushed past 3 to 5 uses.

 

I would think 2 or maybe 3 modified stages in quick order...approx 8 months...costs being fuel, handling and mod S2 

 

What do I know, I'm just an internet troll.

  • Like 1

My now evolved guess is a dedicated test vehicle with a close to full fidelity outer mold line. F9 S2 subs for the BFS propulsion module/tanks. May not use the MVac nozzle extension. The rest is a CF layup & ballast.
 
Validates the aerodynamics up and down, and tests the fins during a Skydiver descent.

 

A landing must be done to evaluate the thermal protection system(s) so it needs a basic guidance system,  a return mechanism, and an RCS.

 

ISTM all these can be done using items already tested for fairing recovery; cold gas thruster RCS, a riff of the fairing guidance system, and the GPS guided parafoil (but larger.)

 

Dedicated test flights using a high mileage Flight Proven™ booster.

Edited by DocM
  • Like 3

Mr Steven will be a shocker to the folks at Fish Lips :)

 

That new drone ship will be ASDS A Shortfall of Gravitas 

 

Having two drone ships means they can catch both Falcon Heavy boosters at sea for expended center-core  launches to high energy destinations. Mars, asteroid belt, the outer planets, super-heavy payloads etc.

 

Falcon Heavy will be open for business 👽

Edited by DocM
  • Like 1

Scott Manley, as usual, brings up great points...

 

This whole situation is a very tough call...

 

We have seen SpaceX perform most of their iterative testing while flying customer payloads...this is very smart for resource utilization.

 

At this juncture in time, a reliability reputation is being cemented, further enhanced by the latest NASA payload certification and customers are evolving to first stage reusability. I feel that this can not be interfered with...this pays the bills for 7000 employees.

 

Again though, SpaceX has been consistent... in stunning us with how far they will go...but at this point, in development, we have time as an enemy. BFS testing is very important...but the constellation, in my opinion, is more important....the "chicken or the egg""...well, maybe a bit of both. (BFS context for constellation launches)

 

First mini BFS hops from Boca Chica by end of 2019.....and constellation initial launches around the same time. It appears the biggest data venues are Entry/Descent characteristics with control surfaces and of course TPS.

 

For this, the Mvac bell bothers me less as telemetry will be indicative of a more turbulent environment and still represent force/actions for interpretation. The TPS can be monitored via telemetry sensors for heat displacement, even better if IR equipment used for observation as the S2 can be brought down over a telemetry receptive area and observational equipment can be made available. If they can recover bits of stage 2 for inspection, that would be great but I am less convinced of the importance of this action. I think telemetry, few extra heat transducers and IR observation will supply what they need.

 

This can be carried out many times before the end of 2019, leaving customer payloads alone but utilizing S2 after payload deployment to gather the required data. We don't really need a recovery and this really saves money and a lot of hassle.

 

I like this approach with the addition of observational surface equipment and telemetry acquisition by controlled stage re-entry.

 

In the end, we all want to see futuristic eye candy but I feel here we need to run the business and acquire what is needed in an affordable and "timely" fashion.

 

// This is my approach for today...till someone else throws a wrench at it, like ^^^.

 

😎

 

 

 

Falcon 1 Flight 1 at distance

 

From National Geographic "Mars" primer....new footage?

 

 

video is 32 seconds

 

//   Remember kids, the only difference between messing around and scientific experimentation is...writing it down somewhere.......and sometimes youtube

 

