Slashdot Mirror
Elon Musk's Extracurricular Antics Reportedly Spark a NASA Safety Probe At SpaceX (techcrunch.com)
The recent interview Elon Musk conducted with Joe Rogan, where Musk took one puff from a marijuana cigarette after a lengthy conversation around AI, social media and space, is prompting a NASA safety probe at SpaceX. The Washington Post reports that NASA was not amused with Musk's antics and has "ordered a safety review of SpaceX and Boeing as a response to the colorful chief executive's shenanigans," reports TechCrunch. From the report: In an interview, NASA associate administrator for human exploration, William Gerstenmaier, told the Post that the review will begin next year and would examine the "safety culture" of both Boeing and SpaceX. Rather than focus on the safety of the actual rockets, the Post said that the review would look at the hours employees work, drug policies, leadership and management styles, and the responsiveness of both companies to safety concerns from employees. The review is going to be led by the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance within NASA, which has conducted similar probes before, according to the Post report.
According to the NASA official, the process could be "pretty invasive," with the potential for hundreds of interviews with employees at every level and across all locations where the companies operate. At stake is the potential $6.8 billion in contracts the two companies received in 2014 to revive crewed missions to space. SpaceX grabbed $2.6 billion from NASA for the program, while the remainder went to Boeing. In a statement given to the Post, SpaceX said, "We couldn't be more proud of all that we have already accomplished together with NASA, and we look forward to returning human spaceflight capabilities to the United States."
According to the NASA official, the process could be "pretty invasive," with the potential for hundreds of interviews with employees at every level and across all locations where the companies operate. At stake is the potential $6.8 billion in contracts the two companies received in 2014 to revive crewed missions to space. SpaceX grabbed $2.6 billion from NASA for the program, while the remainder went to Boeing. In a statement given to the Post, SpaceX said, "We couldn't be more proud of all that we have already accomplished together with NASA, and we look forward to returning human spaceflight capabilities to the United States."
My last company was supporting boards for the aerospace industry. They have all sorts of odd triggers when it comes to anything to do with "drugs."
For some reason we didn't have to drug test our line workers that produced the product, but we did have to certify that the people who repaired the product with audited drug tests. Well it turns out to be one guy in our whole company who had to pee in a cup. I offered to do it with him even though I had nothing to do with manufacturing because I thought that was unfair. But it never went anywhere.
Elon can be hip as he wants, but if he wants those sweet sweet government contracts he has to behave. If something goes BOOM down the line when it wasn't supposed to there is nobody at NASA who wants to report to the subsequent investigation that they weren't keeping tabs on vendors.
NASA is spending American tax dollars to investigate a company's employees' off hours activities - based on the CEO participating in a legal activity; at least in California.
What a waste. No wonder NASA can't get a man to the moon anymore.
This is payback for him not letting the vulture investors continually short the company.
--
Incidentally, don't you think ten mentions of Microsoft on the front page is a little much, even for the Microsoft slashdot.
In 20 years taking a toke will be like opening a beer. Musk has gotten to where he is because he not only takes risks, he spends a lot of time and effort reducing them.
So, you gonna compare Elon with the risk takers who said "don't launch" in 1986, or the risk takers who said "launch".
Does anyone believe that this actually has anything to do with safety? This is directly due to competition sucking off their elected representatives and then demanding what they want during their post-coital pillowtalk.
No, it's because SpaceX's engineering culture is pretty well summed up as "fuck it". It has nothing to do with Musk taking a toke. Yes, Boeing will do one too because someone wrote a nastygram about Boeing.
Typical of the US at large.. partaking in pleasurable activities leads to blacklisting. I don't like Musk for his Tesla spare parts policies and other reasons, but this is just abusive and stupid.
Any major contractor for Orion receives a random drug test. If you fail you can no longer work on the program until you go through a rehab period. The testing includes alcohol, pot, opiodes, etc. This is actually a pretty big concern now for the likes of Lockheed as they are outside of Denver. While a Drs prescription will get you out of it for your painkillers they don't give a rats ass for any medical marijuana card. I actually have to be very careful if for example I'm paired up on a ski lift with someone who decides to toke it up.
