Space X announces 42-engine reusable rocket

[Tamas]

Are we against the collapse of the price of commodities? I mean, if we are not Russians or Arabic princes?

Yes we are against the collapse of the price of commodities!

I'll feel sorry for you while eating with my platinum cutlery.

[Eddie Teach]

Are we against the collapse of the price of commodities? I mean, if we are not Russians or Arabic princes?

Yes we are against the collapse of the price of commodities!

They're not going to find any oil up there.

[Jacob]

Are we against the collapse of the price of commodities? I mean, if we are not Russians or Arabic princes?

Yes we are against the collapse of the price of commodities!

They're not going to find any oil up there.

Canada has a bunch of mines too, and is a pretty big player in the international mining industry as well. A commodity collapse will hurt our economy - but we'll have a bit of time to see it coming, I think.

[crazy canuck]

Are we against the collapse of the price of commodities? I mean, if we are not Russians or Arabic princes?

Yes we are against the collapse of the price of commodities!

They're not going to find any oil up there.

Canada has a bunch of mines too, and is a pretty big player in the international mining industry as well. A commodity collapse will hurt our economy - but we'll have a bit of time to see it coming, I think.

If mining executives believe this is a risk then it would reduce the spend on exploration and development, but the existing mines would likely produce until the end of their mine life since most have set contracts for their production and most of the development costs have already been incurred .  So yes, a bit of time to adjust if this does indeed happen.

[Malthus]

Are we against the collapse of the price of commodities? I mean, if we are not Russians or Arabic princes?

Yes we are against the collapse of the price of commodities!

I'll feel sorry for you while eating with my platinum cutlery.

One amusing fact: prior to the invention of the modern process for separating out aluminum from other ores, aluminum was considered a precious metal.

Some royalty kept aluminum cutlery for other royals to dine with - mere nobles got the gold stuff. 

[KRonn]

Are we against the collapse of the price of commodities? I mean, if we are not Russians or Arabic princes?

Yes we are against the collapse of the price of commodities!

I'll feel sorry for you while eating with my platinum cutlery.

One amusing fact: prior to the invention of the modern process for separating out aluminum from other ores, aluminum was considered a precious metal.

Some royalty kept aluminum cutlery for other royals to dine with - mere nobles got the gold stuff. 

How absolutely boorish! Let them eat cake!!

[jimmy olsen]

Are we against the collapse of the price of commodities? I mean, if we are not Russians or Arabic princes?

Aluminum was once the most expensive precious metal in the world. The Hall–Héroult process that allows us to smelt aluminum on an industrial scale crashed the market, but Alcoa managed to leverage that process into becoming an industrial titan and now aluminum is used in everything. Platinum and gold would be equally useful and valuable on a mass industrial scale.

Also, the smaller more practical BFR will only have 31 engines.

[Eddie Teach]

Also, the smaller more practical BFR will only have 31 engines.

See, commodities are safe. No way such a small ship has any effect.

[jimmy olsen]

Also, the smaller more practical BFR will only have 31 engines.

See, commodities are safe. No way such a small ship has any effect.

It's bigger than the Saturn V

[Valmy]

Are we against the collapse of the price of commodities? I mean, if we are not Russians or Arabic princes?

No. Let those commodities collapse. Cheaper products for everybody.

[jimmy olsen]

Also, the smaller more practical BFR will only have 31 engines.

See, commodities are safe. No way such a small ship has any effect.

It's bigger than the Saturn V

Also, it can be refueled in orbit.

The Saturn V could launch 140,000 kg into low earth orbit, but the lander that reached the moon only weighed 16,400 kg.

The BFR can deliver a 150,000 kg to Mars (and I may be wrong but I think that's not counting the mass of the ship)

[jimmy olsen]

Tooling for the main body of the BFR

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhVk3y3A0yB/

[jimmy olsen]

SpaceX crushed the competition. Now the sole lander in development for the next Moon landing.

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/as-artemis-moves-forward-nasa-picks-spacex-to-land-next-americans-on-moon/

NASA is getting ready to send astronauts to explore more of the Moon as part of the Artemis program, and the agency has selected SpaceX to continue development of the first commercial human lander that will safely carry the next two American astronauts to the lunar surface. At least one of those astronauts will make history as the first woman on the Moon. Another goal of the Artemis program includes landing the first person of color on the lunar surface.

The agency's powerful Space Launch System rocket will launch four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft for their multi-day journey to lunar orbit. There, two crew members will transfer to the SpaceX human landing system (HLS) for the final leg of their journey to the surface of the Moon. After approximately a week exploring the surface, they will board the lander for their short trip back to orbit where they will return to Orion and their colleagues before heading back to Earth.

The firm-fixed price, milestone-based contract total award value is $2.89 billion.

"With this award, NASA and our partners will complete the first crewed demonstration mission to the surface of the Moon in the 21st century as the agency takes a step forward for women's equality and long-term deep space exploration," said Kathy Lueders, NASA's associate administrator for Human Explorations and Operations Mission Directorate. "This critical step puts humanity on a path to sustainable lunar exploration and keeps our eyes on missions farther into the solar system, including Mars."


SpaceX has been working closely with NASA experts during the HLS base period of performance to inform its lander design and ensure it meets NASA's performance requirements and human spaceflight standards. A key tenet for safe systems, these agreed-upon standards range from areas of engineering, safety, health, and medical technical areas.

"This is an exciting time for NASA and especially the Artemis team," said Lisa Watson-Morgan, program manager for HLS at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. "During the Apollo program, we proved that it is possible to do the seemingly impossible: land humans on the Moon. By taking a collaborative approach in working with industry while leveraging NASA's proven technical expertise and capabilities, we will return American astronauts to the Moon's surface once again, this time to explore new areas for longer periods of time."

SpaceX's HLS Starship, designed to land on the Moon, leans on the company's tested Raptor engines and flight heritage of the Falcon and Dragon vehicles. Starship includes a spacious cabin and two airlocks for astronaut moonwalks. The Starship architecture is intended to evolve to a fully reusable launch and landing system designed for travel to the Moon, Mars, and other destinations.

The HLS award is made under the Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships (NextSTEP-2) Appendix H Broad Agency Announcement (BAA).

In parallel with executing the Appendix H award, NASA intends to implement a competitive procurement for sustainable crewed lunar surface transportation services that will provide human access to the lunar surface using the Gateway on a regularly recurring basis beyond the initial crewed demonstration mission.

With NASA's Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, HLS, and the Gateway lunar outpost, NASA and its commercial and international partners are returning to the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and inspiration for a new generation. Working with its partners throughout the Artemis program, the agency will fine-tune precision landing technologies and develop new mobility capabilities to enable exploration of new regions of the Moon. On the surface, the agency has proposed building a new habitat and rovers, testing new power systems and more. These and other innovations and advancements made under the Artemis program will ensure that NASA and its partners are ready for human exploration's next big step—the exploration of Mars.

For more information about the human landing system, visit:

[jimmy olsen]

The Scott Manley analysis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuSM_-Aw5HM

[Grey Fox]

That's downright cheap compared to the historic cost of Boeing.