6 ms·

SpaceX gets Nasa’s approval to test launch Crew Dragon

54 points by longdefeat 8y ago

JustSomeNobody 8y ago
For anyone who doesn't like to be jolted out of the article when you scroll down too far[0]: https://outline.com/LqnKkg https://outline.com/LqnKkg [0] Seriously, I wish we could stop linking to techcrunch until they get their UI back in good shape.
- khamoud 8y ago
  I disabled javascript on techcrunch (and all similar sites). Makes many sites more enjoyable to use.
stetrain 8y ago
Previous discussion of a different article on the subject: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19252350 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19252350 And a more comprehensive article from NasaSpaceFlight: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/02/spacex-gains-frr-green-light-dm-1-iss/ https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/02/spacex-gains-frr-gre... Launch is scheduled for 2:48AM EST on March 2nd.
gamblor956 8y ago
I know a guy working on the Crew Dragon module. He's been working 100+ hour weeks for the last 3 years. Hope it was all worth it.
- peeters 8y ago
  Given how I code at the end of a 60 hour week, that's a pretty scary thought when it comes to an environment where the simplest oversights can lead to a loss of life. Hopefully for those working crazy hours there's a couple well rested reviewers of the work.
  - dsfyu404ed 8y ago
    If you're really into something or it's a necessary part of your life 100 hr/week is doable. Many small business owners put in those kind of hours. Once either of those stop being true your work output quality goes to shit pretty instantly though.
    - goatlover 8y ago
      They do, but what kind of quality of life is that?
      - NeutronStar 8y ago
        The one they decided to pursue/continue.
      - s_y_n_t_a_x 8y ago
        Great if you enjoy it
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
      - NowThenGoodBad 8y ago
        If you love what you are doing, is that not what life is about? I won’t lie to you, there were some truly 100 hour weeks, but for the most part I worked precisely 96 hours per week in the PhD program and I loved it. 6 days of 16 hour days. It was fantastic. I had 3 labs and used parts of 4 others across 4 buildings, ran my main research and several skunkworks side projects, and optimized every moment I could. 3 years of that (with a week here or there for a holiday) I was happy. When we are pursuing something we are passionate about, when we are completely immersed in that thing, it is the greatest tribute to being alive. I either was reading research papers or walking between buildings while eating, I automated some reactions and characterization so that I could read research papers while at the gym, and did numerous other things that made a 3 person project no problem for one person. But to come off that high is hard. Everything seems slower when I’m not in that groove. I get bursts of it, but really being in that flow is such a joyous thing. I hope those working on the module for those crazy hours were doing so because they were passionate about it. If not, then you are right to ask “what kind of life is that?”
- war1025 8y ago
  I guess it takes a certain kind of person to work a job like that. I would have lasted roughly a week. Good to have passionate people I guess. Hopefully they aren't getting exploited too badly.
  - tachyonbeam 8y ago
    I've thought about trying to get a job at SpaceX just so I could get some stocks. I fully believe that company could have a trillion dollar valuation in 10 years, which means working there for just a year could allow me to retire early. However, knowing how much pressure these people are under, and seeing they recently fired a large portion of their workforce at once, I was like, nope. Maybe if I were an American, but as a foreigner, no way I'm relocating to the US so I can be under pressure and risk getting fired and sent back for no fault of my own.
    - BukhariH 8y ago
      > I've thought about trying to get a job at SpaceX > if I were an American, but as a foreigner IIRC, regulation limits SpaceX to only hire Americans so you couldn't get a job there even if you wanted & SpaceX wanted!
      - hwillis 8y ago
        If you have a green card (and most likely you'd need to renounce your other citizenships) you can work there. ITAR and other CUI (and even a lot of classified stuff) is only restricted for foreign nationals.
        nyokodo 8y ago
        A green card gives you status as a permanent resident alien not a citizen.
        hwillis 8y ago
        Yes. And you are not a foreign national. ITAR does not apply to US citizens OR permanent residents. It even allows some refugees and asylees. In fact, Clifford Chance LLP recently settled after improperly terminating several green card employees, believing that they couldn't work on ITAR projects[1]. [1]: http://exportcompliancesolutions.com/blog/2018/09/20/u-s-persons-include-just-citizens/ http://exportcompliancesolutions.com/blog/2018/09/20/u-s-per...