That's a good idea, because Musk has a joystick that he uses to remotely pilot each launched rocket, and must always have his wits about him to insure that the rockets don't crash and burn. Sorry, but this is just a bit ridiculous on NASA's part.
Better known as 318230.
Absolutely ridiculous. Even this language is so outdated as to be absurd "a marijuana cigarette."
So NASA no longer cares about the quality of the actual output of SpaceX, now they are all about policing the off-hours behavior of a contractors employees?
Literally every old timer in management and administration who embraces this sort of philosophy needs to be given the boot. Call it early retirement. If they are this backwards and antiquated on topics like this it's no wonder they are so slow and antiquated on their methodologies in other areas.
Anyone notice how SpaceX rockets look like giant joints, smoking their way off into the cosmos? Coincidence?!
Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
Why doesn't NASA open an investigation into itself to figure out who drinks alcohol...a more potent and dangerous drug.
Wow, these guys need to smoke a big reefer!
Good job, NASA.
This is payback for not falling in line. TPTB does NOT like people who do their own thing, and then succeed where they where unwilling.
So just because 1 guy smoked a joint the entire company is "unsafe"? Fuck this shit!
How is that even a part of the criteria? If everyone is wondering around stoned all day and still achieving their objectives safely (not that I suspect that to be the case) it should be a point in favor of open drug policies, not a point against the safety measured through an objective lens.
Boeing (and Lockheed Martin, and ULA, and all the corporate bastages) are flexing their muscle.
They have lots of lobbyists (and employ lots of middle managers in a lot of districts!) that are unemployable outside of the military industrial complex.
Think of the engineers, people! White collar welfare doesn't stand a chance without some investigations!
this does seem a bit extreme. Probably more of a "where there's smoke, there's fire" precaution - maybe they think that everyone is smoking up and that's OK, but it seems like an extreme overreaction. Also seems like poor due diligence - if Elon hadn't lit up a joint, then they would just assume that everything is OK, even if the production line is stoned 24x7? To me, if SpaceX/Beoing/etc... are going to be responsible for restoring space flight to the U.S., this should have happened upfront, regardless of what happens in the public eye or not.
Say "fuck it", scrap everything in spacex. Show the government what a loss to humanity a mind like yours would be.
[($)]
does not like disruption. All your loosey-goosey cheap rockets are clearly a profit safety violation. For fuck's sake we use cheap Russian rockets.
"Safety Probe!" I shouted as I rammed the rocket shaped dildo deeper and deeper
He has generated hundreds of millions in free publicity and made Tesla a formidable brand. He just needs a leash
Do they think Musk is turning wrenches? Installing fasteners on his launchers? What the f*ck is wrong at NASA?
SpaceX is so far ahead with recycling rockets (= lower launch cost & better margins) that the incumbent rocket contractors appear to have pulled some strings to attempt to slow them down or discount them from the running. Someone needs breathing space to catch up.
In a better world you'd spend 100% of your time focusing on innovating and improving technology instead of wasting time fighting the status quo.
Federal Laws matter for Federal Contracts.
Marijuana is illegal throughout the USA by federal law.
I think it is a dumb law, since pot is safer than alcohol, but as a federal contractor, I was drug tested randomly, at least once a year. The people paying the bills get to set the rules.
Brett Buttfuck here to explain why Ivanka is DEFINITELY going to FEDERAL PRISON.
Elon: "Relaaax, it's not like we're doing rocket science here."
Table-ized A.I.
Only a reefer madness nutcase such as yourself believes the effects of a drag on a joint last longer than a few hours. Do you think Musk went straight home and designed a space shuttle immediately after using?
I mean, shit, have you never even drank a single beer? Cannabis lasts a few hours and then it's gone. If it lasted for months or was permanent drug dealers wouldn't be in business for long.
I agree working on spacecraft while high or stoned or drunk or just addled on legal drugs is a dumb idea. But guess what? Even Elon takes a few hours or even days of break now and again.
