Launch News SpaceX Falcon Heavy Demo Mission (1330-1630 EST 6th Feb. 2018)

[Linguofreak]

You make it sound like one can't go a few kilometers without hitting space junk between Earth and Mars :lol:

Obligatory Star Wars quote:

In the immortal words of Princess Leia:

"You're not actually going into an asteroid field...?"

 

[Kyle]

Musk has come out saying it was a joke.

The article in question was from The Verge, who have since added this to their story:

https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/1/16726822/spacex-falcon-heavy-tesla-roadster-launch-elon-musk

But confirmation followed a bizarre exchange between The Verge and Musk. After Musk tweeted the plan, we asked him to confirm that it was real. Musk replied to us first by email, confirming that it was real. Then, after The Verge published a story about the plan, Musk sent us a response in a direct message on Twitter saying he “totally made it up.” We now know that response was false; a person familiar with the matter told The Verge Saturday evening that the payload is in fact real.

[ame="https://twitter.com/sokane1/status/937081937575010309"]Sean O'Kane on Twitter: "So to recap: Musk told us last night it’s true he’s launching a Tesla to Mars. We published. Shortly after that, we got another message from… https://t.co/gEweoWCx4o"[/ame]

The Tesla payload is 100% real and happening.

 

[boogabooga]

I think all the free PR is starting to go to Elon's head.

 

[Urwumpe]

The Tesla payload is 100% real and happening.

I would say this is 100% Schrödingers roadster.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

I will believe the Roadster Payload when I see it being integrated into the fairing at Canaveral. :dry:

 

[Andy44]

I will believe the Roadster Payload when I see it being integrated into the fairing at Canaveral. :dry:

But until the fairing is jettisoned, it's simultaneously in space and out.

 

[Linguofreak]

I would say this is 100% Schrödingers roadster.

So (|will be launched> + |won't be launched>)/sqrt(2) ?

 

[Nicholas Kang]

And we see the whole rocket finally!

[ame="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/943420026593337344"]Elon Musk on Twitter: "Falcon Heavy at the Cape https://t.co/hizfDVsU7X"[/ame]

 

[francisdrake]

Payload integration

 

[GLS]

I'd put the rooftop up.... just to be on the safe side. :lol:

 

[dman]

And we see the whole rocket finally!

Elon Musk on Twitter: "Falcon Heavy at the Cape https://t.co/hizfDVsU7X"

Any word if launch date set...?

Also remember reading article that Musk was planning a manned circumlunar flight using a Dragon capsule for late 2018 - in time for 50 th Anniversary of
Apollo 8.

 

[Kyle]

FH payload integration:

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Are you kidding me?

Please tell me this is a photoshop special.

 

[Pipcard]

That's an unusual orientation.

 

[4throck]

Epic

 

[Urwumpe]

That's an unusual orientation.

But it makes sense considering the CoG of a typical 4WD sports car.

 

[RisingFury]

That's an unusual orientation.

Oh, that's unusual about it! I was looking at the pic and something didn't... sit right... with me, but I couldn't quite tell what was wrong.

 

[GLS]

They should have hired the Mythbusters to build the upper stage....

...or not... :rofl:

 

[Andy44]

There's also the Top Gear upper stage idea. Also fails miserably, but even more spectacularly. I really want to know how you get a permit to do this, this is freaking awesome.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJdrlWR-yFM"]Top Gear : Robin Reliant Space Shuttle Challenge - Top Gear - BBC - YouTube[/ame]

SpaceX needs to equip that car with cameras and some sort of attitude control and telemetry package so we can see the coolness. Also, don't forget to put the fake spacesuit in the driver's seat for the Heavy Metal scene.

 

[4throck]

:rofl: