# Continuing discussion of SpaceX launches \[edited title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 22, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048 "2015-12-22T00:37:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 25
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/481 "2018-02-06T22:27:08Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I wonder if Starman himself is an experiment? That’s one of their prototype crew flight suits. They might have loaded it up with sensors to see how it actually performs in space. We’ll find out later that it was the guy in engineering that took the last of the coffee without making another pot. He’s allowed back in the office just as soon as he figures out HOW to get there. ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/482 "2018-02-06T22:30:26Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > There’s a live feed from the Tesla Roadster that is currently orbiting the Earth, and soon to be on it’s way much further. > > Hahaha. DONT PANIC Every time it tumbles you see the Earth getting smaller. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/483 "2018-02-06T23:15:11Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > Every time it tumbles you see the Earth getting smaller. I don’t believe it is scheduled to leave orbit for another few hours. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/484 "2018-02-06T23:16:44Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I’ve always liked the way SpaceX always packs as much testing into a launch as possible. Use the whole cow, so to speak. > > I wonder if Starman himself is an experiment? That’s one of their prototype crew flight suits. They might have loaded it up with sensors to see how it actually performs in space. I really wish they had put an actuator in the arm of the suit - so Starman could salute us. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/485 "2018-02-06T23:19:32Z")
I can’t stop watching the Starman stream; every few seconds the shot changes to something equally album-cover-worthy! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/486 "2018-02-06T23:28:55Z")
It really is just the perfect combination of surreal and relaxing. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/487 "2018-02-06T23:46:26Z")
Perhaps something should burst out of his chest? Space ain’t all sugar and spice ya know. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/488 "2018-02-06T23:47:27Z")
If it had been up to me, instead of launching a car into solar orbit, I would send a main battle tank into orbit around Earth. This would serve two purposes. First, it would demonstrate the power of the rocket, which can carry 140,000 pounds to LEO. A modern Western tank is around 120-130K lbs and older ones, or Russian ones are a bit lighter. Second, and more importantly, it would confuse the hell out of future historians. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/489 "2018-02-06T23:49:17Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Perhaps something should burst out of his chest? Ok, if that happened at some random time tomorrow, that would be fucking hilarious. Watching the feed, I was thinking it would be cool, in an odd sort of way, to see it get hit with a small piece of space debris in real time. Just a bolt or that missing space glove smacking it at 18,000 miles an hour and going straight through it. Sudden Hole. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/490 "2018-02-07T00:02:41Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > Second, and more importantly, it would confuse the hell out of future historians. Tbf, in a million years time a red convertible orbiting the sun, with an empty spacesuit in the driver’s seat, a towel in the glove compartment, and the words “Don’t Panic” on the display are going to be plenty enough confusing to future historians. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/491 "2018-02-07T00:03:28Z")
I wouldn’t trust a Space X driver…that dudes hands are NOT in the 2 oclock and 10 o clock positions…for that matter you can’t even see his other hand…though if I had that view you might not see my second hand either… ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/492 "2018-02-07T00:04:51Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Tbf, in a million years time a red convertible orbiting the sun, with an empty spacesuit in the driver’s seat, a towel in the glove compartment, and the words “Don’t Panic” on the display are going to be plenty enough confusing to future historians. Well, he is obviously a refuge from the great LA traffic jam of 2162… ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/493 "2018-02-07T00:13:43Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I wouldn’t trust a Space X driver…that dudes hands are NOT in the 2 oclock and 10 o clock positions…for that matter you can’t even see his other hand…though if I had that view you might not see my second hand either… ‘10 and 2’ is obsolete and dangerous due to air bags. _Bang_ Two broken arms. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/494 "2018-02-07T00:15:14Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I realized how advanced this technology is becoming when I wasn’t surprised to see both booster cores standing upright and stable on the ground. I would have been surprised to see anything else. I’m sorry but watching 2 boosters land simultaneously is beyond science fiction to me. That was spectacular. I was kinda hoping for Peter Pan artwork on the fender and the right turn signal left on. ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/495 "2018-02-07T00:19:02Z")
Confirmed—the center core was lost. It ran out of propellant and only one of the three engines ignited. I’ve also heard that OCISLY was damaged. Despite this it was a fine showing for SpaceX today. I can’t wait to see the next one! ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/496 "2018-02-07T00:19:10Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > ‘10 and 2’ is obsolete and dangerous due to air bags. _Bang_ Two broken arms. You one percenters with your fancy airbags. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/497 "2018-02-07T01:25:02Z")
Watching the [post-launch conference](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KORTP545vAc) now. The center core actually ran out of _igniter_, not propellant–so instead of a 3-engine landing, it ended up being a 1-engine “landing”. Apparently hit the water at 300 mph, but close enough to the barge that it took out two engines. A little surprised at this–almost sounds dumb enough to be a lost-in-translation thing, like the group responsible for filling the igniter reservoirs didn’t know it was going to be a three-engine landing burn and only put in the extra for the center. I guess we’ll find out eventually. Incidentally, they use a chemical mixture called TEA/TEB (triethylaluminium /triethylboron), which is pyrophoric–it ignites on exposure to air (or liquid oxygen). It burns green, so you can often spot a green flash at liftoff and at the start of the landing burns. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/498 "2018-02-07T01:33:03Z")
Confirmed that the spacesuit was a real production model (and you could “literally jump in a vacuum chamber and be fine”), but that it wasn’t instrumented with sensors or anything. Had a mannequin inside. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/499 "2018-02-07T01:44:11Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > Confirmed that the spacesuit was a real production model (and you could “literally jump in a vacuum chamber and be fine”), but that it wasn’t instrumented with sensors or anything. Had a mannequin inside. Sure, until we find out that one of Elon’s enemies went missing about the same time. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2018, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048/500 "2018-02-07T01:56:42Z")
Jeff Bezos hasn’t tweeted today. Coincidence? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/continuing-discussion-of-spacex-launches-edited-title/741048.md?page=26)