Falcon Heavy test flight payload announced on Twitter

Falcon Heavy has maybe a 50/50 chance of success on its first flight.
But you can't launch it empty, because that doesn't properly simulate a
flight with a payload on top. So, you really do need a mass simulator.
In the past, mass simulators have been solid chunks of metal or a tank
filled with something benign like water.

Well, Elon Musk isn't one to follow the old boring trends. So, he
announced his payload plan (mass simulator) to the public via Twitter
last night:

On Friday evening, Musk tweeted what that payload would be his
"midnight cherry Tesla Roadster." And the car will be playing
Space Oddity, by David Bowie; the song which begins, "Ground
Control to Major Tom."

Cite:

SpaceX will attempt to launch a red Tesla Roadster to the red planet
"Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn't blow up
on ascent."

ERIC BERGER - 12/1/2017, 10:25 PM

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017...-on-the-radio-
elon-musk-plans-to-launch-his-tesla-to-mars/


Love him or hate him, the man's got flair. And kudos to the choice of
song.

As to where the idea came from, if you've ever seen the movie Heavy
Metal, the opening credits is a scene where a space shuttle drops an
astronaut in a 1959 Chevrolet Corvette. The car proceeds to reenter to
land in the desert and drive away, all while the song Radar Rider blasts
at full volume.

Cite:

Heavy Metal - Soft Landing - Corvette 1959
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWMPe3wF9jQ

Yes, the animation is horrible but "back in the day" Heavy Metal was one
of my favorite movies. ;-)

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.

On Dec/2/2017 at 9:38 AM, Jeff Findley wrote :

Falcon Heavy has maybe a 50/50 chance of success on its first flight.
But you can't launch it empty, because that doesn't properly simulate a
flight with a payload on top. So, you really do need a mass simulator.
In the past, mass simulators have been solid chunks of metal or a tank
filled with something benign like water.

Well, Elon Musk isn't one to follow the old boring trends. So, he
announced his payload plan (mass simulator) to the public via Twitter
last night:

On Friday evening, Musk tweeted what that payload would be his
"midnight cherry Tesla Roadster." And the car will be playing
Space Oddity, by David Bowie; the song which begins, "Ground
Control to Major Tom."

Cite:

SpaceX will attempt to launch a red Tesla Roadster to the red planet
"Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn't blow up
on ascent."

ERIC BERGER - 12/1/2017, 10:25 PM

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017...-on-the-radio-
elon-musk-plans-to-launch-his-tesla-to-mars/

If they could land the car next to some rover on Mars that would be
awesome. But just sending it in the direction of Mars is really cool.


Alain Fournier

"Alain Fournier" wrote in message news

On Dec/2/2017 at 9:38 AM, Jeff Findley wrote :

Falcon Heavy has maybe a 50/50 chance of success on its first flight.
But you can't launch it empty, because that doesn't properly simulate a
flight with a payload on top. So, you really do need a mass simulator.
In the past, mass simulators have been solid chunks of metal or a tank
filled with something benign like water.

Well, Elon Musk isn't one to follow the old boring trends. So, he
announced his payload plan (mass simulator) to the public via Twitter
last night:

On Friday evening, Musk tweeted what that payload would be his
"midnight cherry Tesla Roadster." And the car will be playing
Space Oddity, by David Bowie; the song which begins, "Ground
Control to Major Tom."

Cite:

SpaceX will attempt to launch a red Tesla Roadster to the red planet
"Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn't blow up
on ascent."

ERIC BERGER - 12/1/2017, 10:25 PM

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017...-on-the-radio-
elon-musk-plans-to-launch-his-tesla-to-mars/

If they could land the car next to some rover on Mars that would be
awesome. But just sending it in the direction of Mars is really cool.


Alain Fournier

I hadn't thought about that, but I'm sure it crossed his mind. ;-)

Now THERE is is a site... Musk landing on Mars in 15 years and driving
around in a Tesla. :-)


--
Greg D. Moore http://greenmountainsoftware.wordpress.com/
CEO QuiCR: Quick, Crowdsourced Responses. http://www.quicr.net
IT Disaster Response -
https://www.amazon.com/Disaster-Resp...dp/1484221834/

On 12/2/2017 11:58 AM, Greg (Strider) Moore wrote:
"Alain Fournier"Â* wrote in message news
If they could land the car next to some rover on Mars that would be
awesome. But just sending it in the direction of Mars is really cool.


