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#140
by
vanoord
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:36
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Just now, on Twitter:
Elon Musk
@elonmusk
2 minutes ago
Replying to @highqualitysh1t
I love the thought of a car drifting apparently endlessly through space and perhaps being discovered by an alien race millions of years in the future
Not exactly clarity.
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#141
by
ZachS09
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:39
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Let's just assume that Elon Musk is simply putting a payload simulator on the second stage is probably around 8 tons.
I say that because GTO is a common orbital destination nowadays. Plus, the maximum payload to GTO for Falcon Heavy is around 8 tons.
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#142
by
vanoord
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:40
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And...
Eric Berger
@SciGuySpace
2 minutes ago
Elon Musk told me just now, on Saturday afternoon: The Tesla to Mars mission is "100% real."
Would be nice if SpaceX's communications team stepped in here.
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#143
by
kdhilliard
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:41
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Is that one note on the Verge article all we have to suggest this was a four month premature prank?
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#144
by
IanThePineapple
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:47
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This is confusing. We're being trolled one way or another, but I'm still putting all my money on this being real.
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#145
by
Kosmos2001
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:48
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And...
Eric Berger
@SciGuySpace
2 minutes ago
Elon Musk told me just now, on Saturday afternoon: The Tesla to Mars mission is "100% real."
Would be nice if SpaceX's communications team stepped in here.
We do have right now enough info to make a "Mind blowing" meme about the whole story.
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#146
by
cebri
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:50
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#147
by
Comga
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:52
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The roadster should fit in horizontally, unlike the school bus. Reenforcing the base plate may be easier than launching it vertical.
I wouldn't have expected that, but yes, Wikipedia describes the 2008 Roadster as being 3,946 mm long and 1,873 mm wide, and the diagonal of such a rectangle is 4,368 mm, so it should fit a standard F9 fairing which offers 4.6 m ID.
(snip)
The length of a Roadster IS the diagonal, or rather, the diameter.
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#148
by
IanThePineapple
on 02 Dec, 2017 18:54
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The Mars transfer window opens in April, so they could use some of FH's leftover power (Since the Roadster is so light) to brute-force it to Mars in January, slightly outside the transfer window.
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#149
by
inonepiece
on 02 Dec, 2017 19:01
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#150
by
CJ
on 02 Dec, 2017 19:12
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Regarding "Mars orbit". I'm very, very skeptical that it means "Orbiting Mars" because of the need for an orbital insertion burn. I suppose they could try aerobraking, but that still requires some propulsion. We can rule out the second stage for this; nowhere near enough duration time.
But what if Elon meant "Mars' orbit"? In other words, heliocentric but at the same distance from the sun Mars is? Use a Mars grav assist to roughly match Mars' orbit? Viable?
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#151
by
IanThePineapple
on 02 Dec, 2017 19:17
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Regarding "Mars orbit". I'm very, very skeptical that it means "Orbiting Mars" because of the need for an orbital insertion burn. I suppose they could try aerobraking, but that still requires some propulsion. We can rule out the second stage for this; nowhere near enough duration time.
But what if Elon meant "Mars' orbit"? In other words, heliocentric but at the same distance from the sun Mars is? Use a Mars grav assist to roughly match Mars' orbit? Viable?
I'm guessing they'll fit a Starlink bus (minus everything except power, propulsion, control and comms) onto the back to get it into a crazy elliptical orbit, perhaps aerobraking to a more stable orbit, then using leftover fuel to boost the periapsis up.
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#152
by
watermod
on 02 Dec, 2017 19:31
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Could the fairing problem that halted the Zuma flight be related to some clearance issue they discovered with this car?
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#153
by
Chris Bergin
on 02 Dec, 2017 19:35
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Bollocks to it. I'm keeping this thread as is now until I see a press release.
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#154
by
Kaputnik
on 02 Dec, 2017 19:44
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Regarding "Mars orbit". I'm very, very skeptical that it means "Orbiting Mars" because of the need for an orbital insertion burn. I suppose they could try aerobraking, but that still requires some propulsion. We can rule out the second stage for this; nowhere near enough duration time.
But what if Elon meant "Mars' orbit"? In other words, heliocentric but at the same distance from the sun Mars is? Use a Mars grav assist to roughly match Mars' orbit? Viable?
I'm guessing they'll fit a Starlink bus (minus everything except power, propulsion, control and comms) onto the back to get it into a crazy elliptical orbit, perhaps aerobraking to a more stable orbit, then using leftover fuel to boost the periapsis up.
Just a nit: you don't aerobrake into orbit. You aerocapture. And nobody has ever done that.
Aerobraking is a much gentler procedure requiring no special modifications; aerocapture requires the vehicle to be capable of high speed atmospheric entry, i.e. it needs a heatshield.
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#155
by
Formica
on 02 Dec, 2017 19:46
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Is that one note on the Verge article all we have to suggest this was a four month premature prank?
Yup, followed shortly by Eric Berger saying Elon told him it's for real, as vanoord noted. However this ends up, Elon is earning his trolling merit badge with aplomb this weekend
At least one person with contacts inside SpaceX, young John Kraus the photographer, also says it's for real over on
Reddit.
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#156
by
nacnud
on 02 Dec, 2017 19:56
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However this ends up, Elon is earning his trolling merit badge with aplomb this weekend.
Do you think we should send him
one? He could sew it onto his hat
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#157
by
Eagandale4114
on 02 Dec, 2017 20:03
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#158
by
Jim
on 02 Dec, 2017 20:10
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Regarding "Mars orbit". I'm very, very skeptical that it means "Orbiting Mars" because of the need for an orbital insertion burn. I suppose they could try aerobraking, but that still requires some propulsion. We can rule out the second stage for this; nowhere near enough duration time.
But what if Elon meant "Mars' orbit"? In other words, heliocentric but at the same distance from the sun Mars is? Use a Mars grav assist to roughly match Mars' orbit? Viable?
I'm guessing they'll fit a Starlink bus (minus everything except power, propulsion, control and comms) onto the back to get it into a crazy elliptical orbit, perhaps aerobraking to a more stable orbit, then using leftover fuel to boost the periapsis up.
nah, they will not risk going into Mars.
And what starlink bus? Anyways, they are LEO buses.
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#159
by
JasonAW3
on 02 Dec, 2017 20:20
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Heck, I wouldn't put it past Elon to pull a "Heavy Metal" Corvette reentry with a single use heat shield and parachute package to bring it in for a landing.
At least one person with contacts inside SpaceX, young John Kraus the photographer, also says it's for real over on