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elon musk

Home Tag elon musk
nasa is sending elon musk and jeff bezos to the moon.

nasa is sending elon musk and jeff bezos to the moon.

Apr 30, 2020

above > blue origin’s lunar lander blue moon / (jonathan newton/the washington post)

with the u.s economy tanking amid the covid-19 pandemic nasa plans on leaving planet earth and shoot for the moon.

1972 was the last time last we visited the moon via the apollo moon mission. almosst 50 years later nasa has selected blue origin, dynetics and spacex to move forward with development of human-rated lunar landers, committing nearly $1 billion in funding for a range of moonship concepts that include a variant of spacex’s next-generation starship vehicle.

“these are three companies that we believe have a lot of capability that are going to enable us to get to the moon,” said nasa administrator jim bridenstine. “each one of them is very different. they have all proposed something very different and unique, which has a lot of value to us.”

above > artist’s illustration of blue origin’s lunar lander with an ascent stage, and astronauts on the lunar surface. credit: blue origin

nasa said blue origin’s contract is valued at $579 million, and dynetics will receive $253 million for the 10-month contract base period. that money covers just the first phase of a multi-year lunar lander development effort that nasa predicts could cost $18.4 billion through the end of 2024.

each commercial lander contractor team is expected to provide private funding to support lunar lander design and development.

the $135 million contract with spacex marks the most significant government investment to date in spacex’s starship system, but blue origin and dynetics won larger lunar lander contracts from nasa.

“looking at the different contractors, each one of them is very different,” bridenstine said. “some of them are likely to be more interested in going fast, others are more likely interested in creating the breakthrough technologies that are going to drive down cost and increase access.”

the development of a commercial human-rated lunar lander is expected to drive nasa’s schedule for returning astronauts to the moon.

the program, named artemis, includes the space launch system heavy-lift rocket and orion crew capsule, and a mini-space station named the gateway to be assembled in a distant, elliptical orbit around the moon.

“we’ve selected the best of industry’s ideas to team with nasa,” said doug loverro, associate administrator of nasa’s human exploration and operations mission directorate. “this is really the last piece of the puzzle to go ahead and get us back to the moon. we’ve got all the other pieces in work already, and this is the last big piece. we are ready to move forward on this.

the three contractor teams will continue refining their human landing system (hls) concepts for the next 10 months before a “continuity review” next february. at that time, nasa could down-select to two hls contractors, and pick one for the artemis program’s first crewed lunar landing mission — known as artemis 3 — before the end of 2024.

a key to nasa’s vision for a “sustainable” crew presence on or near the moon is the gateway station. nasa officials originally hoped the gateway would be in position near the moon in time for the artemis 3 mission in 2024, allowing elements of the lunar lander to be assembled, or aggregated, at the gateway before the arrival of astronauts on an orion crew capsule.

above > artist’s concept of the gateway mini-space station near the moon, showing an orion spacecraft just before docking. credit: nasa

“when we think about a sustainable presence at the moon, we absolutely need a gateway,” bridenstine said. “the gateway gives us the ability to reuse landers, over and over again, which drives down cost and it increases access. the gateway gives us access to different orbits around the moon, so we can get to the north pole, the south pole, the equatorial regions, and everything in between.

“the gateway is also transformable,” bridenstine said. “we can use it eventually for our ship to mars. the gateway gives us the opportunity to do science, and it gives us a lot of credibility with our international partners, who are very interested in helping us build out the gateway. i just want to emphasize … we are 100 percent committed to the gateway.”

“it is also true that we’re 100 percent committed to getting to the moon as fast as possible,” bridenstine said. “so anything that is not necessary, we intend to remove from that path for speed. so the first moon landing, we’re intending not to use the gateway. we’re intending to basically take an orion crew capsule and dock it to a human landing system that will be in orbit around the moon, and then go down to the surface of the moon.

