10 ms·

Live Views of Starman

61 points by ktta 9y ago

robertelder 9y ago
This is the kind of marketing that blows everybody else out of the water.
davesque 9y ago
I seem to be the only one who is bothered by this publicity stunt. Is it really appropriate to launch garbage into space just to promote a brand? But maybe, since we got to watch two boosters landing simultaneously side-by-side, it was worth it.
- ConnorLeet 9y ago
  You know, there's a lot of space out there to launch garbage into.
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- irln 9y ago
  You raise an interesting argument, however, doesn't the good outweigh the potential negatives (e.g. the kids that will be inspired to learn science from seeing this)?
  - davesque 9y ago
    Perhaps. I hadn't considered that. I guess there's just a part of me that envisions a bright future for humanity that includes a more mature culture that isn't as concerned with material possessions. Kinda like a Star Trek world. Ah well. I'm sure it's extremely unlikely and the SpaceX engineers took this into account, but I hope the Tesla doesn't do something we don't expect, like ram into Mars and contaminate it with Earth-borne bacteria. :/
- tdb7893 9y ago
  It's necessary for testing to launch something so it's either this or a big block of concrete. Also it's being launched into solar orbit and there's lots of space out there
  - davesque 9y ago
    Right, but is it necessary to launch a $200,000 car while average people struggle to accumulate much more wealth than that over their entire lifetimes? Seems distasteful. Then again, this is the United States.
    - tdb7893 9y ago
      I don't get why it's distasteful that he launched his own car into space. It's his car and he can do whatever he wants with it. I get the stuff about wealth inequality but this is hardly the most egregious use of wealth
    - ehnto 9y ago
      It was Elon's personal car, I suspect it could have been sold for more than that and I imagine it could have ended up in a museum eventually. He didn't just buy a 200,000 dollar unrelated car to wave his wealth around. I imagine if Elon weren't such a strong face to these companies, it wouldn't be causing such controversy. It is ultimately a marketing stunt by a company. SpaceX launched a Tesla, because companies have more money than people so they can do that. In the scheme of things this is not a big sum of money for most companies and people do regularly accumulate that much wealth, albeit wrapped in home equity.
      - candiodari 9y ago
        So, given that people are against inequality, you fail to see why some billionaire's use of a $200000+ car as a useless paperweight is offensive ? It's a huuuuuuuge "I'm richer and can do whatever and you're not" sign, that is being shoved into everyone's face on TV worldwide. Or at least, that's what it is if you're not a rich geek that can afford a car like that. If you have a normal wage and such a paperweight is out of your reach even if you save every penny you earn until you die, then it's just offensive.
- oldcynic 9y ago
  Well. It's perhaps a fitting remnant of our species as we destroy our planet's chances of supporting us? Perhaps a 20' high Starbucks disposable cup would have been more fitting? But you know what? I think, and hope, that the more humanity ventures back into space the more we may start to give a shit about this planet. Every interview with astronauts I've ever seen has something about their realisation of the fragility of life on Earth. So, I believe, it was forgivable. The dual touchdown was a thing of beauty. Now, where's our moonbase?
ccozan 9y ago
Making screenshots like crazy. The view and setup is so...above the words.
- senectus1 9y ago
  have you got one where you can see the dummies face?
mkempe 9y ago
I saw a few minutes ago a (ghostly) reflection of the mannequin's face in the windshield -- looked like David Bowie with stage makeup... Camera view from behind the spacesuit, the car was facing Earth, the sun was behind the car (I think). Think Ashes to Ashes, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0
- senectus1 9y ago
  didn't get a Screenshot of that did you?
  - mkempe 9y ago
    I wish. It was streaming on a Roku tv, so I don't know how to do that. Shortly before the 25th minute of the Live Views of Starman.
Slansitartop 9y ago
When are they going to boost it into solar orbit?
- coldnose 9y ago
  ~6 hours after launch
  - Slansitartop 9y ago
    So is it on it's way now? The Earth is much larger in the live-stream than I would have expected if it were on its way (lacking any expertise). Edit: Guess the "Live Views of Starman" are 19 hours old. Did they stream the boost into solar orbit?

