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There’s a saying: "Amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics." The problem as I see it isn’t the satellites specifically, they want to hav

There’s a saying: "Amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics." The problem as I see it isn’t the satellites specifically, they want to have a firm of understanding of what can and cannot happen. When you’re moving millions/billions of dollars of hardware, where mistakes cost lives, you bet I want to be sure I know what a CEO can and cannot decide on a whim. Especially this particular CEO with his many recent very public and very bad whims (across multiple companies, not just SpaceX).

mlindner 4y ago
This is what contracts are for. There was no contract signed here.
yumraj 4y ago
> Especially this particular CEO … Not just whims, this particular CEO has massive business interests in China which will result in a major conflict of interest in a potential US-China direct or indirect conflict.
- mlindner 4y ago
  > Not just whims, this particular CEO has massive business interests in China which will result in a major conflict of interest in a potential US-China direct or indirect conflict. Most CEOs of most large companies have large business interests in China. If it's a concern for one it's a concern for all.
- 123pie123 4y ago
  I never realized that I wonder if Elon could sell SpaceX secrets / IP to China?
  - wmf 4y ago
    That sounds like an ITAR violation.
    - ceejayoz 4y ago
      Elon Musk, notably a stickler for following regulations.
      - labster 4y ago
        Sell to China, tweet about overbearing government regulators after the fact.
        zamnos 4y ago
        Sell? China could also say "Nice gigafactory you've got there. It sure would be a shame if something were to happen to it."
        labster 4y ago
        It would also be a shame if FSD got an OTA update to drive on the other side of the road. By accident, of course. Bugs are so hard to discover.
        ashwagary 4y ago
        Any individual going to war against a global power with unlimited funding generally doesn't succeed.
        labster 4y ago
        Generally, but this individual has his own spaceworthy rockets, which is more than halfway to an ICBM.
      - Espressosaurus 4y ago
        You do NOT fuck with ITAR. You are personally liable for any violations and it can result in jail time for you, personally. And the company is liable too. I would hope anybody in that chain of command knows that, and tells him to go fuck himself if he drops even the hint of exporting it.
- imglorp 4y ago
  Not only conflicts with the Chinese, but also their friends the Russians: Suggesting appeasement: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1576969255031296000 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1576969255031296000 Entertaining sanctioned presenter: https://www.businessinsider.com/musk-spotted-pro-putin-russian-tv-presenter-world-cup-2022-12?op=1 https://www.businessinsider.com/musk-spotted-pro-putin-russi... Tesla buys aluminum from Rusal: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/14/tesla-has-bought-aluminum-from-russian-supplier-rusal-since-2020.html https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/14/tesla-has-bought-aluminum-fr... "Tesla, as the only 100% foreign-owned automaker in China, holds a privileged place, but it holds it tenuously. The risk that China could retaliate against Tesla in response to U.S. or European sanctions or policies China finds distasteful has always been present": https://seekingalpha.com/article/4501080-a-new-tesla-risk-russias-ukraine-invasion https://seekingalpha.com/article/4501080-a-new-tesla-risk-ru...
  - mlindner 4y ago
    Elon Musk was literally spit on by the Russians before starting SpaceX. There was also the long going spat with the former head of Roscosmos with him calling the Falcon 9 a "broomstick" and saying that NASA will need a trampoline to get to space and Elon Musk playing into those jokes. It's amazing how much people forget history and only remember recent events.
    - imglorp 4y ago
      It's not us who overlook those sleights, it is he snubbing Ukraine, buying from Russia, and seeking a Tesla factory there.
- _2z1p 4y ago
  So do the Biden's... > CEFC China Energy, which has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and People's Liberation Army, paid entities controlled by the then-cash-strapped Hunter Biden or his uncle James Biden $4.8 million over the course of 14 months beginning in 2017, according to The Washington Post. https://news.yahoo.com/hunter-biden-paid-millions-chinese-172615419.html https://news.yahoo.com/hunter-biden-paid-millions-chinese-17...
Waterluvian 4y ago
I’m often left nonplussed at how many people seem satisfied with a “Enh, that’s not what’s happening this moment and it probably won’t ever happen…” for all kinds of issues. That’s completely non-reassuring. But even worse: it’s very concerning when someone is reassured by it. Like logistics, individual events are not really interesting or meaningful. I want to understand the possibility space.