“that means that we will not have the gateway in place for the first landing on the surface of the moon,” he said. “the second time when we land humans on the moon, we absolutely want to have the gateway in the mix because we need to land on the moon by 2024, and we need to have a sustainable presence by 2028.”

dynetics has released little information about its proposed lunar lander, which would be developed in partnership with sierra nevada corp.

the dynetics human landing system would launch as a single structure providing ascent and descent capabilities, according to nasa. it would lift off from earth on ula’s vulcan rocket.

based in alabama, dynetics released an artist’s illustration of its human-rated lander in january that appears to show a large pressurized compartment, two large propellant tanks and power-generating solar panels extending vertically from spacecraft on the lunar surface.

above > artist’s concept of the dynetics proposal for a human landing system. credit: dynetics

“spacex proposed the starship,” bridenstine said. “it’s obviously a very different solution set than any of the others. but it also could be absolutely game-changing. so we don’t want to discount it. we want to move forward. if they can have success, we want to enjoy that success with them.”

spacex’s reusable starship will launch on top of a giant booster named the super heavy. the starship vehicle, which serves as the upper stage on top of the super heavy booster, is designed to be refueled in space, enabling it to carry people and cargo to the moon, mars and other solar system destinations.

“utilizing parking orbit refueling, starship is able to deliver unprecedented payload mass to a variety of earth, cislunar, and interplanetary trajectories,” spacex wrote in a starship user’s guide.

above > artist’s concept of spacex’s starship on the lunar surface. credit: spacex

by itself, the starship vehicle will stand around 160 feet (50 meters) tall with a diameter of roughly 30 feet (9 meters), dwarfing the other human-rated lunar lander concepts. it will land and take off vertically, powered by raptor engines each capable of generating nearly a half-million pounds of thrust at full power.

last year, spacex signed an agreement with nasa to use the starship to potentially carry robotic rovers, science experiments and other cargo to the moon’s surface. now it could carry people.

while the starship is designed as an all-purpose vehicle — capable of deploying satellites, science probes and crews — it would launch from earth without a crew for nasa’s artemis missions.

[ full story spaceflight now ]

virgin hyperloop sets a new speed record.

virgin hyperloop sets a new speed record.

Dec 20, 2017

the ability to maintain a vacuum in the tube, especially one hundreds of miles long, is one of the steepest challenges facing the hyperloop. every time a pod arrives at a station, it has to decelerate and stop.

two days after hyperloop-one sets a new speed record(*) of 240 mile per hour record company announces it has raised $50 million and richard branson is coming aboard as chairman.

the test took place at its development track in the nevada desert, north of las vegas. a 28-foot-long pod does this inside a 1,600-foot-long concrete test tube where air pressure is reduced to 200,000 feet above sea level. what’s new is magnetic levitation where the pod hovers above the test track to reduce friction.

the ability to maintain a vacuum in the tube, especially one hundreds of miles long, is one of the steepest challenges facing the hyperloop. every time a pod arrives at a station, it has to decelerate and stop. then the airlock will have to close, pressurize, and open again. then the pod has to clear the airlock before the next pod arrives. the speed in which this occurs will determine the distance between pods.

musk pitched an idea in 2013 for a massive vacuum tube that could whisk passengers in pressurized cabins from new york to los angeles in 45 minutes. he’s getting closer. musk is also working on a tunnel digging concept with the boring company. richard branson also runs spacex both musk and branson working together, innovative electric cars, space travel, and transportation, is scary in a very good way. fingers crossed.

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video courtesy of virgin

(*) not sure in what category. my benchmark is craig breedlove going 555.485 miles per hour in 1965 driving spirt of america.

startup thor trucks jumps in the ring with tesla new electric truck semi.

startup thor trucks jumps in the ring with tesla new electric truck semi.