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  • Posts

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    • Sadly "beats Steam Machine" isn't much of a brag.
    • Passkeys: Think of them like a broken heart necklace. Imagine one of those heart necklaces that breaks into two matching pieces. One person keeps one half, and the other person keeps the other half. With passkeys, the website has one half, and you have the other half. If the website gets hacked and someone steals its half, that stolen piece is useless by itself. It cannot unlock your account without your matching half. This particular heart necklace is one of a kind, there is only one in existence. Your half of the necklace has to be stored somewhere. It might be stored on your phone, tablet, computer, security key, or a password manager that can sync it between all your devices. A security key is a small physical device that you keep with you, kind of like a house key, car key, or flash drive. I would not usually recommend a security key as the first option for the average person. For most people, it is easier to use their phone, computer, or a password manager that can sync passkeys between their devices. A security key is more like a spare key you keep in a safe place, just in case you lose access to your other devices or your password manager. Some security keys plug into your computer. Some plug into your phone or tablet. Some get tapped against your device. The idea is simple: a security key can hold another passkey for the same website. Think of it like creating a second one-of-a-kind heart necklace for the same account. One necklace could be paired with your password manager, while another necklace could be paired with your security key. That means the website has more than one matching half on file. One half matches the passkey in your password manager. Another half matches the passkey stored on your security key. So, if you lose access to your phone, computer, or password manager, you would still be able to log in using the passkey stored on your security key. Think of it like keeping an extra special necklace piece on a tiny keychain, stored somewhere safe. The website still has the matching half for that security key, but your half is safely stored inside the little key. A passkey does not automatically exist on every device you own. It lives wherever you save it. If your half is stored on one device, then that device is the one that has the matching piece. For example, if you create the passkey on your Windows computer and it is only saved to that computer, your iPhone does not automatically have that same half. If you create it on your iPhone and it only stays on that iPhone, your Android phone does not automatically have it either. That is where password managers come in. A password manager can act like a protected jewelry box for your passkeys. Instead of your half of the necklace being locked to only one device, the password manager can securely sync that half to your other approved devices. For example, Apple Passwords and iCloud Keychain can sync passkeys between your Apple devices. Google Password Manager can sync passkeys with your Google account. But password managers such as 1Password and Bitwarden can sync passkeys between everything, your phones, tablets and computers. Now, you might ask: “What happens if I lose access to the device that has my passkey?” That depends on where your passkey was saved and what recovery options the website gives you. If your passkey was synced through a password manager, you may be able to sign in from another device that has access to that same password manager. For example, if your passkey is saved in iCloud Keychain, Google Password Manager, 1Password, or Bitwarden, another approved device may still have access to it. If your passkey was saved only on one phone, computer, or security key, and you lose that device, then you may not have your half of the necklace anymore. In that case, you would usually need to use the website’s backup login or account recovery options. A lot of websites that support passkeys still let you fall back to your regular password. So if you lose access to your passkey, the site may still let you log in with your password, a code sent to your email, a text message, a recovery code, or some other account recovery process. That is convenient, but it is also important to understand: if the website still allows password login, then your password still matters. Passkeys are safer than passwords, but if your account still has a password as a backup, you should still use a strong, unique password and turn on two-factor authentication if the website offers it. This is why it is a good idea to have more than one safe way back into important accounts. For example, you might keep your passkey in a syncing password manager, add a second trusted device, save recovery codes somewhere safe, or set up a backup security key. A passkey is very secure, but just like a real key, you need a backup plan in case you lose access to it. Now, you might ask: “What stops a hacker from copying my half of the necklace?” That’s the important part: your half is protected. It is not something you type in, and it is not something the website gets to keep. Think of your half as being locked inside a tiny safe on your phone, computer, security key, or password manager. That safe only opens when you approve it with your fingerprint, face, PIN, or device password. When you log in, the website does not need to see your half. It only needs proof that your half matches its half. Your actual half is not handed over to the website. This is different from a password. With a password, you type the secret into the website. If you type it into a fake website, the hacker now has it. With a passkey, you are not typing your secret into the website. Your device is proving you have the matching half without giving the half away. That also helps protect you from fake websites. If someone makes a fake login page that looks like the real site, your device can tell it is not the real match. It will not use your passkey there. Now, could someone use your passkey if they stole your device, got into your password manager, or somehow unlocked the safe that holds your half? Yes, that is why your device password, PIN, fingerprint, face unlock, and password manager security still matter. But a hacker cannot just steal your passkey from the website or trick you into typing it into a fake page like they can with a password. That is why passkeys are safer than passwords. The two matching pieces have to come together, like two lovebirds who were once separated and are finally reunited.
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