mlindner 4y ago

This is what contracts are for. There was no contract signed here.

yumraj 4y ago

> Especially this particular CEO … Not just whims, this particular CEO has massive business interests in China which will result in a major conflict of interest in a potential US-China direct or indirect conflict.

mlindner 4y ago
> Not just whims, this particular CEO has massive business interests in China which will result in a major conflict of interest in a potential US-China direct or indirect conflict. Most CEOs of most large companies have large business interests in China. If it's a concern for one it's a concern for all.
123pie123 4y ago
I never realized that I wonder if Elon could sell SpaceX secrets / IP to China?
- wmf 4y ago
  That sounds like an ITAR violation.
  - ceejayoz 4y ago
    Elon Musk, notably a stickler for following regulations.
    - labster 4y ago
      Sell to China, tweet about overbearing government regulators after the fact.
      - zamnos 4y ago
        Sell? China could also say "Nice gigafactory you've got there. It sure would be a shame if something were to happen to it."
        labster 4y ago
        It would also be a shame if FSD got an OTA update to drive on the other side of the road. By accident, of course. Bugs are so hard to discover.
        ashwagary 4y ago
        Any individual going to war against a global power with unlimited funding generally doesn't succeed.
        labster 4y ago
        Generally, but this individual has his own spaceworthy rockets, which is more than halfway to an ICBM.
    - Espressosaurus 4y ago
      You do NOT fuck with ITAR. You are personally liable for any violations and it can result in jail time for you, personally. And the company is liable too. I would hope anybody in that chain of command knows that, and tells him to go fuck himself if he drops even the hint of exporting it.
imglorp 4y ago
Not only conflicts with the Chinese, but also their friends the Russians: Suggesting appeasement: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1576969255031296000 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1576969255031296000 Entertaining sanctioned presenter: https://www.businessinsider.com/musk-spotted-pro-putin-russian-tv-presenter-world-cup-2022-12?op=1 https://www.businessinsider.com/musk-spotted-pro-putin-russi... Tesla buys aluminum from Rusal: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/14/tesla-has-bought-aluminum-from-russian-supplier-rusal-since-2020.html https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/14/tesla-has-bought-aluminum-fr... "Tesla, as the only 100% foreign-owned automaker in China, holds a privileged place, but it holds it tenuously. The risk that China could retaliate against Tesla in response to U.S. or European sanctions or policies China finds distasteful has always been present": https://seekingalpha.com/article/4501080-a-new-tesla-risk-russias-ukraine-invasion https://seekingalpha.com/article/4501080-a-new-tesla-risk-ru...
- mlindner 4y ago
  Elon Musk was literally spit on by the Russians before starting SpaceX. There was also the long going spat with the former head of Roscosmos with him calling the Falcon 9 a "broomstick" and saying that NASA will need a trampoline to get to space and Elon Musk playing into those jokes. It's amazing how much people forget history and only remember recent events.
  - imglorp 4y ago
    It's not us who overlook those sleights, it is he snubbing Ukraine, buying from Russia, and seeking a Tesla factory there.
_2z1p 4y ago
So do the Biden's... > CEFC China Energy, which has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and People's Liberation Army, paid entities controlled by the then-cash-strapped Hunter Biden or his uncle James Biden $4.8 million over the course of 14 months beginning in 2017, according to The Washington Post. https://news.yahoo.com/hunter-biden-paid-millions-chinese-172615419.html https://news.yahoo.com/hunter-biden-paid-millions-chinese-17...

Waterluvian 4y ago

I’m often left nonplussed at how many people seem satisfied with a “Enh, that’s not what’s happening this moment and it probably won’t ever happen…” for all kinds of issues. That’s completely non-reassuring. But even worse: it’s very concerning when someone is reassured by it. Like logistics, individual events are not really interesting or meaningful. I want to understand the possibility space.