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PayPal Founder Wants To Launch Satellites

Posted by Hemos on from the go-up-up-up-going-up-up-up dept.

XNormal writes "Elon Musk, founder of Zip2 and PayPal is planning to build a launcher for small satellites. Much of his personal fortune come from the IPO of PayPal and subsequent sale to eBay. The amount of money he plans to spend on this project is not much more than Denis Tito spent on his space station visit. The difference is that this venture actually tries to do something productive. Elon is also behind the Life to Mars mission."

3 of 197 comments (clear)

  1. Productive? by duncan+bayne · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The difference is that this venture actually tries to do something productive.

    Excuse me? I thought that Tito purchased an orbital holiday for ~ $20 million.

    Now, I can imagine how much I'd enjoy an orbital holiday. It'd be a lot of fun: an exciting new sensation that I'd be unlikely (in the present climate) to experience ever again. I imagine Tito felt the same.

    So, how was this purchase not productive? Tito gained (an orbital holiday), the Russians gained (money for the space project). I suspect your criticism of it as being unproductive is in part due to the fact that it was unashamedly self-interested (good on him for it!), and in part because you couldn't afford it yourself.

    1. Re:Productive? by bravehamster · · Score: 5, Insightful
      Hear, hear! I'm tired of hearing people bitch about how rich people throw their money away doing frivolous things. It's not like Tito pushed the money into the vacuum of space. He paid peoples salaries, and helped the Russians keep up their part of the ISS bargain. Just because someone spends money on something you may consider stupid doesn't mean that money is gone. I have yet to see a single economic report that says that spending money is a Bad Thing(tm).

      --
      ---- El diablo esta en mis pantalones! Mire, mire!
  2. Sometimes you need a small load by astrashe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If you go to the warehouse grocery store, you pay less than you do at 7-11. And if you use a big vehicle, you get a better price per kg. There are economies of scale.

    But what if what you're lofting doesn't weight 40x as much? Wouldn't it be nice to get the good price anyway? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to go to 7-11 and the a single can of soda for the same price you pay for a can when you buy a case at the warehouse store?

    This guy is no dummy, and I'm sure he's identified a market.