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I agree with this. It seems pretty clear to me that SpaceX's key innovation is one of management -- namely rocket engineering using software-like iterative meth
by bane 6y ago
I agree with this. It seems pretty clear to me that SpaceX's key innovation is one of management -- namely rocket engineering using software-like iterative methods. The driving force of course is Musk, who comes from software but moved into hardware where we see the exact same iterative development at Tesla.
There's no reason that other launch providers can't be doing what SpaceX is doing, but they aren't. They continue to design and build using more traditional and conservative aerospace management approaches.
Blue Origin is run by somebody with a background in finance and retail.
ULA by a former mechanical engineer.
Arianespace is run by a former policy guy turned exec.
Rocket Lab is run by an engineer.
Scaled Composites (I know a different kind of beast) is run by an aerospace engineer.
and so on.
- GlennS 6y agoSoftware people didn't invent the idea of doing quick, cheap iterations. It predates software really. We have embraced it strongly as an industry though. Except for the C++ people of course.
- redis_mlc 6y ago> Scaled Composites (I know a different kind of beast) is run by an aerospace engineer. Scaled Composites made junk (one-off subsonic airplane prototypes), and was sold to Northrop Grumman in 2007. The current name is "Scaled." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaled_Composites https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaled_Composites
- kiba 6y agoI agree with this. It seems pretty clear to me that SpaceX's key innovation is one of management -- namely rocket engineering using software-like iterative methods. The driving force of course is Musk, who comes from software but moved into hardware where we see the exact same iterative development at Tesla. This is old stuff. They called it "skunkwork".
- mcv 6y agoAnd Skunkworks was very successful too. Are they still using the same approach, though? I'm getting the impression they're not what they used to be.
- jacobush 6y ago”software-like iterative methods“ Or Soviet-like iterative methods.