SpaceX Interplanetary Transport System announced

Legend · Sep 27, 2016, 08:47 PM

Quick Info:
First flight to Mars NET 2022.
550 tons to LEO. Previous record was 130 tons for Saturn V.
13 Kt liftoff thrust. Previous record was 4 Kt for Saturn V.
100-200 people to Mars in a single rocket.

DD_Bwest · Sep 27, 2016, 09:03 PM

so awesome! going to be crazy to see one of these launch. rather ambitious time frame, but atleast they have a raptor test fire under the belt lol

Raven · Sep 27, 2016, 09:33 PM

While people freaked out over Brangelina splitting up, Elon Musk just announced the next step in his plan to become emperor of the human race. I, for one, welcome our new overlord.

Dr. Pezus · Sep 27, 2016, 09:37 PM

Elon Musk is naughtiness

Legend · Sep 27, 2016, 10:13 PM

Quote from: DD_Bwest on Sep 27, 2016, 09:03 PMso awesome! going to be crazy to see one of these launch. rather ambitious time frame, but atleast they have a raptor test fire under the belt lol

Raptor test fired and well underway with constructing the rocket itself.

First full sized ship mockup/test unit could be within two years! I'm amazed though that humans landing is 8 years away and yet that timescale seems like nothing!

DD_Bwest · Sep 27, 2016, 10:46 PM

Quote from: Legend on Sep 27, 2016, 10:13 PMRaptor test fired and well underway with constructing the rocket itself.

First full sized ship mockup/test unit could be within two years! I'm amazed though that humans landing is 8 years away and yet that timescale seems like nothing!

Well, Nasa got to the moon in less then 8 years after the JFK declaration.

the-pi-guy · Sep 27, 2016, 11:10 PM

If NASA got the same percentage of the federal budget it had during it's peak this year, it'd get about $176 billion.
About 10x what it is getting this year.

I think that's pretty crazy.

Legend · Sep 28, 2016, 12:48 AM

The QA was so bad that they held an impromptu press only meeting right afterwards.

tombojuggles comments on r/SpaceX Official Mars Architecture Announcement/IAC 2016 Live Thread - Updates & Discussion

This is the engine that will power the rocket.

First test of the Raptor Interplanetary Transport Engine pic.twitter.com/478Z4v86gD
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 27, 2016

Xevross · Sep 28, 2016, 02:19 AM

Elon Musk is my dream future me

Legend · Sep 28, 2016, 02:27 AM

Quote from: Xevross on Sep 28, 2016, 02:19 AMElon Musk is my dream future me

the-pi-guy · Sep 28, 2016, 02:37 AM

Quote from: Xevross on Sep 28, 2016, 02:19 AMElon Musk is my dream future me

If you notice in the seconds 5-7 of that video he shared, you see Xe (which coincidentally has 5 letters, and Xevross has 7 letters).
Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not. But it means something! You have a chance!

Spoiler for Hidden:

Legend · Sep 28, 2016, 05:19 AM

Video is finally getting some good view numbers. At 924k right now.

Legend · Sep 28, 2016, 09:03 PM

I was correct for once!

@BArtusio Three cable elevator on a crane. Wind force on Mars is low, so don't need to worry about being blown around.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 28, 2016

DD_Bwest · Sep 28, 2016, 09:25 PM

it better have a hand crank for redundancy lol or some kinda backup

Legend · Sep 29, 2016, 03:17 PM

Quote from: DD_Bwest on Sep 28, 2016, 09:25 PMit better have a hand crank for redundancy lol or some kinda backup

Mars has a third Earth's gravity. You could just climb up the rope.

Also video is now up to 2.5 million views. I was kinda shocked when for a while it looked like it wouldn't pass their Falcon Heavy animation.