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I thought this was an interesting tidbit from the linked rules pdf: > In addition to hosting the competition, SpaceX will likely build a pod for demonstration

by dtparr 11y ago

I thought this was an interesting tidbit from the linked rules pdf: > In addition to hosting the competition, SpaceX will likely build a pod for demonstration purposes only. This team will not be eligible to win.

toomuchtodo 11y ago
I think that's admirable, and doesn't strike me as out of the ordinary for Elon. SpaceX has some remarkable engineering talent (which also transfers tech to Tesla; see their friction stir welding technique that is used by both companies now). It wouldn't be fair for SpaceX to be able to win.
- dtparr 11y ago
  I agree SpaceX recusing itself from winning its own competition is the right thing, but the bit I found interesting was just that they were building a pod as well as the track, putting even more skin in the metaphorical game. I've had projects before where I came up with an interesting idea but dismissed it as too costly (in time or money or what have you), but it stuck in my head. So then, well maybe I'll just do a quick proof of concept... And then, well, maybe I can hack something a bit more complete together. Eventually, despite myself, it makes it to being a fully formed thing just because it was so interesting I couldn't ignore it. I'm wondering if the Hyperloop is going to be that sort of thing for Elon et al.
  - kiba 11y ago
    Elon Musk doesn't have the time to learn civil engineering, property development, let alone the politics surrounding it.
    - toomuchtodo 11y ago
      After Elon said "fuck it" and built his own rocket motors after getting screwed by the Russians, I don't see him wasting any time with politics or property development (who I'd argue would be leeches/vultures trying to extract their tax on the project). He's just commission 2-4 TBMs (tunnel boring machines, about ~$20MM/each), drop them in the ground, and have them start digging hyperloop tunnels.
      - TeMPOraL 11y ago
        I think it's reasonable to expect at this point that there would be quite a lot of people willing to help Musk battle various leeches and vultures.
        toomuchtodo 11y ago
        I don't disagree whatsoever. I frequently wonder, "What could Elon Musk do with another 100K employees and Apple's war chest?"
        dragonwriter 11y ago
        And a quite a lot of people presenting themselves that way will be various leeches and vultures.
        toomuchtodo 11y ago
        How do we differentiate them then?
        TeMPOraL 11y ago
        Probably those willing to do it pro bono would be ok.
      - krschultz 11y ago
        You're off by an order of magnitude on the cost of a TBM.
        toomuchtodo 11y ago
        "The machine is a remarkable and unique piece of equipment. Purpose-built for Crossrail by German firm Herrenknecht – one of a handful of TBM manufacturers in the world – it cost around £10m ($15m), weighs close to 1,000 tonnes, has an external diameter of 7.1 metres (23ft) and from cutting-face-to-end stretches 150m (500ft)." http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150602-crossrail-the-monster-tunnelling-under-london-streets http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150602-crossrail-the-monst...
    - gknoy 11y ago
      I am pretty sure you were joking, but just in case ... Elon already sat down and decided to learn enough rocket science to found SpaceX, and enough engineering to found Tesla. He's learned more in his "spare time" than most of us have learned at university, and then has gone on to apply the lever of business to it. If Elon felt that it were necessary to get his pet project done, I believe he'd make time to master civil engineering and politics to the degree that it were necessary. Basically, he's the real Tony Stark. ;)
      - abduhl 11y ago
        Civil engineering is fairly rigid and defined by applicable building codes. There isn't any real room to innovate in the industry, at least in the public sector. "Mastering" civil engineering just entails becoming familiar with the code and then it becomes a game of politics and liability. More likely, he would just hire a civil engineering firm. Laws throughout the country are such that you can't really buy your way into the industry the same way he has with Tesla and SpaceX. Practicing civil engineering requires licensure everywhere in the USA.
        deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
        deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
- grkvlt 11y ago
  Serious observation. Why do people (here) feel they can refer to Elon Musk as just 'Elon' - using his first name, that is? It seems overly familiar, and impolite to me. Being from the UK, I would refer to him as 'Musk' in both writing and speech, and perhaps even as 'Mr. Musk' in formal writing. Is it a SV, or even just American, thing perhaps? It seems to depend on the person, though. For instance, the Google founders are often referred to as 'Larry and Sergey' rather than 'Page and Brin' here, although 'Eric' was rarely used, his full name seeming to be preferred instead. Similarly, nobody would talk about 'Tim' from Apple, rather 'Cook' or 'Tim Cook', although the nickname 'Jony' is often used instead of 'Ive' or 'Jonathan Ive', and 'Jobs' more often than 'Steve' although that coulkd have been due to the possible confusion over the two founders. In general, it seems that certain engineering icons and luminaries are granted this informal status. In a similar way to actual rock stars, perhaps because the referers feel the informality gives a sense of familiarity that brings them closer to their idols?
  - toomuchtodo 11y ago
    Different cultures I assume, based on my interaction with my UK (I'm in the US) counterparts.
MattGrommes 11y ago
I would imagine there are a bunch of nerds at SpaceX who would be might annoyed if they weren't allowed to participate in building something like this. Very cool of the company to make it an official thing, and to realize the issues with having their people win.

