Elon Musk

[ggies07]

The Elon Musk interview on Mars colonisation – Ross Andersen – Aeon

That was an amazing article. I love Elon's spirit, makes me wish I could work for him for the rest of my life.....need to find a job with SpaceX or Tesla......thanks for sharing!

 

[ecarfan]

The people who work for SpaceX certainly work very hard and long hours but they are directly contributing to a company that may change the course of human history more than anything that has occurred so far.

One of the best Elon interviews I've read in years.

 

[ATC@LWSK]

The Elon Musk interview on Mars colonisation – Ross Andersen – Aeon

This has to be one of the most awe-inspiring interviews of Elon I have ever read, and I have read almost all of his interviews. WOW, just WOW!!!

 

[Cosmacelf]

I concur. Probably the reason the interview/article was so good is that the interviewer/writer really knows his stuff.

 

[woof]

Elon speaking at MIT on Friday October 24, 2014

MIT AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS CENTENNIAL SYMPOSIUM
http://aeroastro.mit.edu/aeroastro100/centennial-symposium

Alas, registration is already full for his talk. There is a webcast address in the above link. Maybe I'll wait outside with the Elon groupies. (He has groupies, right?)

 

[AWDtsla]

If someone can get me a ticket, will give my left nut...

 

[yobigd20]

If someone can get me a ticket, will give my left nut...

please somebody find AWDtsla a ticket. then he can donate his left nut to John Kruk.

 

[livingunique]

Not sure I want to live in a world where testicles are an acceptable form of currency.

Definitely gonna be tuning in to this talk. Thanks for posting.

 

[TD1]

Very intresting conversation with Elon at MIT

AeroAstro Centennial Webcast

 

[ThortsMD]

You may watch a video of Elon's presentation here:

AeroAstro Centennial Webcast

Elon's interview begins at 7:00

 

[Dutchie]

Interesting, things that I found new:
- next landing of a falcon stage is on a platform in the ocean. This will be done on the next flight.
- electric powered aeroplanes are closer than we think. It would be possible if battery capacity reaches 400 Wh per KG. Current technology already achieves 300Wh per KG.

 

[CliffG]

You may watch a video of Elon's presentation here:

AeroAstro Centennial Webcast

Elon's interview begins at 7:00

thanks! interesting stuff, as usual.

 

[Chickenlittle]

Very intresting conversation with Elon at MIT

AeroAstro Centennial Webcast

Yes at his best in this format. I suspect he inspired a number of students there. Demonstrated he could connect to questioners on a personnel basis as well

 

[ecarfan]

electric powered aeroplanes are closer than we think. It would be possible if battery capacity reaches 400 Wh per KG. Current technology already achieves 300Wh per KG.

This is the most interesting interview I have ever heard with Elon because the interviewer is the head of the MIT aeronautical and astrophysics program and the audience was aeronautical and astrophysics students and professors. So he could speak at a much higher level than the typical mass media interview.

The first 4 1/2 minutes you can skip, then it gets good.

Elon's statement about the relatively modest increase needed in battery energy density to make electric planes viable blew my mind! And his comment that with gimbaled electric fan motors for propulsion the tail assembly and rudder and ailerons were unnecessary was an eye opener.

And I was interested to learn that he is a major fan of Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, as I was in the 60's. And the first Star Wars film was the first movie he ever saw! Imagine the impact. It wasn't my first film, or even close, but I distinctly recall the experience of standing in line to see it, I had only seen a trailer for it which revealed nothing about the film, it was just a shot of an expanding star field.

 

[TEG]

... his comment that with gimbaled electric fan motors for propulsion the tail assembly and rudder and ailerons were unnecessary was an eye opener...

Wouldn't you need them to retain flight control in a glide if you ever lost power?

 

[ecarfan]

Wouldn't you need them to retain flight control in a glide if you ever lost power?

I don't know enough about aeronautics to answer your question with any confidence, but your point seems valid. In a normal plane, my understanding is that the tail fins actually keep the rear of the plane from rising up, not from "falling down". And without a rudder control surface the plane will yaw.

I am guessing that Elon is saying that with multiple computer controlled gimbaled fan motors many of the traditional airplane control surfaces are not needed. But as you say, in the case of total less of power, there needs to be a system to control the plane.

Multiple electrical backup systems and independent power supplies would of course be a good idea.

 

[Red Sage]

I'm convinced that Elon Musk is closer to being Mr. Fantastic than IRON MAN. So he is very likely to produce the world's first Fantasticar.

 

[green1]

I don't know enough about aeronautics to answer your question with any confidence, but your point seems valid. In a normal plane, my understanding is that the tail fins actually keep the rear of the plane from rising up, not from "falling down". And without a rudder control surface the plane will yaw.

While these are true, I don't see any reason that that couldn't be overcome with different wing placement/design.

But as you say, in the case of total less of power, there needs to be a system to control the plane.

As for glide if you lose power... This is an interesting question, and perhaps it's worth looking at the odds of this situation in modern aircraft, vs the current abilities in that respect, (my understanding is that even in current aircraft the ability to control is very limited) and whether there is a different option to increase the reliability instead?

On a separate note. I was unable to get the links in this thread to work for me. But I did find the presentation on Youtube (I found many 1-2 minute clips, but I finally found a whole one as well) One on One with Elon Musk MIT AeroAstro Centennial Symposium - YouTube total length 1hr23min

 

[physicsfita]

Wouldn't you need them to retain flight control in a glide if you ever lost power?

Perhaps he envisions using a ballistic recovery system (basically a whole-plane parachute) for that eventuality. They have been standard equipment on the Cirrus SR20 since 1999.

 

[ggr]

While these are true, I don't see any reason that that couldn't be overcome with different wing placement/design.


As for glide if you lose power... This is an interesting question, and perhaps it's worth looking at the odds of this situation in modern aircraft, vs the current abilities in that respect, (my understanding is that even in current aircraft the ability to control is very limited) and whether there is a different option to increase the reliability instead?

On a separate note. I was unable to get the links in this thread to work for me. But I did find the presentation on Youtube (I found many 1-2 minute clips, but I finally found a whole one as well) One on One with Elon Musk MIT AeroAstro Centennial Symposium - YouTube total length 1hr23min

Having the elevator in front of the wing is called a "canard" configuration, there are a number of planes that use it. Getting it right requires very careful design, but it has a number of advantages including better efficiency.

I think a rear-mounted, gimbaled ducted fan would probably work as a tail even without power (so long as you could still control the gimbal).