Dec 13, 2017

above > thor trucks et-one below > tesla semi the story here is the auto/truck industry predicts et-one will be on the road before semi.

https://designapplause.com/wp-content/xG58hlz9/2017/12/tesla1.mp4


on 16 november elon musk unveiled a new tesla – an 18-wheeler cab named semi. ​semi is touted as the safest, most comfortable truck ever. electric energy costs are half those of diesel. with fewer systems to maintain, the tesla semi provides $200,000+ in fuel savings and a two year payback period.

enhanced autopilot helps avoid collisions, a centered driver position provides maximum visibility and control, and lower center of gravity offers rollover protection.

tesla semi
range> 300 – 500 mi
speed on a 5% grade > 65 mph
power train > four independent motors on rear axles
price:> 300 mile range $150,000 / 500 mile range $200,000
base reservation > $20,000
founders series price > $200,000
founders reservation > $200,000

on 13 december dakota semler, a young california entrepreneur, along with a buddy, unveil start-up thor trucks’ first vehicle, et-one, an all-electric class 8 tractor. with a range of 300 miles this truck designed for short hauls.

thor et-one
battery > lithium-ion
range > 300 miles
price > $150,000
delivery > thor trucks’ custom models, due out in 2019

the story here is the auto/truck industry predicts et-one will be on the road before semi. et-one is offering at this writing limited fleet demos.

on 13 december pepsi reserves 200 semi’s.

Hard charging tesla goes coast-to-coast stations next year.

Hard charging tesla goes coast-to-coast stations next year.

May 31, 2013

tesla13-chargemap1the network right now | red (installed) grey (coming) | maps courtesy tesla

In promoting what he claimed to be a national network of “superchargers” for his Tesla electric cars, Elon Musk said when the zombie apocalypse comes, you’ll still be able to drive your Model S electric sports sedan coast to coast in the US. Those superchargers with solar panels will be off the grid.

The chargers cost an estimated $250,000 apiece—the price of an Aston Martin. The chargers are incompatible with all industry standards and work only with Tesla’s Model S—but they are way faster.

tesla13-chargemap-june13-1summer 2013

tesla13-chargemap-6mo-1fall 2013

tesla13-chargemap-2013-1winter 2013

tesla13-chargermap-2014-12014

tesla13-chargemap-2yrs-12015

above> video courtesy of tesla | below> video courtesy of mike anthony autosports

[ official full release ]

Tesla dramatically expands supercharger network, delivery convenient, free long distance driving throughout U.S. and Canada.

MAY 30, 2013 – Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) today announced significant expansion of the Tesla Supercharger network. Supercharging enables Tesla Model S drivers to travel long distances, for free, indefinitely.

The expansion of the network builds upon the success of the Tesla Supercharger network that covers California and Nevada on the west coast and the Washington, DC to Boston region on the east coast. The Tesla Supercharger network has enabled an estimated 1 million miles of driving since going live in October 2012. Superchargers are designed for city to city travel, enabling Model S electric vehicle drivers to travel for about three hours, take a 20 to 30 minute break to grab lunch or a soda or coffee, and get back on the road charged up. For free.

With the accelerated rollout of the Tesla Supercharger network, Model S drivers can expect:
> Triple the number of Tesla Supercharger stations by the end of next month, including additional stations in California, coverage of the northwest region from Vancouver to Seattle to Portland, Austin to Dallas in Texas, Illinois and Colorado. There will also be four additional eastern seaboard stations, expanding the density of the network to provide for more convenient stopping points.
> Within six months the Tesla Supercharger network will connect most of the major metro areas in the US and Canada, including expansion into Arizona, additional stations in Texas, Florida, and the Midwest, stations connecting Ottawa to Montreal, and across North and South Carolina into Georgia. It will also be possible to travel diagonally across the country from Los Angeles to New York using only the Tesla Supercharger network.
> A year from now, the Tesla Supercharger network will stretch across the continent, covering almost the entire population of the US and Canada. The expansion of the network will mean that Model S drivers can take the ultimate road trip — whether that’s LA to New York, Vancouver to San Diego, or Montreal to Miami – without spending a cent on fuel.

In addition to the expansion of the Tesla Supercharger network itself, Tesla is improving the technology behind the Tesla Supercharger to dramatically decrease the amount of time it takes to charge Model S, cutting charging time in half relative to early trials of the system. The new technology, which is in beta test mode now and will be fully rolled out to customers this summer, will allow Model S to be charged at 120 kW, replenishing three hours of driving in just over 20 minutes.