I seriously can't believe I have to explain this to you. Go talk with a pharmacist, they know the entire book on how long various drugs last. They will set you straight.
Because Musk is personally building and piloting those things. Right. Makes sense.
This american fascination with colourful CEOs has gone too far. What more does it take for you guys to understand that it's all a circus? Who cares? Sure CEOs matter, but not half as much as a good engineering team.
Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
I bet you also stupidly and wrongly believe pot is completely harmless and has no negative effects on human health and well being.
Do share your evidence for this statement.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
He didn't even Inhale. He puffed it like a cigar. He obviously doesnt smoke weed.
I have no doubt that the DoD will be joining , or worse, doing their own. Many accusations against SX/musk have been claimed, and I would guess that nearly all were lies and dropped. BUT SX does not have the safety level of Boeing or NASA. This review will show that. The question will become, will NASA or more likely the DoD force SX to obtain that level.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
How do you explain the Boring Company then?
The state of California is within the United States of America.
Using pot in the United States of America is a [federal] crime! DUH!
The fact that a state, like California or Colorado, says that THE STATE will not prosecute you for the STATE crime of smoking a joint, means NOTHING - you are still comitting a federal crime.
Geeze, people sure have become stupid about basic civics that used to be taught to 4th or 5th graders.
Elon Musk has competitors at Boeing(Delta rockets), LockheedMartin(Atlas and Vulcan rockets), and NorthropGrumman(Antares and Pegasus rockets) who stand to lose BILLIONS of dollars in competition with SpaceX. It was a no-brainer that people associated with these interests would stir-up a hornet's nest if Musk did anything to give them the ammunition.... and Musk certainly did it. Elon Musk demonstrated astonishingly appallingly monumentally horrendous judgement by committing a federal crime ON VIDEO. Worse yet, the crime involved a mind-altering substance and Elon is in the aerospace industry where this sort of thing is considered a MAJOR safety risk. Companies building rockets are supposed to be drug-free workplaces with zero tolerance for any sloppyness because the field of endeavor they are in is extremely unforgiving. NASA is putting a fig leaf on this and making it appear fair and unbiased by also investigating Boeing (whose CEO will be found to have NOT smoked a doobie on video).
Whether NASA likes Musk or not and whether his rockets work or not, this coult lead to serious problems getting funding and contracts for SpaceX rockets.
Dumb. I certainly expected better of Musk. This was a really stupid f-up and a self-inflicted wound. Musk's best defense would be to claim that, as an immigrant, he did not fully register the idea that even though his host in California assured him it was legal, it was still in fact a criminal act.
There is NO PLACE in the United States of America where pot use is legal. There are only a handful of states where the state no longer makes it a STATE crime.
If he had NOT smoked the joint, he'd have been more functional and one hell of a lot less stupid.
While he'd not have been doing a criminal act if he had consumed a martini (or 3 or 6 or enough to slump over into a quivering droolin mess), he would have been showing a problem that might also have triggered an investigation. You may well be angry that getting drunk is legal but getting stoned is not, but that's the current state of the law, and one of the issues here now is judgement. Musk showed very bad judgement.
Personally, I have little tolerance for drug users or drunks. I do neither [no, I am not a Morman or a Muslim]. I simply think its moronic to damage your own brain as a form of recreation. I'm not so obnoxiously narccissitic that I think I have so many brain cells that I can afford to destroy a bunch for fun. I similarly do not think I have so much money that I can afford to burn dollar bills in either of my fireplaces.
that Musk is the charismatic and inspirational CEO of his company and that his employees probably take their cues for what behaviors are acceptable from him and his actions.
The boss sets the tone for the team, and very tragically, there is now video of Mr Musk flaunting serious federal laws against the use of a mind-altering substance that, in addition to being illegal is also prohibited for workers in the aerospace industry. How does Musk legitimately fire a worker who is a pot head when he himself may be one??? Of, so are you now going to suggest he should not fire any of his rocket-building workers if he finds them smoking dope and making themselves stupid? Well, if that's the case then this is a real safety risk. Every time the taxpayers launch cargo on a SpaceX rocket they are risking hundreds of millions of dollars. Every launch of the soon-to-be-launched (if Musk can ween-off the late-night TacoBell runs) crewed Dragon will risk the lives of 2 to 6 federal government employees and possibly employees of allied governments whose travel plans were negotiated between governments by diplomats. That's a hell of a lot to risk on a team of people who may have drug problems and their bosss who seems to care little for federal safety standards and federal laws.
