Is literally decimating its workforce.
My theory: their plans have changed sufficiently (e.g., going from composite to stainless in the Starship), and Falcon 9 is more reusable than they thought, so they don’t need to build more, that they need a new skills mix. Plus they couldn’t maintain that burn rate without an infusion of funding, and money has gotten more expensive to borrow.
If the Democrats want to lose the fight, all they have to do is keep talking. The utter irrationality of their “arguments” has been breathtaking.
[Update a while later]
Shutdown stalemate as Republicans go factual, and Democrats go illogical.
[Update a few minutes later]
The week in pictures, government-shutdown edition.
[Update a few more minutes later]
The stupidest argument of the week.
It’s stiff competition.
SpaceX had a successful flight of a used booster this morning from Vandenberg, delivering the final birds of the new Iridium constellation. It was socked in in LA, so I couldn’t see it, but it looks like it was beautiful up on the central coast. Michael Baylor got a gorgeous shot, his first from a remote camera.
My first remote camera photo! #Falcon9 launches from SLC-4E at Vandenberg AFB with Iridium-8. #SpaceX pic.twitter.com/lh5lxiJYcQ
— Michael Baylor (@nextspaceflight) January 11, 2019
[Update a while later]
Here’s another one.
And now for remote camera #2! I cannot believe that both of my cameras worked. This was my first launch with remotes! #SpaceX #Iridium8
Support my work on Patreon to get exclusive updates. MaxQ Patrons will get a blog post shortly about my experience: https://t.co/zeYL3Q2aFL pic.twitter.com/JqgBXwvgYe
— Michael Baylor (@nextspaceflight) January 11, 2019
How it screwed over James Damore.
Looks to me like a good basis for a lawsuit, from a company with very deep pockets.
Which one is better?
Not having read a comic since I was an adolescent, I’m insufficiently nerdy to have an opinion, but Treacher takes on the crucial issue.
…would make them more expensive.
I’ve never given our 65″ Vizio (which we bought a year ago) our wifi password. It has no information other than what comes in through the HDMI cable. It’s purely a monitor. I don’t talk to Google, and I won’t get an Alexa. I’ve never installed Facebook on my phone, and I turn off my location unless I need it. I don’t want the tech giants spying on me and selling my data. Because at some point, the government is going to demand it, and they’ll comply.
I just got a Facebook friend request from him. Huh.
I was down at the AIAA SciTech conference in San Diego. It goes all week, but I drove back last night. The first two days were space stuff, but the rest of the week is mostly aviation. I stayed yesterday because it was interesting aviation, with supersonics and urban air transport. Anyway, back in the office now.
The latest fairing-catching test.
Recent fairing recovery test with Mr. Steven. So close! pic.twitter.com/DFSCfBnM0Y
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 8, 2019
And this wasn’t another crap epidemiological study. It was controlled.
How old are we when we’re old?
I’m well into my sixties now, but I don’t feel old at all. Or at least, no more so than I did twenty years ago. In some ways, probably because of improved diet, I feel like I’m in better shape. I do need to work out, though. I’m planning a lot of business travel this year, and starting a new space venture, and I feel as up to it (perhaps more, given my experience) as I ever have.