BFR Private Passenger Moonflight - DISCUSSION THREAD

[1]

So Yusaku Maezawa posted and later deleted a tweet a few minutes ago that only said 'test'.
What's interesting about it? It was sent from the LA timezone (not visible on my snap unfortunately, given how I couldn't expand the details anymore since it was deleted).

I took a screenshot, it's attached.

If he isn't the mysterious passenger I'm gonna eat my hat with a side of mustard.

I hope so. Anyone willing to Engrish-ize his name so he can use "yousuck" is his twitter handle is cool in my book.

[clongton]

Re: SpaceX v.s. NASA to the moon.

Elon will scrupulously avoid making any comparison to NASA's plan. He made it clear in a tweet yesterday that SpaceX would not be where it is today were it not for NASA and he is grateful for their confidence and support. So let's not go there please.

[RobLynn]

As far as predictions go, I bet we see the production-spec Raptor engine tonight. 

Maybe, but CAD only, they have stated they have nearly finished testing the development articles that were likely instrumented like crazy as they debugged internals - so now they will probably need to get them productionized and light-weighted and built so they can build up test hours and cycles on finalised flight engine design.

My prediction:  petals will form a retractable Expansion Deflection vacuum nozzle used with outer ring of engines gimballed (splayed) outwards, each of 6 pairs of petals will cup around an engine to create a 6-lobed ED nozzle.  Centre engine may not be used (much) in vacuum.  BFS will be SSTO capable with some cargo.

[Lars-J]

Re: SpaceX v.s. NASA to the moon.

Elon will scrupulously avoid making any comparison to NASA's plan. He made it clear in a tweet yesterday that SpaceX would not be where it is today were it not for NASA and he is grateful for their confidence and support. So let's not go there please.

Neither should we pretend that it won't happen. But NASA is not homogeneous. Some at NASA would love to work closer with SpaceX. Others will be dragged kicking and screaming. But it is NASA's "big program" that is stuck on the train track, and the Blue Origin/SpaceX train is coming.

But we'll see how it is portrayed tonight. If NASA is mentioned, it will be in very flowery language. That 'big program' will not be mentioned at all.

[lonestriker]

Media given access to the event at SpaceX HQ:
https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/9ggtma/bfr_manned_moon_mission_thread_livestream_at/e65xetl/

At least we may get some clueful questions versus IAC 2016 fiasco.

[Rocket Science]

https://www.spacex.com/webcast

[sanman]

Media given access to the event at SpaceX HQ:
https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/9ggtma/bfr_manned_moon_mission_thread_livestream_at/e65xetl/

At least we may get some clueful questions versus IAC 2016 fiasco.

What - you didn't want to learn about the electric bus and its toilet system? 

[Mongo62]

So when do people think that the presentation will actually start? I doubt that it will start right at the top of the hour. Will it start ten minutes after? Twenty? Thirty?

Only 25 minutes to answer...

[docmordrid]

A funky music lead-in, like the launch webcasts.

[Lars-J]

A quick panorama stitch from a video at the press event:

[ZachF]

Funky music.

Let's light this candle. 

[oiorionsbelt]

So when do people think that the presentation will actually start? I doubt that it will start right at the top of the hour. Will it start ten minutes after? Twenty? Thirty?

Only 25 minutes to answer...

It's an instantaneous window. T-9:00

[Prettz]

I do hope they go into some of the technicals of the changes to the design. Surely they won't put out this very different design and then leave us hanging?

[Bargemanos]

Elon time.. 

[Rocket Science]

Fasten you seat-belts!

[tyrred]

Hold? Was hoping they would bring the new funk at instantaneous launch window time.

[Craftyatom]

Elon's just giving Chris time to get the server hamsters running at full tilt.

[Lemurion]

And it's live

[Chris Bergin]

Elon's just giving Chris time to get the server hamsters running at full tilt.

They coped well....but they usually do. It's when everyone piles in like a bottleneck, such as a landing where the live view isn't any good and people rush on here as if we'd know more than the webcast where they get strained. 100,000 views in about a day on just this thread. These aren't small nunbers.

Timely reminder that 99,9 percent of the people who visit this site (news site, guests, members) aren't L2 members and we literally pay the hamsters via L2 subs. They are expensive hamsters so if you can, consider supporting the site. Heck, you get goodies in return!

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Anyway, some people didn't move to the new thread, so I've split it here and merged it at the point it went live. Everyone here now please!
https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=46387.0