Did he suck ANY molecules into his mouth or sinuses? Did he even SMELL it? (hint: he admits on the video that he did) These actions only happen when a person uses their lungs to inhale, creating the airflow that draws air/smoke into their nose and/or mouth. It's impossible to smell something without pulling molecules of it into your body and it's also impossible to get a buzz from pot without sucking some of it into your body.
So, yes, HE DID F***ING INHALE!.
Are you SERIOUSLY using the bullsh*t Bill Clinton defense on this? That did not work so well for Bill as nearly the entire nation rolled it's collective eyes and concluded that, although the economy was good at the time and Bill should not be removed from office, his word on everything and everything was suspect forever after. Admittedly, it did not help that the jerk went on to split hairs over the meaning of the word "is".
[sigh] Potheads will say anything to justify their garbage - it's an impressive skill and it's too bad they cannot find a positive outlet for that creativity.
Maybe they can pick up some tips on how to be 10,000 times less wasteful of their resources?
Requiem for the American Dream
He's dumb? You're the one planning to eat 'food' from a gas station!?!?!?!
Requiem for the American Dream
Is NASA looking into that? Perhaps they should have looked into more of Joe's podcasts and found the one with Mathew Walker. 6 hours sleep equals legally drunk. Elon was complaining a bit about restlessness and lack of sleep. Those would be much bigger safety issues. Alas, weed helps you go to sleep but seems to disrupt dreaming so it's not great to substitute one problem for another....
But hey, no one looks into sleep. In fact it is badge of honor to sleep less and "work more"....big time macho ignoramuses and iron ladies (Raegan and Thatcher)...as Walker said they both got Alzheimer's. Cheers!
And what about alcohol? You gonna tell me that the old time astronauts weren't drinking? How did Andrew Weir put it in "the Martian"? "What would old time astronaut do? Take few shots of whiskey, bang his mistress and solve the problem."
There is no way in hell that all the brouhaha about Elon's puff is not deliberate and therefore sleazily hypocritical. He really must be one of the greatest and most useful for humanity people on Earth if so many want to see him down. That's the times we live in - the more someone is attacked and smeared the greater people they are [e.g. Jordan Peterson].
BTW, I though this was a property of the communist ideology (cause any disparity in outcome MUST be oppression and privilege) - when I was growing up I quickly learned not to display talent and excellence....but really, communism in America! Oh, wait! Oh, shit!
NASA safety department doesnt give a shit if something else legal could be worse.
No, but the senior NASA adminstrators know that SpaceX is making a monkey out of them, even to the point that NASA is forced to contract out flights to SpaceX. You don't think that sticks in these old-school political bureaucrats' craws? And all that sweet government money paid out to Musk instead of NASA and the old-guard aerospace contractors they've had a revolving-door, incestuous relationship with for decades isn't a factor?
This is Musk's aerospace competition using the influence they have with NASA to attack Musk/SpaceX just like the auto industry uses their leverage within the government to attack Musk/Tesla.
Follow the money. Who benefits? That's where the answers almost invariably always are in these sort of affairs.
They hire astronauts who wear adult diapers so that they can drive from Houston to Florida without taking bathroom breaks to attack a fellow astronaut who is cheating on her with another astronaut.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
NASA's probing a safety culture is laughable at best. Safety has and is ignored when it's inconvenient. See the lost Space Shuttle missons and Apollo 1 as examples.
Three years later he got a stack of about four ring binders from the committee that followed up on his casual note. Skipping to the punch line, they concluded, "they can not mark them because updating the assembly and verification documentation would be too expensive".
Is there any wonder, SpaceX runs circles around NASA when it comes to efficiency?
