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Elon Musk Offers Boeing SpaceX Batteries For the 787 Dreamliner

Posted by timothy on from the borry-a-cup-o'-sugar dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Boeing is currently dealing with a bit of a disaster as the company's 787 Dreamliner has been grounded due to safety concerns. Boeing is currently investigating the situation, but they aren't alone. Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, has stepped in to offer his help and technology if Boeing wants it. Musk has had to harness battery tech not only to run his Tesla Motors, but also to function flawlessly aboard SpaceX spacecraft as they travel both in and out of the Earth's atmosphere. If you need a battery to work at any altitude, you'd trust Musk to supply one, and that's exactly what he's offering Boeing."

6 of 163 comments (clear)

  1. He's nothing if not a PR master by crazyjj · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Have to admire the guy.

    --
    What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
  2. Won't work... by TimeandMaterials · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Great idea...but this won't work. A new battery would require some redesign. All of this would need FAA & EU (forget the agency name) approval. That would take at least 8-12 months. Boeing wants the 787 flying in weeks.

  3. Latest news: Batteries not the problem in 787 by captainpanic · · Score: 5, Informative

    TFA seems a little irrelevant since the news today says that the batteries are not the problem. Instead, the electrical systems and monitoring systems are now being scrutinized.

    Here's one article, but the internet is full of it.
    http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/morning_call/2013/01/batteries-not-a-problem-on-boeing-787.html

    1. Re:Latest news: Batteries not the problem in 787 by trout007 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm pretty sure he wants to sell the whole package. You know he has to manage the batteries as well.

      --
      I love Jesus, except for his foreign policy.
  4. Publicity by Sepultura · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The batteries have already been ruled out as the cause of the problems. It's most likely in the charging or temp monitoring systems.

    This is just Elon Musk being a bit of an asshole and drumming up publicity.

  5. Knock off the hate-fest pls by mattr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Elon Musk's actual tweet: "Desire to help Boeing is real & am corresponding w 787 chief engineer. Junod's Esquire article had high fiction content." 3 days ago

    All the rest about whoring, nothing if not a PR wiz, it's the wiring and control not the batteries, etc. is all a huge raft of solid bullshit, thanks Slashdot I don't get enough in my day job!!

    Look, IANAEE but temperature and voltage control is apparently an integral part of these batteries. Even if the circuit is a 100m away and not inside the battery pack itself, or You can't just say it is the battery he's whoring, etc. Elon Musk has a huge amount of practical experience with this technology and nothing bad can come from offering to talk over their problems with Boeing, as he is doing. Nothing bad except of course, all this crazy dipshit hater stuff, starting apparently with an Esquire article and continuing into slashdot. Probably he could give them an idea of what to look for, or offer an alternate circuit design that is already FAA approved, etc. You'd have to be an idiot to turn down an offer to at least talk. Honestly it is amazing how the crap-fest volume approaches infinity immediately after a rare tweet from Mr. Musk. Who is a guy who actually accomplishes things.