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I don't know what the person you are replying to is talking about. They clearly don't know anyone who works at SpaceX. The age there does trend young, but think

I don't know what the person you are replying to is talking about. They clearly don't know anyone who works at SpaceX. The age there does trend young, but think 24-year-old flight controller for Apollo, not intern that doesn't know anything. I have friends who work at SpaceX and gripe about how difficult it is to hire people. But not for lack of applicants--their standards are just so high. Nearly everyone working at SpaceX is cracked.

Aeolun 2y ago
> 24-year-old flight controller for Apollo E.g. intern that knows nothing From the perspective of a crusty old man anyway.
- adastra22 2y ago
  The average age of everyone in the room at Mission Control during Apollo 11 was 28. The managers in the room were outliers (e.g. Gene Kranz was 36), which drew the average up. The median age was younger. The Manhattan Project was made possible by similarly young grad students. You can be as crusty as you like, but the reality is that young smart people can be extraordinarily effective under the right conditions.
  - verzali 2y ago
    Flight controllers execute the mission, but they also rely on the engineers who built the things and wrote the procedures. Flight controllers often are young, even today and even in control centres outside SpaceX. The engineers designing and building the systems tend to be a bit older.
    - adastra22 2y ago
      Not in the Apollo days they weren't. They were almost all straight out of engineering school.
verzali 2y ago
I know a few people working at SpaceX. Most are good. But a few I wonder how they ever got hired there. As a customer of SpaceX, though, I have to say their customer service is barebones. It is almost a relief when I work with another launch provider since they provide a much better service and support. I always compare it to a low cost airline in my head, like flying Spirit instead of Emirates kind of thing.

Aeolun 2y ago

> 24-year-old flight controller for Apollo E.g. intern that knows nothing From the perspective of a crusty old man anyway.

adastra22 2y ago
The average age of everyone in the room at Mission Control during Apollo 11 was 28. The managers in the room were outliers (e.g. Gene Kranz was 36), which drew the average up. The median age was younger. The Manhattan Project was made possible by similarly young grad students. You can be as crusty as you like, but the reality is that young smart people can be extraordinarily effective under the right conditions.
- verzali 2y ago
  Flight controllers execute the mission, but they also rely on the engineers who built the things and wrote the procedures. Flight controllers often are young, even today and even in control centres outside SpaceX. The engineers designing and building the systems tend to be a bit older.
  - adastra22 2y ago
    Not in the Apollo days they weren't. They were almost all straight out of engineering school.

verzali 2y ago

I know a few people working at SpaceX. Most are good. But a few I wonder how they ever got hired there. As a customer of SpaceX, though, I have to say their customer service is barebones. It is almost a relief when I work with another launch provider since they provide a much better service and support. I always compare it to a low cost airline in my head, like flying Spirit instead of Emirates kind of thing.