Remember every dollar "wasted" by the government is a dollar earned by someone who did not deserve it. We know NASA wastes tons and tons of money. The defense contractors are getting it. That cash flow is getting threatened. They will retaliate like this.
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
I don't suspect that Elon Musk has ever designed anything in his life. He just renames old tech and pretends he invented it. Sounds like every other useless pot-head I know.
SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
Tesla Motors is in the "Dirty Dozen" most dangerous employers to work for in the USA. Wouldn't be surprised if Musk was cutting corners on health and safety elsewhere. Since the USA has a shitty healthcare system where health is the leading cause of bankruptcy, you have to take workplace health and safety seriously.
Alcohol isn't illegal according to federal laws.
When I worked at JSC in the 1990s, my group, we didn't drink very much. Not at lunch, not after work, and only had parties 1-2 times a year. But half year or so, we'd have "team building exercises" which entailed having a long lunch at a local German restaurant on Hwy 3, discussions about our work, then we'd get lots of beer. If we planned correctly, the bosses boss was there so only 1 person would need to call back to the office about the half-day of vacation.
After 1 of these team building exercises, I returned to my office to pick up some personal stuff and my car around 5pm only to find 2 FBI agents waiting inside by door. My first question to them was how did they get into a secure facility. Turned out I was someone's reference for their clearance. I'm fairly certain my file was updated that day as well. Out of 15 people on the team, only 2 entered the building that afternoon.
As for smoking inside JSC blg 30, the Apollo FCR reeked of smoke from normal cigarettes. They smoked at their workstations for decades. However, it became a non-smoking building in the 1980s. You could see the controllers running for the door whenever the mission was out of contact for a smoke break.
Slick way to disqualify a contractor without looking like you're playing favorites.
deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
NASA, you're hypocrites! You've killed 14 astronauts! How many has Musk killed?
Circle the wagons and fire inward. Entropy increases without bounds.
the same losers that blew up the Space Shuttle in 1986 killed how many people, want a safety review because Musk smoked a joint...... ok.........
Welcome to "Stupid Disease".
No, what matters is that Congress has written mandatory drug testing into ALL government contracts since the Reagan, 'War on Drugs'.
As a result of that, massive drug testing companies have arisen, who pay off the Congress-critters to ensure that the money keeps coming in.
I GUARANTEE that is where the pressure is coming from on this issue
This 'controversy' has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that it is likely that NASA will likely cancel the Space Launch System if BFR or Blue Origin 'New Glen' are able to launch. Nothing at all. Nothing to see here. Move along.
This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when first he appears as a protector - Plato (423 to 327 BC)
Government investigation into alcohol use by bosses at NASA and in the U.S. Congress in T minus 10 trillion...
(-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
What really sucks is that we can't even do the research to find out if that's true or not.
horror vacui
Try again in English.
Dave, my old roommate, did all the research we need.
It turns you into a paranoid, lazy, low functioning fucking moron.
Whatever your position on alcohol is....it's COMPLETELY UNRELATED TO THIS INCIDENT. Musk comitted a federal crime, on camera.
You can hate the fact that pot is illegal federally, you can love the fact that it's illegal federally, you can wish alcohol was banned and pot was freely distributed, or whatever .... it does not matter. The laws are what they currently are, and under the curent laws, Musk comitted a s federal crime, ON CAMERA.
Stupid. Dumb. SUPER bad judgement.
And, it turns out, NASA and the USAF and the NRO all sorta expece the people who design and build rockets that haul humans and/or billion dollar payloads into space to be..... well...... people with good judgement.
It's really just that simple.
The arguments that pot should be legal, or that pot is less of a problem than acohol, etc abelong someplace else - they avoid the problem at hand, which is that the laws are currently what they are and Musk [very stupidly] comitted a federal crime ON CAMERA.
Do you get it yet?
Dave, my old roommate, did all the research we need.
It turns you into a paranoid, lazy, low functioning fucking moron.
More than likely Dave had some emotional issues.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.
What really sucks is that we can't even do the research to find out if that's true or not.
Yeah, schedule 1 is a double bind for that.
My ism, it's full of beliefs.