54 points by longdefeat 8y ago

For anyone who doesn't like to be jolted out of the article when you scroll down too far[0]: https://outline.com/LqnKkg https://outline.com/LqnKkg [0] Seriously, I wish we could stop linking to techcrunch until they get their UI back in good shape.

khamoud 8y ago
I disabled javascript on techcrunch (and all similar sites). Makes many sites more enjoyable to use.

stetrain 8y ago

Previous discussion of a different article on the subject: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19252350 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19252350 And a more comprehensive article from NasaSpaceFlight: https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/02/spacex-gains-frr-green-light-dm-1-iss/ https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/02/spacex-gains-frr-gre... Launch is scheduled for 2:48AM EST on March 2nd.

gamblor956 8y ago

I know a guy working on the Crew Dragon module. He's been working 100+ hour weeks for the last 3 years. Hope it was all worth it.

peeters 8y ago
Given how I code at the end of a 60 hour week, that's a pretty scary thought when it comes to an environment where the simplest oversights can lead to a loss of life. Hopefully for those working crazy hours there's a couple well rested reviewers of the work.
- dsfyu404ed 8y ago
  If you're really into something or it's a necessary part of your life 100 hr/week is doable. Many small business owners put in those kind of hours. Once either of those stop being true your work output quality goes to shit pretty instantly though.
  - goatlover 8y ago
    They do, but what kind of quality of life is that?
    - NeutronStar 8y ago
      The one they decided to pursue/continue.
    - s_y_n_t_a_x 8y ago
      Great if you enjoy it
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]
    - NowThenGoodBad 8y ago
      If you love what you are doing, is that not what life is about? I won’t lie to you, there were some truly 100 hour weeks, but for the most part I worked precisely 96 hours per week in the PhD program and I loved it. 6 days of 16 hour days. It was fantastic. I had 3 labs and used parts of 4 others across 4 buildings, ran my main research and several skunkworks side projects, and optimized every moment I could. 3 years of that (with a week here or there for a holiday) I was happy. When we are pursuing something we are passionate about, when we are completely immersed in that thing, it is the greatest tribute to being alive. I either was reading research papers or walking between buildings while eating, I automated some reactions and characterization so that I could read research papers while at the gym, and did numerous other things that made a 3 person project no problem for one person. But to come off that high is hard. Everything seems slower when I’m not in that groove. I get bursts of it, but really being in that flow is such a joyous thing. I hope those working on the module for those crazy hours were doing so because they were passionate about it. If not, then you are right to ask “what kind of life is that?”
war1025 8y ago
I guess it takes a certain kind of person to work a job like that. I would have lasted roughly a week. Good to have passionate people I guess. Hopefully they aren't getting exploited too badly.
- tachyonbeam 8y ago
  I've thought about trying to get a job at SpaceX just so I could get some stocks. I fully believe that company could have a trillion dollar valuation in 10 years, which means working there for just a year could allow me to retire early. However, knowing how much pressure these people are under, and seeing they recently fired a large portion of their workforce at once, I was like, nope. Maybe if I were an American, but as a foreigner, no way I'm relocating to the US so I can be under pressure and risk getting fired and sent back for no fault of my own.
  - BukhariH 8y ago
    > I've thought about trying to get a job at SpaceX > if I were an American, but as a foreigner IIRC, regulation limits SpaceX to only hire Americans so you couldn't get a job there even if you wanted & SpaceX wanted!
    - hwillis 8y ago
      If you have a green card (and most likely you'd need to renounce your other citizenships) you can work there. ITAR and other CUI (and even a lot of classified stuff) is only restricted for foreign nationals.
      - nyokodo 8y ago
        A green card gives you status as a permanent resident alien not a citizen.
        hwillis 8y ago
        Yes. And you are not a foreign national. ITAR does not apply to US citizens OR permanent residents. It even allows some refugees and asylees. In fact, Clifford Chance LLP recently settled after improperly terminating several green card employees, believing that they couldn't work on ITAR projects[1]. [1]: http://exportcompliancesolutions.com/blog/2018/09/20/u-s-persons-include-just-citizens/ http://exportcompliancesolutions.com/blog/2018/09/20/u-s-per...