[ about tesla ]
Tesla Motors’ (NASDAQ: TSLA) goal is to accelerate the world’s transition to electric mobility with a full range of increasingly affordable electric cars. California-based Tesla designs and manufactures EVs, as well as EV powertrain components for partners such as Toyota and Daimler. Tesla has delivered more than 10,000 electric vehicles to customers in 31 countries.

[ forward-looking statements ]
Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding future Tesla Supercharger locations, timing and capabilities, are “forward-looking statements” that are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations, and as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those projected. Various important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including potential difficulties in finding suitable Tesla Supercharger sites, negotiating leases or obtaining required permits for such locations, as well as the risks and uncertainties identified under the sections captioned “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results Of Operations” in Tesla’s Form 10-Q filed on May 10, 2013. Tesla disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements.

about phil patton

Tesla s launches.

Jun 29, 2012

click > enlarge

Tesla Motors announces 520 reservations for the Model S, an all-electric family sedan that carries up to seven people and travels up to 300 miles per charge. The Model S launched March 26, and orders immediately began streaming in online and at showrooms in California. Tesla plans to open stores in Chicago, London, New York, Miami, Seattle, Washington, D.C. and Munich this year.



“Frankly the number of cars reserved in the first week has exceeded our optimistic internal projections,” said Tesla CEO, Chairman and Product Architect Elon Musk. “Enthusiasm surrounding the Model S is proof that there’s pent-up demand for more affordable, fuel-efficient vehicles – including those made in America.”

The Model S will likely be the world’s first mass-produced, highway-capable electric vehicle. The company has applied for a $350 million loan from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Program, which would be used to build the Model S assembly plant in California.



The East Coast premier of the Model S was at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The drivable prototype also will be shown in New York, Chicago, Miami and Seattle this summer.

The Model S can be recharged from any 120V, 208V or 240V outlet or quick-charged from an external direct current supply in only 45 minutes. You can recharge the car during rest stops or meal breaks, enabling the Model S to go from L.A. to New York in approximately the same time as a gasoline car.

The Model S does 0-60 mph in 5.6 seconds, and will have an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. A 17-inch touchscreen with in-car 3G connectivity means you can listen to Pandora Radio or consult Google Maps, or check the car’s state of charge remotely on your iPhone.

The anticipated base price of the Model S is $49,900 after a federal tax credit of $7,500. The $5,000 reservation fee is refundable, and the car is a better value than far cheaper cars.



If you account for the much lower cost of electricity vs. gasoline at a likely future cost of over $4 per gallon, the Model S is equivalent to buying a gasoline car with a sticker price of about $35,000, such as a Ford Taurus. Importantly, those savings are realized immediately if you lease a Model S, so there is no need wait years to earn back the price difference.

Three battery pack choices will offer a range of 160, 230 or 300 miles per charge. The company has not released options pricing.

battery slab cover bottom of car

Tesla also is taking reservations for the Model S Signature Edition with a $40,000 reservation fee. Tesla will produce only 2,000 Signature Edition cars, which will be the first built and have unique interior and exterior features. Signature Edition cars will be evenly split between U.S. and European customers.

[ Proven Technology ]

Tesla is the only production automaker selling highway-capable EVs in North America or Europe today. With 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds, the Roadster outperforms almost all sports cars in its class, yet is more than twice as energy efficient as a Toyota Prius and delivers 244 miles per charge.

Tesla delivered 104 Roadsters to customers in March, marking the first triple-digit delivery month in the company’s history. Tesla delivered over 170 cars in the first quarter – more than the total delivered in 2008.

Tesla has delivered about 320 Roadsters so far. The base price of the Roadster is $101,500 after a $7,500 federal tax credit.
Teslas do not require routine oil changes, and have far fewer moving (and breakable) parts than internal combustion engine vehicles. They qualify for federal and state tax credits, rebates and sales tax exemptions. The Roadster costs roughly $4 to drive more than 240 miles – a bargain even if gasoline were less than $1 per gallon.

