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Yes, I think 2008 was a very hard year for Elon. The issue with Tesla was that something like 200 Roadsters were manufactured incorrectly and all had to be fixe

Yes, I think 2008 was a very hard year for Elon. The issue with Tesla was that something like 200 Roadsters were manufactured incorrectly and all had to be fixed at immense cost and time delay. He was also going through a divorce at the time. And all SpaceX launches had exploded off the Pacific island that they were forced to use since their competitors successfully lobbied for it to be illegal for SpaceX to launch from the USA. Rough year.

T-A 11y ago
http://upstart.bizjournals.com/entrepreneurs/hot-shots/2013/08/09/elon-musk-talks-about-tesla-spacex.html?page=all http://upstart.bizjournals.com/entrepreneurs/hot-shots/2013/...
iamcreasy 11y ago
> their competitors successfully lobbied for it to be illegal for SpaceX to launch from the USA Do you remember how the managed to do that?
- kindredlight 11y ago
  ULA lobbied to ban them from a launch site (at Vandenberg) that was nearby their own, which had a very expensive rocket and very, very expensive payload on it, claiming that a SpaceX rocket launch would be too dangerous. Forced them to launch from Kwajalein Atoll, which made things much harder. Probably contributed to at least one failure, thanks to the corrosive, salty atmosphere. Edit: Not unfair to assume that it was motivated by anti-competitive interests before any real concern about possible effects on their pad.
  - Wingman4l7 11y ago
    What was the payload that was so expensive?
    - kindredlight 11y ago
      A large NRO spy sat of some sort.
james-watson 11y ago
His wife also decided it was a convenient time to divorce him in 2008. His current wife also recently decided to announce a divorce. At least he is on a big winning streak with his businesses this time.
- bluthru 11y ago
  Oh goodness. Last I saw they were back together after being divorced. What a bumpy road.
- static_noise 11y ago
  Maybe they'll make it the third time he marries the same woman. He obviously is hellbent on making it work.
- erikpukinskis 11y ago
  Where did you see Talulah announce the divorce? All I've seen was comments from Elon that they split amicably.

T-A 11y ago

http://upstart.bizjournals.com/entrepreneurs/hot-shots/2013/08/09/elon-musk-talks-about-tesla-spacex.html?page=all http://upstart.bizjournals.com/entrepreneurs/hot-shots/2013/...

iamcreasy 11y ago

> their competitors successfully lobbied for it to be illegal for SpaceX to launch from the USA Do you remember how the managed to do that?

kindredlight 11y ago
ULA lobbied to ban them from a launch site (at Vandenberg) that was nearby their own, which had a very expensive rocket and very, very expensive payload on it, claiming that a SpaceX rocket launch would be too dangerous. Forced them to launch from Kwajalein Atoll, which made things much harder. Probably contributed to at least one failure, thanks to the corrosive, salty atmosphere. Edit: Not unfair to assume that it was motivated by anti-competitive interests before any real concern about possible effects on their pad.
- Wingman4l7 11y ago
  What was the payload that was so expensive?
  - kindredlight 11y ago
    A large NRO spy sat of some sort.

james-watson 11y ago

His wife also decided it was a convenient time to divorce him in 2008. His current wife also recently decided to announce a divorce. At least he is on a big winning streak with his businesses this time.

bluthru 11y ago
Oh goodness. Last I saw they were back together after being divorced. What a bumpy road.
static_noise 11y ago
Maybe they'll make it the third time he marries the same woman. He obviously is hellbent on making it work.
erikpukinskis 11y ago
Where did you see Talulah announce the divorce? All I've seen was comments from Elon that they split amicably.