News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by pavel_lishin on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @09:56AM (#16316547)
Oh man, I didn't realize this was going to go into a solar orbit! I thought it was just going to stay in LEO and then eventually burn up on re-entry.
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by Symmetry on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @11:22AM (#16317240)
It might still end up in LEO. SpaceX wants to demonstrate to interested parties that they can coast for 6 hours then do a second burn of the upper stage. That's important for some payloads to GEO. So they're going to put the Tesla in LEO then 6 hours later do an insertion burn into solar orbit. If something about the coast fails then you will end up with a Tesla in LEO.
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by TeMPOraL on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @09:58AM (#16316566)
If you missed that, then wait until you learn what's the test payload...
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by imron on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @10:16AM (#16316726)
For the curious, it's Musk's midnight-cherry red Tesla roadster, with a dummy in a spacesuit in the drivers seat, David Bowie playing on the stereo, and a towel in the glove box along with a copy of hitchhikers guide to the galaxy and a sign that says Don't Panic.
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by overcast on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @11:02AM (#16317094)
Not only that, it's being set into orbit around the sun.
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by imron on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @11:17AM (#16317205)
Yep, and not just for kicks, it's also to demonstrate they can launch a payload far enough to reach the orbit of Mars if required.
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by kunkurus on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @11:06AM (#16317119)
I understand now. Is because of vogons that we need to colonize Mars.
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by digdugdirk on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @10:55AM (#16317041)
That's great. Where did you find this info on the payload?
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by imron on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @11:13AM (#16317174)
Initially from Musk's Twitter feed, but there's now also a Wikipedia entry about the car: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk's_Tesla_Roadster

There's also an artists rendition of the launch and payload on spacex's YouTube channel (titled: Falcon Heavy Animation)

Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by swarnie_ on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @10:11AM (#16316687)
I wonder if this event will get a mention in marketing classes in the future...
Re:Watch the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Today by JoeDaDude on Tuesday February 06, 2018 @12:10PM (#16317620)
Some discussion/speculation about the orbit the Tesla will end up in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md0K_eRSHAE