Alain Fournier

I hadn't thought about that, but I'm sure it crossed his mind. ;-)

Now THERE is is a site... Musk landing on Mars in 15 years and driving
around in a Tesla. :-)



The Zubrin approach. Telsa Direct...

;-)

Dave

send a bunch of communication satellites and some inflatable habitats, with supplies

In article ,
says...

send a bunch of communication satellites and some inflatable habitats, with supplies

Did you miss the beginning of this thread? Musk isn't taking
suggestions. He Tweeted he's sending his Tesla Roadster up on the first
Falcon Heavy flight. The first test flight has maybe a 50/50 chance of
success. So, this thing is going to be a mass simulator, albeit a fancy
one than your typical hunk of metal or tank of water.

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.

"Jeff Findley" wrote in message
...

In article ,
says...

send a bunch of communication satellites and some inflatable habitats,
with supplies

Did you miss the beginning of this thread? Musk isn't taking
suggestions. He Tweeted he's sending his Tesla Roadster up on the first
Falcon Heavy flight. The first test flight has maybe a 50/50 chance of
success. So, this thing is going to be a mass simulator, albeit a fancy
one than your typical hunk of metal or tank of water.

Jeff

Does make me wonder, normally with a mass simulator you can at least decide
where your center of mass is, etc.
Curious if it's JUST the Tesla or other mass to make it ideal the way they
want.



--
Greg D. Moore http://greenmountainsoftware.wordpress.com/
CEO QuiCR: Quick, Crowdsourced Responses. http://www.quicr.net
IT Disaster Response -
https://www.amazon.com/Disaster-Resp...dp/1484221834/

bob haller wrote:


send a bunch of communication satellites and some inflatable habitats, with supplies


Who wants to put their hundred million dollar communications
satellites on a rocket that even the owner of the company says has 50%
odds of not blowing up?

Bob, do you understand ANYTHING about space uses or orbital mechanics?


--
"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable
man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore,
all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
--George Bernard Shaw

In article ,
says...

In article ,
says...

send a bunch of communication satellites and some inflatable habitats, with supplies

Did you miss the beginning of this thread? Musk isn't taking
suggestions. He Tweeted he's sending his Tesla Roadster up on the first
Falcon Heavy flight. The first test flight has maybe a 50/50 chance of
success. So, this thing is going to be a mass simulator, albeit a fancy
one than your typical hunk of metal or tank of water.

And now for a complete reversal:

Elon Musk told us he was sending a car to space, then said he totally
made it up; 30 Other reports say that the plan is real
by Sean O'Kane@sokane1 Dec 1, 2017, 11:33pm EST
https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/1/1...n-heavy-tesla-
roadster-launch-elon-musk

From above:

Musk sent us a response in a direct message on Twitter saying
he "totally made it up."

The plot thickens. I'm as confused as everyone else right now.

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.

In article ,
says...

"Jeff Findley" wrote in message
...

In article ,
says...

send a bunch of communication satellites and some inflatable habitats,
with supplies

Did you miss the beginning of this thread? Musk isn't taking
suggestions. He Tweeted he's sending his Tesla Roadster up on the first
Falcon Heavy flight. The first test flight has maybe a 50/50 chance of
success. So, this thing is going to be a mass simulator, albeit a fancy
one than your typical hunk of metal or tank of water.

Jeff

Does make me wonder, normally with a mass simulator you can at least decide
where your center of mass is, etc.
Curious if it's JUST the Tesla or other mass to make it ideal the way they
want.

A report today says it's NOT going to be his Tesla Roadster. Oh well,
it was fun while it lasted.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/1/1...n-heavy-tesla-
roadster-launch-elon-musk

Jeff
--
All opinions posted by me on Usenet News are mine, and mine alone.
These posts do not reflect the opinions of my family, friends,
employer, or any organization that I am a member of.