61 points by ktta 9y ago

This is the kind of marketing that blows everybody else out of the water.

I seem to be the only one who is bothered by this publicity stunt. Is it really appropriate to launch garbage into space just to promote a brand? But maybe, since we got to watch two boosters landing simultaneously side-by-side, it was worth it.

ConnorLeet 9y ago
You know, there's a lot of space out there to launch garbage into.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
irln 9y ago
You raise an interesting argument, however, doesn't the good outweigh the potential negatives (e.g. the kids that will be inspired to learn science from seeing this)?
- davesque 9y ago
  Perhaps. I hadn't considered that. I guess there's just a part of me that envisions a bright future for humanity that includes a more mature culture that isn't as concerned with material possessions. Kinda like a Star Trek world. Ah well. I'm sure it's extremely unlikely and the SpaceX engineers took this into account, but I hope the Tesla doesn't do something we don't expect, like ram into Mars and contaminate it with Earth-borne bacteria. :/
tdb7893 9y ago
It's necessary for testing to launch something so it's either this or a big block of concrete. Also it's being launched into solar orbit and there's lots of space out there
- davesque 9y ago
  Right, but is it necessary to launch a $200,000 car while average people struggle to accumulate much more wealth than that over their entire lifetimes? Seems distasteful. Then again, this is the United States.
  - tdb7893 9y ago
    I don't get why it's distasteful that he launched his own car into space. It's his car and he can do whatever he wants with it. I get the stuff about wealth inequality but this is hardly the most egregious use of wealth
  - ehnto 9y ago
    It was Elon's personal car, I suspect it could have been sold for more than that and I imagine it could have ended up in a museum eventually. He didn't just buy a 200,000 dollar unrelated car to wave his wealth around. I imagine if Elon weren't such a strong face to these companies, it wouldn't be causing such controversy. It is ultimately a marketing stunt by a company. SpaceX launched a Tesla, because companies have more money than people so they can do that. In the scheme of things this is not a big sum of money for most companies and people do regularly accumulate that much wealth, albeit wrapped in home equity.
    - candiodari 9y ago
      So, given that people are against inequality, you fail to see why some billionaire's use of a $200000+ car as a useless paperweight is offensive ? It's a huuuuuuuge "I'm richer and can do whatever and you're not" sign, that is being shoved into everyone's face on TV worldwide. Or at least, that's what it is if you're not a rich geek that can afford a car like that. If you have a normal wage and such a paperweight is out of your reach even if you save every penny you earn until you die, then it's just offensive.
oldcynic 9y ago
Well. It's perhaps a fitting remnant of our species as we destroy our planet's chances of supporting us? Perhaps a 20' high Starbucks disposable cup would have been more fitting? But you know what? I think, and hope, that the more humanity ventures back into space the more we may start to give a shit about this planet. Every interview with astronauts I've ever seen has something about their realisation of the fragility of life on Earth. So, I believe, it was forgivable. The dual touchdown was a thing of beauty. Now, where's our moonbase?

ccozan 9y ago

Making screenshots like crazy. The view and setup is so...above the words.

senectus1 9y ago
have you got one where you can see the dummies face?

mkempe 9y ago

I saw a few minutes ago a (ghostly) reflection of the mannequin's face in the windshield -- looked like David Bowie with stage makeup... Camera view from behind the spacesuit, the car was facing Earth, the sun was behind the car (I think). Think Ashes to Ashes, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMThz7eQ6K0

senectus1 9y ago
didn't get a Screenshot of that did you?
- mkempe 9y ago
  I wish. It was streaming on a Roku tv, so I don't know how to do that. Shortly before the 25th minute of the Live Views of Starman.

Slansitartop 9y ago

When are they going to boost it into solar orbit?

coldnose 9y ago
~6 hours after launch
- Slansitartop 9y ago
  So is it on it's way now? The Earth is much larger in the live-stream than I would have expected if it were on its way (lacking any expertise). Edit: Guess the "Live Views of Starman" are 19 hours old. Did they stream the boost into solar orbit?