3 ms·

I'd prefer if we just wrote off space-x and pretend they don't exist.

TheBlight 6mo ago
Because of your personal politics?
randallsquared 6mo ago
SpaceX is the only major operator of spaceflights in the US: more than 95% of all satellites launched are launched by SpaceX, not just in the US, but worldwide.
- oritron 6mo ago
  That's an eye catching stat. What is the impact of starlink satellites on the number, ie what if you drop them from both numerator and denominator?
  - Tadpole9181 6mo ago
    It looks like 70% of all satellites deployed in 2025 were starlink. Seems they make up over half (~65%) of all satellites currently in orbit.
- rbanffy 6mo ago
  > more than 95% of all satellites launched are launched by SpaceX Another way to look at this number is that they are responsible for 95% of the light pollution caused by orbiting objects.
  - hersko 6mo ago
    Lets just ban lightbulbs so we don't have light pollution.
    - rbanffy 6mo ago
      We have regions where we deliberately minimize light pollution, but those regions aren't immune to Elon's swarm of photobombing satellites. Not that I don't think it's cool to have a web of spacecraft enveloping the planet and bringing high-speed communications to everyone everywhere - it's pretty impressive to point up and show a train of satellites to a kid - but astronomers have been complaining about them and they are right.
monkeywork 6mo ago
why because "elon bad" ?? cut your nose off to spite your face if you want but the rest of us will recognize the importance of space-x and be grateful it is here.
- withinboredom 6mo ago
  This is about going to the moon. Space-x is over budget and extremely late. It has nothing to do with the management there, only that it is better to come up with a solution without them.
  - monkeywork 6mo ago
    If that was the truth I have a strong feeling your wording would be different.
    - withinboredom 6mo ago
      Please read the https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html I literally can’t even continue this thread.
  - rbanffy 6mo ago
    I only suggested a Falcon Heavy because the rocket exists, is flight proven, and has enough capacity to shoot an Orion to any trajectory it is expected to encounter.
rbanffy 6mo ago
Imagine if NASA had the resources and the freedom to pursue a high-risk high-return strategy the same way SpaceX did. NASA can't afford high-profile failures because it needs political support to function from a Congress that doesn't understand engineering. Now imagine the public good will if the US could have built a network of LEO satellites providing communications to everyone on Earth regardless of nationality, with equal access and funded by governments so that all their residents could have access to it for free (once they buy an antenna made in the US). Some will say it'd be communism. I would say it could be part of a Pax Americana that doesn't involve coups, but is based on willing cooperation.

Because of your personal politics?

SpaceX is the only major operator of spaceflights in the US: more than 95% of all satellites launched are launched by SpaceX, not just in the US, but worldwide.

oritron 6mo ago
That's an eye catching stat. What is the impact of starlink satellites on the number, ie what if you drop them from both numerator and denominator?
- Tadpole9181 6mo ago
  It looks like 70% of all satellites deployed in 2025 were starlink. Seems they make up over half (~65%) of all satellites currently in orbit.
rbanffy 6mo ago
> more than 95% of all satellites launched are launched by SpaceX Another way to look at this number is that they are responsible for 95% of the light pollution caused by orbiting objects.
- hersko 6mo ago
  Lets just ban lightbulbs so we don't have light pollution.
  - rbanffy 6mo ago
    We have regions where we deliberately minimize light pollution, but those regions aren't immune to Elon's swarm of photobombing satellites. Not that I don't think it's cool to have a web of spacecraft enveloping the planet and bringing high-speed communications to everyone everywhere - it's pretty impressive to point up and show a train of satellites to a kid - but astronomers have been complaining about them and they are right.

monkeywork 6mo ago

why because "elon bad" ?? cut your nose off to spite your face if you want but the rest of us will recognize the importance of space-x and be grateful it is here.

withinboredom 6mo ago
This is about going to the moon. Space-x is over budget and extremely late. It has nothing to do with the management there, only that it is better to come up with a solution without them.
- monkeywork 6mo ago
  If that was the truth I have a strong feeling your wording would be different.
  - withinboredom 6mo ago
    Please read the https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html I literally can’t even continue this thread.
- rbanffy 6mo ago
  I only suggested a Falcon Heavy because the rocket exists, is flight proven, and has enough capacity to shoot an Orion to any trajectory it is expected to encounter.

rbanffy 6mo ago

Imagine if NASA had the resources and the freedom to pursue a high-risk high-return strategy the same way SpaceX did. NASA can't afford high-profile failures because it needs political support to function from a Congress that doesn't understand engineering. Now imagine the public good will if the US could have built a network of LEO satellites providing communications to everyone on Earth regardless of nationality, with equal access and funded by governments so that all their residents could have access to it for free (once they buy an antenna made in the US). Some will say it'd be communism. I would say it could be part of a Pax Americana that doesn't involve coups, but is based on willing cooperation.