Filed under: A Bit Of Inspiration, Attitude & Aptitude, Confidence, Creativity, Culture, Differentiation, Education, Innocence, Innovation, Insight
So Elon Musk’s SpaceX company successfully launched his Falcon Heavy rocket.
I was interested for many reasons, most notably for the fact that when he launched his previous rocket – I saw it but didn’t know what it was, so my brain got bent out of shape as I tried to work out whether it was an alien invasion, a Korean rocket or just a Hollywood stunt.
As it did to many others too.
For the record, to make sure Otis wasn’t scared by his parents and odd-parents reaction, I told him it was Santa doing a ‘trial Christmas run’.
He didn’t believe it … which is impressive because at that stage, none of us knew what was actually going on.
But this launch was different.
Bigger. More innovative. More spectacle.
And as amazing as all that is, what I found the most fascinating was how they made the booster rockets return back to earth.
IN UNISON!!!
I’m not saying this just because it’s the sort of thing you only expect to see in a JJ Abrams movie, but because by doing that – he just reduced the cost of space exploration from NASA’s billion dollar a flight price tag, to about 90 million.
Incredible.
But there is something even more wonderful.
No, I’m not talking about the fact it’s made me write the most topical post in this blogs history, I’m talking about how it has reignited the imagination of people around the World.
Shifting the aspirations of tech from making a billion dollar app to literally changing the potential future of the World.
Of course you need a lot of money to do that, but everyone has to start somewhere and as long as Musk continues to show how to do this with responsibility and humour for the benefit of the planet [unlike how he conducts his personal life], then I think he has just introduced humanity to an incredibly exciting chapter in it’s development.
And boy do we need that.
23 Comments so far
Leave a comment
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You want to buy them don’t you.
Comment by DH February 8, 2018 @ 6:18 amDidn’t have bluetooth though did it. Ha.
Comment by Rob February 8, 2018 @ 8:15 amLots of articles saying it was a waste of money, ignoring it was his (shareholders) money.
Comment by DH February 8, 2018 @ 6:20 amHe did receive a lot of tax payer subsidies. But space exploration has always had claims of wastage thrown at it. Maybe that was true when it’s motivation was political ego and one-upmanship but I feel this could really be the beginning of something extraordinary for us all.
Comment by George February 8, 2018 @ 6:30 amVery different to the Russian Space Authority isn’t it Robert?
i forgot about that shit you did for the ruskis. you were american traitors before you were in america.
Comment by andy@cynic February 8, 2018 @ 8:54 amI still remember writing the sponsorship proposal for Mir [for Pepsi and Omega] where I said it was testimony to Russian engineering that it was still in space when it was supposed to have ended it’s journey years before. I feel filthy for that, because even though it was true – the ‘Russian engineering’ comprised of using sticky tape to hold things together.
Comment by Rob February 8, 2018 @ 9:03 amIf all the investment into the unknown was stopped, we would be without most of the things we now take for granted. Like this blog. ; )
Comment by Pete February 8, 2018 @ 7:03 amThanks Pete … thanks a lot.
Comment by Rob February 8, 2018 @ 8:15 ambest comment you have ever made pete.
Comment by andy@cynic February 8, 2018 @ 8:51 amI agree with you Robert, the whole thing was a spectacle that couldn’t help but ignite interest in the unknown. The way SpaceX has conducted itself feels like America of old. Confident, almost arrogant, steamrolling through challenges people said would be impossible to beat. Except Musk is South African. I loved it.
Comment by George February 8, 2018 @ 6:27 am[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeDk6ZeGNnU]
Comment by andy@cynic February 8, 2018 @ 7:52 amClassic.
Comment by Rob February 8, 2018 @ 8:16 amspitting image would have been a fucking awesome agency.
Comment by andy@cynic February 8, 2018 @ 8:52 amYou’re so right about the attitude of America … it’s gone from bold achievers to fear driven. Though I guess that’s why Trump has connected to so many, because apart from lying to the people who feel they were left behind and want to get on the alleged ‘gravy train’, he talks about America in a way the old, white folks want back … like the Daily Mail talk to its readers.
The irony being that Trump’s ego-bluster of America misses the point, because its swagger of old came from actions and behaviors that led the World in terms of aspiration rather than protection and alienation.
Or at least that’s how I see it.
Comment by Rob February 8, 2018 @ 8:23 amWhen I saw the rockets return to earth I immediately thought how much that would excite you.
Comment by Pete February 8, 2018 @ 7:02 amNerds.
Comment by Billy Whizz February 8, 2018 @ 7:10 amHaven’t your heard of revenge of the nerds?
Comment by Pete February 8, 2018 @ 7:21 amIt’s called misdirection.
Comment by John February 8, 2018 @ 7:11 amare you being a fucking conspiracy theorist doddsy?
Comment by andy@cynic February 8, 2018 @ 7:53 amcampbell being topical? i need to fucking lie down.
Comment by andy@cynic February 8, 2018 @ 7:53 am2028 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. 10 Boosters (with appropriate sonic booms) landing to Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. You heard it here first.
Comment by The other Rob February 8, 2018 @ 2:15 pmYou should watch this with good headphones
Comment by Ben Culpin February 22, 2018 @ 7:22 am
So there will be no more fiction!?
Comment by ProgrammingKu April 24, 2018 @ 2:53 amNice…