BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: robomatic
Date: 09 Jul 21 - 03:48 PM

Elon Musk is well known for his (aspirational?) quote:

"I want to die on Mars, but not on impact!"

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Jul 21 - 10:37 AM

Mr Red with all due respect it is the nature of money to take on a life of its own. Ex Mrs. Bezos gave away about 2.7 BILLION dollars but the remainder made another 3.3 Billion while she wasn't looking.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Jul 21 - 07:48 AM

I never understand why those who will never need any additional money still need to add to their wealth.

It ain't about the money per se. The money is merely a pat on their backs that they got it right (in the narrow, rarefied reasoning of their definition of success).

In many respects, Musk has a much higher definition of success. to rid the planet of ICE cars, and trucks. And he may well be dead before that is near total. Yea, I know he is going to space, but even there he is far more successful.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 07 Jul 21 - 04:04 AM

This all seems to be nothing but a self justification for those who have more than they can ever spend in multiple lifetimes to continue to suck more out of economies to go to their pockets.

I never understand why those who will never need any additional money still need to add to their wealth.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Acorn4
Date: 06 Jul 21 - 03:44 AM

"In Orbit"

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Jul 21 - 04:48 PM

They still haven't charged anyone for drilling a hole in ISS that allowed oxygen to escape and threatened evacuation. It was definately not an accident.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: mayomick
Date: 05 Jul 21 - 04:22 PM

I saw this on twitter:
Sim Kern
@sim_kern
·
Jul 3
If any of you are under the impression that our billionaires might succeed in "escaping" to space, while the world burns, let me put those fears to rest with what I know from being the spouse of a NASA flight controller. ??
Sim Kern
@sim_kern
·
Jul 3
For a half-dozen people to exist up on the ISS, it takes a ground team of thousands of people, constantly problem-solving how to keep them alive. Their quality of life is bouncing around in a narrow tube with the same 5 people who can't really bathe for months. /
Sim Kern
@sim_kern
·
Jul 3
Every minute of their day is micromanaged so they can survive. They follow strict exercise regimens to keep their bones from turning to goo. They spend a ton of time studying systems and conducting repairs on equipment that's continually breaking because SPACE WANTS TO KILL YOU /
Sim Kern
@sim_kern
·
Jul 3
Their sleeping situation is akin to a floating coffin. Their pooping situation is a 20-something-step process in a port-o-potty where everything FLOATS and the door is a plastic curtain. The wifi cuts out at regular intervals. The food is NOT michelin starred, to say the least. /
Sim Kern
@sim_kern
·
Jul 3
The only reason they're alive up there at all is because multiple countries have thousands of brilliant, highly-trained engineers and doctors and astrophysicists and computer experts whose full-time job is keeping the astronauts alive and the ISS functioning. /
Sim Kern
@sim_kern
·
Jul 3
When something breaks, as it continually does, these teams SCRAMBLE to devise fixes and solutions. And these fixes, lemme tell ya, they are tedious. This year, working from home, I have seen the schematics and overheard bits of meetings, and oh my GOD is it tedious. /

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Donuel
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 08:34 PM

point of order Mr Chairperson,… the speaker is not speaking to the motion, …. allowing this person to move this motion contravenes standing order number 42, that the mover of the substantive motion cannot move a procedural motion which closes debate.
also the speaker is repeating the same points he has already made 20 years ago. Besides the specific facts the speaker is giving are correct but not to the enormity of the end of all life. (Note: this is not a statement of opinion, but of fact and assumes the person raising the point of order can validate the point and violates the tenents of Kruger - Dunning.)
Ah well, now the speaker’s time limit has expired.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 04:26 PM

Point of order, Mr Chairman. Ants control their climate, termites & their anthills especially so. Hence the shape.

In fact, the "ants sir lie in the soil" (Brits of certain age will get the allusion)

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Donuel
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 10:22 AM

Wally is most deserving of all. She will have a short flight however,
"CODGERS IN SPACE", How the non tax paying elderly are able to build their own spaceships. Rocket science has been considered the most difficult thing to do followed by brain surgury. Its time to reconsider that old saying, 'Its not Rocket Science' now that Jeff is in charge and Ben Carson is not the genius people claimed.

In fact I find that there is a wisdom in stupidity and ineptitude!
When we look at ants they are EXTREMELY successful despite being stupid and inept. Stupid and inept people are not ants. Ants have not created a climate change that could kill the Earth.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 06:33 AM

Meanwhile there is a video discussion on the two flights which includes names of co-passengers including "aviation legend Wally Funk" - not only will she be the oldest astronaut, but the oldest woman in space.

And the video discusses what height space can be defined as, and the narrater thinks the US version of 80km is a good threshold. Bezos is going over the international level - 100km. Branson thinks he will be first.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Mr Red
Date: 04 Jul 21 - 05:17 AM

True, they could get their fingers burnt! Depends on the height, and velocity, but I was considering one lifetime.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: robomatic
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 06:06 PM

Well put but let us not delay
remembering that orbits do decay.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Mr Red
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 05:57 PM

Several of those egos scrambling to be first sounds to me like a disaster ready to happen ...

Just my thought, and then I thought:
"Putting all your egos in one basket"

As many an airline pilot will tell you, all take-offs are optional, all landings mandatory. Er maybe not if you are going orbital.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Jul 21 - 11:09 AM

Now, if only Zuckerberg and a bunch of Waltons would spend enough to ride along...and maybe a Koch.
Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are too smart... as are Sergey Brin and Larry Page.

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Rapparee
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 01:33 PM

How soon they forget....

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Jos
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 08:32 AM

Several of those egos scrambling to be first sounds to me like a disaster ready to happen ...

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Donuel
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 07:12 AM

heh heh . BS: Billionaires in Space . brilliant
Faster than a SPEEDING bullet, more greedy than a Trump, its a pig its a plane,
NO its Billionaires in SPACE

Subject: RE: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 02 Jul 21 - 12:10 AM

Don't let any of them land until they pay their fair share in taxes.

Subject: BS: Billionaires in Space: Bezos $v$ Branson
From: robomatic
Date: 01 Jul 21 - 10:36 PM

Bezos wants to go up with his brother and a space tourist. Branson wants to go too. Maybe go first.

Virgin Galactic versus Blue Origin. Branson stealing a launch?


Meanwhile, Elon Musk has already sent a Tesla beyond Earth's orbit. With a stuffed spacesuit at the wheel and the phrase "Don't Panic" pinned to the dash.

Personally I don't think going suborbital fills the bill. I think it's gotta be at least a full orbit. But that's just my opinion. Maybe Elon Musk will have a say.

Too bad Trmp isn't a real billionaire or he could have had NASA work him into their schedule. I think that's something we all would'v'e liked to see.