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I couldn’t care any less about watching rich people launch them selves to the edge of space. I would much rather spend my time watching rich people launch thin

I couldn’t care any less about watching rich people launch them selves to the edge of space. I would much rather spend my time watching rich people launch things into space that will end up benefiting everyone like SpaceX using a Tesla as the dummy payload for the Falcon Heavy test flight. I understand the whole 'space tourism' thing, but the reality is that it's only going to be the Jeff Bezos and Richard Bransons of the world who will be able to afford this stuff for a long time to come. The scientific return from space tourism from companies like Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin seems far less important than the work that companies like SpaceX are doing. I'm not sure what point I'm trying to make here, But i just feel that rich folk launching them self to the edge of space is more entertainment/marketing vs actual scientific progress.

andi999 5y ago
To me this isn't really space travel. I think they shd aim at circling the earth at least once.
- bongoman37 5y ago
  Yea, Russia did better in the 60s. This is nothing to brag about seriously.
pvitz 5y ago
SpaceX launching a Tesla into space for a test flight is firstly benefiting SpaceX and then Tesla. It is first and foremost a commercial entity working for profit and not scientific progress. That might be a side-effect, but I wouldn't frame it like that.
- unclekev 5y ago
  I don’t disagree, but the "side-effects" of the things that SpaceX are doing for profit are much more substantial than any "side-effects" from any 'space tourism' company. Like with Dragon - SpaceX returned NASA/Americas ability to fly NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station for the first time since 2011. SpaceX developed the first NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system in history. Indeed SpaceX is a commercial entity working for profit, Just like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, but I'd much rather throw my support behind the companies where the scientific benefits will flow much quicker into the public arena vs "rich dudes competing to get to the edge of space so they can call themselves astronauts"
0xfaded 5y ago
Theres something different in my head between Branson and Bezos, it's likely just much better personal branding from the Brandon camp. One thing, though, is that Virgin never ran a monopoly, but a series of successful (and many failed) ventures which often displaced an incumbent in an industry where consumers were genuinely being screwed (mobile, airlines, to some extent health care). Bezos is an unrepentant monopolist. Sure, he played the game well, but ultimately built what is now a sticky, foul smelling heap with strong lock-in effects. Strangely I was much more accepting to see Branson in space. Bezos comment about Amazon shoppers paying for his little joy ride was unadulterated tone-deafness.
- unclekev 5y ago
  > Theres something different in my head between Branson and Bezos. Strangely I was much more accepting to see Branson in space. I am 100% on board with this in terms of comparing how i feel about the both of them. > Bezos comment about Amazon shoppers paying for his little joy ride was unadulterated tone-deafness. Agreed - It was so cringe it felt like he slipped up and said his inner thoughts out loud... Whoops!
- 8note 5y ago
  Didn't branson run a music monopoly, and screw over musicians to get rich?
mytailorisrich 5y ago
I wouldn't put Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin in the same category. I think Blue Origin is actually closer to SpaceX. Blue Origin has demonstrated a very sophisticated rocket, fully automated, with re-useable booster able to land vertically. They are the second in the world to have this after SpaceX, as far as I know. Next year they plan to fly their new rocket (New Glenn) that will have orbital capabilities (about 13t of payload to GTO).

andi999 5y ago

To me this isn't really space travel. I think they shd aim at circling the earth at least once.

bongoman37 5y ago
Yea, Russia did better in the 60s. This is nothing to brag about seriously.

pvitz 5y ago

SpaceX launching a Tesla into space for a test flight is firstly benefiting SpaceX and then Tesla. It is first and foremost a commercial entity working for profit and not scientific progress. That might be a side-effect, but I wouldn't frame it like that.

unclekev 5y ago
I don’t disagree, but the "side-effects" of the things that SpaceX are doing for profit are much more substantial than any "side-effects" from any 'space tourism' company. Like with Dragon - SpaceX returned NASA/Americas ability to fly NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station for the first time since 2011. SpaceX developed the first NASA-certified commercial human spacecraft system in history. Indeed SpaceX is a commercial entity working for profit, Just like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, but I'd much rather throw my support behind the companies where the scientific benefits will flow much quicker into the public arena vs "rich dudes competing to get to the edge of space so they can call themselves astronauts"

0xfaded 5y ago

Theres something different in my head between Branson and Bezos, it's likely just much better personal branding from the Brandon camp. One thing, though, is that Virgin never ran a monopoly, but a series of successful (and many failed) ventures which often displaced an incumbent in an industry where consumers were genuinely being screwed (mobile, airlines, to some extent health care). Bezos is an unrepentant monopolist. Sure, he played the game well, but ultimately built what is now a sticky, foul smelling heap with strong lock-in effects. Strangely I was much more accepting to see Branson in space. Bezos comment about Amazon shoppers paying for his little joy ride was unadulterated tone-deafness.

unclekev 5y ago
> Theres something different in my head between Branson and Bezos. Strangely I was much more accepting to see Branson in space. I am 100% on board with this in terms of comparing how i feel about the both of them. > Bezos comment about Amazon shoppers paying for his little joy ride was unadulterated tone-deafness. Agreed - It was so cringe it felt like he slipped up and said his inner thoughts out loud... Whoops!
8note 5y ago
Didn't branson run a music monopoly, and screw over musicians to get rich?

mytailorisrich 5y ago

I wouldn't put Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin in the same category. I think Blue Origin is actually closer to SpaceX. Blue Origin has demonstrated a very sophisticated rocket, fully automated, with re-useable booster able to land vertically. They are the second in the world to have this after SpaceX, as far as I know. Next year they plan to fly their new rocket (New Glenn) that will have orbital capabilities (about 13t of payload to GTO).