by dtparr 11y ago

toomuchtodo 11y ago

I think that's admirable, and doesn't strike me as out of the ordinary for Elon. SpaceX has some remarkable engineering talent (which also transfers tech to Tesla; see their friction stir welding technique that is used by both companies now). It wouldn't be fair for SpaceX to be able to win.

dtparr 11y ago
I agree SpaceX recusing itself from winning its own competition is the right thing, but the bit I found interesting was just that they were building a pod as well as the track, putting even more skin in the metaphorical game. I've had projects before where I came up with an interesting idea but dismissed it as too costly (in time or money or what have you), but it stuck in my head. So then, well maybe I'll just do a quick proof of concept... And then, well, maybe I can hack something a bit more complete together. Eventually, despite myself, it makes it to being a fully formed thing just because it was so interesting I couldn't ignore it. I'm wondering if the Hyperloop is going to be that sort of thing for Elon et al.
- kiba 11y ago
  Elon Musk doesn't have the time to learn civil engineering, property development, let alone the politics surrounding it.
  - toomuchtodo 11y ago
    After Elon said "fuck it" and built his own rocket motors after getting screwed by the Russians, I don't see him wasting any time with politics or property development (who I'd argue would be leeches/vultures trying to extract their tax on the project). He's just commission 2-4 TBMs (tunnel boring machines, about ~$20MM/each), drop them in the ground, and have them start digging hyperloop tunnels.
    - TeMPOraL 11y ago
      I think it's reasonable to expect at this point that there would be quite a lot of people willing to help Musk battle various leeches and vultures.
      - toomuchtodo 11y ago
        I don't disagree whatsoever. I frequently wonder, "What could Elon Musk do with another 100K employees and Apple's war chest?"
      - dragonwriter 11y ago
        And a quite a lot of people presenting themselves that way will be various leeches and vultures.
        toomuchtodo 11y ago
        How do we differentiate them then?
        TeMPOraL 11y ago
        Probably those willing to do it pro bono would be ok.
    - krschultz 11y ago
      You're off by an order of magnitude on the cost of a TBM.
      - toomuchtodo 11y ago
        "The machine is a remarkable and unique piece of equipment. Purpose-built for Crossrail by German firm Herrenknecht – one of a handful of TBM manufacturers in the world – it cost around £10m ($15m), weighs close to 1,000 tonnes, has an external diameter of 7.1 metres (23ft) and from cutting-face-to-end stretches 150m (500ft)." http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150602-crossrail-the-monster-tunnelling-under-london-streets http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150602-crossrail-the-monst...
  - gknoy 11y ago
    I am pretty sure you were joking, but just in case ... Elon already sat down and decided to learn enough rocket science to found SpaceX, and enough engineering to found Tesla. He's learned more in his "spare time" than most of us have learned at university, and then has gone on to apply the lever of business to it. If Elon felt that it were necessary to get his pet project done, I believe he'd make time to master civil engineering and politics to the degree that it were necessary. Basically, he's the real Tony Stark. ;)
    - abduhl 11y ago
      Civil engineering is fairly rigid and defined by applicable building codes. There isn't any real room to innovate in the industry, at least in the public sector. "Mastering" civil engineering just entails becoming familiar with the code and then it becomes a game of politics and liability. More likely, he would just hire a civil engineering firm. Laws throughout the country are such that you can't really buy your way into the industry the same way he has with Tesla and SpaceX. Practicing civil engineering requires licensure everywhere in the USA.
      - deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
      - deleted 11y ago
        [deleted]
grkvlt 11y ago
Serious observation. Why do people (here) feel they can refer to Elon Musk as just 'Elon' - using his first name, that is? It seems overly familiar, and impolite to me. Being from the UK, I would refer to him as 'Musk' in both writing and speech, and perhaps even as 'Mr. Musk' in formal writing. Is it a SV, or even just American, thing perhaps? It seems to depend on the person, though. For instance, the Google founders are often referred to as 'Larry and Sergey' rather than 'Page and Brin' here, although 'Eric' was rarely used, his full name seeming to be preferred instead. Similarly, nobody would talk about 'Tim' from Apple, rather 'Cook' or 'Tim Cook', although the nickname 'Jony' is often used instead of 'Ive' or 'Jonathan Ive', and 'Jobs' more often than 'Steve' although that coulkd have been due to the possible confusion over the two founders. In general, it seems that certain engineering icons and luminaries are granted this informal status. In a similar way to actual rock stars, perhaps because the referers feel the informality gives a sense of familiarity that brings them closer to their idols?
- toomuchtodo 11y ago
  Different cultures I assume, based on my interaction with my UK (I'm in the US) counterparts.

MattGrommes 11y ago

I would imagine there are a bunch of nerds at SpaceX who would be might annoyed if they weren't allowed to participate in building something like this. Very cool of the company to make it an official thing, and to realize the issues with having their people win.