Tesla plans to introduce more affordable cars and partner with other automakers to help them produce mass-market EVs. Tesla announced in January it is partnering with Daimler AG to produce the battery packs and chargers for at least 1,000 Smart EVs. “Tesla is relentlessly driving down the cost of battery technology – similar to what other technology companies did to make cellular phones and laptop computers low-cost commodities,” Musk said. [ tesla motors ]

Science the final frontier.

Jan 12, 2012

spaceship two

Throughout my career I have always been a strong believer in the power of humankind to use innovation to help solve the world’s challenges. Today, many of the greatest areas of innovation are driven by scientific research and development. In a time of deep uncertainty and upheaval, we can be certain that our collective brain power and imaginations are helping us get closer to solving big problems and making big discoveries — like slowing down climate change, finding and adopting new sources of renewable energy, traveling great distances safely and quickly without harming the environment, and exploring the depths of space and the ocean.

But it isn’t easy to keep that focus today when the world is facing so many challenges. Many economies are struggling, the divide between rich and poor is widening and we face the ongoing threat of climate change. There is so much to fix — so why bother investing in something like Virgin Galactic, our company that is aiming to revolutionize space travel.

spaceship one

spaceport america

Continued exploration of space and the development of related technologies are essential to humanity’s survival. Satellites that monitor changing weather patterns and their impact can help us responsibly overcome problems caused by climate change and overpopulation. Space-based navigation underpins our world economy, while space-based satellite links enable global communications, particularly in times of crisis. Someday, we will be able to use space to transport people and things from one side of the planet to another in about an hour — cleanly, safely, and affordably.

Most industries have undergone tremendous changes in the last 50 years to help them adapt to the modern world; but not so in space travel. Each shuttle launch cost around $1 billion. Even launching a 400-pound satellite (the size of a washing machine) costs at least $30 million. For a private individual to travel to space, the cost can be upwards of $60 million. This, along with safety, reliability, frequency and environmental impact, is limiting our ability to access space for commercial purposes.

spaceship two

Despite the obstacles, Virgin Galactic and a small group of fellow space ventures are pressing on with a new space age. Elon Musk, chief executive and chief technology officer of Space X, is developing a new ground-based rocket capable of revolutionizing the economics of shuttling to the International Space Station. Paul Allen recently announced , a partnership with Burt Rutan and our partner Scaled Composites to build the largest-ever aviation vehicle to air-launch rockets into space.

The private space revolution is gathering pace. In the first years of operation, Virgin Galactic, which has already signed up nearly 500 customers, aims to take more people up to space than have been there in the first 50 years of space travel. Those visionary individuals’ early commitment will help us develop future technologies that will soon be applied to quicker and more environmentally sound ways of sending payload to space and eventually those transcontinental tickets.

spaceship one

Every day we experience both the risk and responsibility of investing in science — and while the rewards are in the long term, some happen before our very eyes. In April, we invited students of KIPP (knowledge is power program) schools to join Virgin America as it celebrated its new terminal in San Francisco. Watching the children’s awed reactions as the new Virgin Galactic space vehicles soared in the air above the San Francisco bay reminded us how important it is to include our youth in our work — to show them that space travel is possible in their lifetimes and that they can and should take part. We are inspiring a new generation of young people to pursue careers and educations in science, engineering, technology and math. Essential skills to help solve the problems of the future.
Space travel isn’t just the stuff of science fiction or something that might happen in the distant future. Space tourism may seem like an excuse for joy rides for the rich, but in reality it’s the start of a new and vital private sector industry that will help develop safer, cheaper and cleaner space travel and result in technology that will lead to broader innovation and discovery. To do all of this, we need more people active in science and more discussion around the work being done. There’s room for everyone to get involved — and to reach for the stars!

feel the freedon of zero g

Throughout my career I have always been a strong believer in the power of humankind to use innovation to help solve the world’s challenges. Today, many of the greatest areas of innovation are driven by scientific research and development. In a time of deep uncertainty and upheaval, we can be…


~richard branson founder virgin group

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