3 ms·

Elon Musk dominates space launch. Rivals are calling foul on SpaceX

12 points by TMWNN 2y ago

h2odragon 2y ago
https://archive.ph/1A1mv https://archive.ph/1A1mv
pfdietz 2y ago
It's not like SpaceX has protected itself with a patent moat. This is a "them" problem, not a "him" problem.
more_corn 2y ago
So, anticompetitive behavior is illegal… “Every single funding round that was done once we started to become a larger company, and every single customer deal we have signed, has been followed with a swift and large number of outreach calls from SpaceX to all of those entities berating them for doing things with us”
- pfdietz 2y ago
  Gosh. They berated them? How terrible! Next you'll tell me they did something dastardly like scowling at them.
  - consumer451 2y ago
    When "the richest man in the world," who also happens to personally control the largest tastemaker media platform berates you.. it might be a thing to worry about.
    - pfdietz 2y ago
      Or, you just need to grow a pair. "Hurting your feelings" is not a legally actionable here, I think.
      - consumer451 2y ago
        What does this mean in actual planning/behavior?
        pfdietz 2y ago
        It means that business is tough, that expressing displeasure means nothing. This is the real world, not kindergarten. If SpaceX did something real, or threatened to do something real, you might have a case. And I suspect the "berating" part is overstated as well.
    - panick21_ 2y ago
      > largest tastemaker media platform You are vastly overrating twitter.
consumer451 2y ago
SpaceX, a company which Musk actually founded is a crazy success. I am a huge fan of SpaceX. At the same time, this is my main issue as a US citizen, patriot, and supporter of democracy: > He has nurtured relationships with right-wing leaders around the world. And he has publicly stated that Russia will not lose its war against Ukraine, endorsing an argument that the United States should not have provided Kyiv with additional military assistance. > “Elon Musk’s rhetoric and behavior undermines his credibility and reliability on a global scale,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, who this spring questioned Pentagon officials about Mr. Musk. “Commercial services, including SpaceX, that do business with the U.S. government need to be thoroughly vetted to ensure that the U.S. military can depend on them in times of crisis.” This is a big problem in an industry where NatSec is a major issue. This is a huge Musk foot gun. We should be throwing money and SpaceX monopoly protections at Rocket Lab. Peter Beck is more rocket-smart than Musk. He is a combo of Musk and Tom Mueller, and appears to be much less foot gun prone than Musk.
- TMWNN 2y ago
  > This is a big problem in an industry where NatSec is a major issue. This is a huge Musk foot gun. All Ukrainians ought to be on their knees thanking God that Musk was born. Starlink is that vital to Ukraine, and he had zero obligation to provide it (let alone for free) when the Ukrainian government asked for his help early in the war. The US-funded Starlink subscriptions and Starshield have only increased the value Musk's enterprise provides to Ukraine, of course, but it all began for free. Let me repeat: Zero obligation. Musk is not Ukrainian. The United States is, contrary to what you and many Redditors seem to believe, not actually at war with Russia. Ukraine is not a member of NATO or EU. He can say whatever he wants whenever he wants about anything—including which side he thinks is winning in a war that, again, the US is not fighting in—thanks to freedoms that exist in the US but not in Russia (or Ukraine). Musk is a lot more entitled to do so than you or me or every bleater on Reddit whose collective actions have saved fewer Ukrainian lives than the results of Musk's capital and innovation and risk-taking.
  - 1oooqooq 2y ago
    he did a bait and switch on the usa gov just like your phone company do with poor people all the time. have at low initial subscription cost for the first month then pointed out at auto renewal the real astronomical price, and is now swimming in money. "had no obligation" give me a break. this was the ideal profit scenario

12 points by TMWNN 2y ago

h2odragon 2y ago

https://archive.ph/1A1mv https://archive.ph/1A1mv

pfdietz 2y ago

It's not like SpaceX has protected itself with a patent moat. This is a "them" problem, not a "him" problem.

more_corn 2y ago

So, anticompetitive behavior is illegal… “Every single funding round that was done once we started to become a larger company, and every single customer deal we have signed, has been followed with a swift and large number of outreach calls from SpaceX to all of those entities berating them for doing things with us”

pfdietz 2y ago
Gosh. They berated them? How terrible! Next you'll tell me they did something dastardly like scowling at them.
- consumer451 2y ago
  When "the richest man in the world," who also happens to personally control the largest tastemaker media platform berates you.. it might be a thing to worry about.
  - pfdietz 2y ago
    Or, you just need to grow a pair. "Hurting your feelings" is not a legally actionable here, I think.
    - consumer451 2y ago
      What does this mean in actual planning/behavior?
      - pfdietz 2y ago
        It means that business is tough, that expressing displeasure means nothing. This is the real world, not kindergarten. If SpaceX did something real, or threatened to do something real, you might have a case. And I suspect the "berating" part is overstated as well.
  - panick21_ 2y ago
    > largest tastemaker media platform You are vastly overrating twitter.

consumer451 2y ago

SpaceX, a company which Musk actually founded is a crazy success. I am a huge fan of SpaceX. At the same time, this is my main issue as a US citizen, patriot, and supporter of democracy: > He has nurtured relationships with right-wing leaders around the world. And he has publicly stated that Russia will not lose its war against Ukraine, endorsing an argument that the United States should not have provided Kyiv with additional military assistance. > “Elon Musk’s rhetoric and behavior undermines his credibility and reliability on a global scale,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, who this spring questioned Pentagon officials about Mr. Musk. “Commercial services, including SpaceX, that do business with the U.S. government need to be thoroughly vetted to ensure that the U.S. military can depend on them in times of crisis.” This is a big problem in an industry where NatSec is a major issue. This is a huge Musk foot gun. We should be throwing money and SpaceX monopoly protections at Rocket Lab. Peter Beck is more rocket-smart than Musk. He is a combo of Musk and Tom Mueller, and appears to be much less foot gun prone than Musk.

TMWNN 2y ago
> This is a big problem in an industry where NatSec is a major issue. This is a huge Musk foot gun. All Ukrainians ought to be on their knees thanking God that Musk was born. Starlink is that vital to Ukraine, and he had zero obligation to provide it (let alone for free) when the Ukrainian government asked for his help early in the war. The US-funded Starlink subscriptions and Starshield have only increased the value Musk's enterprise provides to Ukraine, of course, but it all began for free. Let me repeat: Zero obligation. Musk is not Ukrainian. The United States is, contrary to what you and many Redditors seem to believe, not actually at war with Russia. Ukraine is not a member of NATO or EU. He can say whatever he wants whenever he wants about anything—including which side he thinks is winning in a war that, again, the US is not fighting in—thanks to freedoms that exist in the US but not in Russia (or Ukraine). Musk is a lot more entitled to do so than you or me or every bleater on Reddit whose collective actions have saved fewer Ukrainian lives than the results of Musk's capital and innovation and risk-taking.
- 1oooqooq 2y ago
  he did a bait and switch on the usa gov just like your phone company do with poor people all the time. have at low initial subscription cost for the first month then pointed out at auto renewal the real astronomical price, and is now swimming in money. "had no obligation" give me a break. this was the ideal profit scenario