Blue Origin Targets Moon Landing by 2023 as an Early Step Toward Lunar Settlement

DooKey

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Jeff Bezos and his Blue Origin space company are literally shooting for the moon it appears. Blue Origin's business development director recently laid out a plan to land a human on the moon by 2023 and then expand their capability from there and put permanent settlements on the moon. As a matter of fact he stated the company was already working on they descent stage for a landing. However, this is pretty aggressive since they haven't even launched a manned spacecraft into orbit yet. Regardless, I hope they succeed and bring SpaceX and others with them.

Blue Origin’s business development director, A.C. Charania, said the company’s Blue Moon program is “our first step to developing a lunar landing capability for the country, for other customers internationally, to be able to land multi metric tons on the lunar surface.”
 
Lunar mining could be really cool. Especially with some kind of linear accellerator to launch stuff back to earth orbit. Or some kind of heavy manufacturing facility on the moon or in orbit.

Mars is really where it's at though.

All in all, being only 33 I think imI going to get to see lots of exciting things.
 
while im pretty sure they will not hit that date, pretty aggressive, im not going to fault the guy for trying.

What i really do like though is how there is talk from "private" citizen about how they are taking us back to the moon. its not solely the domain of big government making this happen. and thats good progress in its own right.



as someone who was born while we were literally landing on the moon, its been a bummer we have never been back. Hopefully soon, that will change
 
while im pretty sure they will not hit that date, pretty aggressive, im not going to fault the guy for trying.

What i really do like though is how there is talk from "private" citizen about how they are taking us back to the moon. its not solely the domain of big government making this happen. and thats good progress in its own right.



as someone who was born while we were literally landing on the moon, its been a bummer we have never been back. Hopefully soon, that will change

Isn't this just about the getting the FX team and actors hired? 2023 is totally doable to fake another moon landing. ;)
 
But what if it's already a moon base :eek:
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Its possible, very possible. They have some amazing tech and people working for them, the question on if they make it on that time table, which is pretty short, is how much money is he willing to dump into it. We have the tech and know how it's done, it's really just a money thing. Unlike SpaceX that has received a good bit of funding from government, Blue Origin is almost 100% funded by Bezos private funds to the tune of $1 billion a year. Say what you want about the man, but to dump 1B a year into something shows some serious dedication to getting into space.
 
Unlike SpaceX that has received a good bit of funding from government, Blue Origin is almost 100% funded by Bezos private funds to the tune of $1 billion a year.

You know SpaceX provides a service and gets paid for it, right? I don't know what you mean then by 'funding from government'. If the FBI buys a bunch of SUVs from Ford, is Ford now getting 'funding from the government'?
 
Sounds cool, but is there a practical reason for a moon base? Hellium 3 I guess?

Has Blue Origin even launched a payload into space yet? SpaceX has done tons, and Musk has said we should have already had a moon base by now.
 
You know SpaceX provides a service and gets paid for it, right? I don't know what you mean then by 'funding from government'. If the FBI buys a bunch of SUVs from Ford, is Ford now getting 'funding from the government'?

SpaceX and Tesla have both received large grants and subsidy, don't kid yourself. SpaceX NOW provides transport services etc for government and NASA. Never understood why people try and down play this.
 
SpaceX and Tesla have both received large grants and subsidy, don't kid yourself. SpaceX NOW provides transport services etc for government and NASA. Never understood why people try and down play this.
Bullshit. They were paid for engineering services rendered. NASA wanted a custom ship to haul cargo, and eventually men to the ISS, so they contracted SpaceX and ULA to build them. Custom vehicles with a small number delivered equals big risks and few profits, so no company would bid on such a thing unless there was some development money up front. This type of deal takes place all the time, and not only on government contracts. Try to contract to have a custom widget manufactured and you will find that often you have to pay tooling costs, and possibly a lot more depending on how exotic the process is. So enough the the "SpaceX received grants/subsidies from the government" talk unless you can document money transfers to SpaceX that had no material deliverables tied to them (which is the definition of subsidy or grant).
 
Sounds cool, but is there a practical reason for a moon base?

Need a moon base as a jump point to Mars. Although there is that whole deep space radiation thing that we haven't been able to overcome yet.
 
while im pretty sure they will not hit that date, pretty aggressive, im not going to fault the guy for trying.

What i really do like though is how there is talk from "private" citizen about how they are taking us back to the moon. its not solely the domain of big government making this happen. and thats good progress in its own right.



as someone who was born while we were literally landing on the moon, its been a bummer we have never been back. Hopefully soon, that will change

Aggressive? Hardly. This could be done by 2020. We have the technology today its just a matter of spending the money to do it. 2023 was likely chosen to give them time to build out some experience (wise choice).
 
Need a moon base as a jump point to Mars. Although there is that whole deep space radiation thing that we haven't been able to overcome yet.

Maybe not. I think it's nice as a mining and manufacturing location. But needed as a rest-stop to Mars, not so much.

I mean, sending a rocket up from Earth to the moon and refueling it there and then on to Mars doesn't make sense.

But sending small rockets to the moon and then having manufacturing on the moon and building a new rocket there does make sense.
 
Bullshit. They were paid for engineering services rendered. NASA wanted a custom ship to haul cargo, and eventually men to the ISS, so they contracted SpaceX and ULA to build them. Custom vehicles with a small number delivered equals big risks and few profits, so no company would bid on such a thing unless there was some development money up front. This type of deal takes place all the time, and not only on government contracts. Try to contract to have a custom widget manufactured and you will find that often you have to pay tooling costs, and possibly a lot more depending on how exotic the process is. So enough the the "SpaceX received grants/subsidies from the government" talk unless you can document money transfers to SpaceX that had no material deliverables tied to them (which is the definition of subsidy or grant).

....Which has nothing to do with the grants and funding they have also received. Believe it or not, they can get money from both. Hell, as a Texas local we gave them 20 million just for them to locate their launch facility here. Not even touching on the Air Force funding programs and NASA programs, of which almost all space programs in the USA have received money from, these are NOT contracts or services.

Funny how people get so butt hurt when you mention Tesla and SpaceX getting subsidy.
 
SpaceX was saved from bankruptcy by an enormous NASA contract early on. Mind you 50% of the cost of developing and launching a rocket in the US is regulatory compliance, so maybe the government should be paying for half.
 
Will Amazon make it to mars then have to deal with Douglas Quaid in 2084 for starving workers for oxygen because they take too long walking to the bathrooms?
 
man.. i know.. without a doubt.. that when we do get back and have an HD tv feed on a buggy that pulls up to where the decent stages are sitting, there will be some who will still claim.. its a hoax

hahaha

I want to be the first to say that the moon is flat. Wait! Do I see curvature? The moon is a Frisbee!
 
Man oh man.

How would you like to visit the moon, dgz? Well, I'd like that very much, thank you mr Bezos. So, who do I have to kill to get a seat on that rocket and my very own shoe box deep in the underground city you're building. What do you have, demons? Zombies? Martians? Just gonna help myself with that shotgun.
 
Now, if only Amazon could pay a living wage, allow their workers to use the restroom and get breaks so that they're not collapsing at work, and pay their fair share in taxes... Can't wait until we bring back the regulations and taxation of the 40's-60's. Crony capitalism and their destructive CEO's that rob/hoard wealth (and thus take it out of circulation) that others produced need to go!
 
Now, if only Amazon could pay a living wage, allow their workers to use the restroom and get breaks so that they're not collapsing at work, and pay their fair share in taxes... Can't wait until we bring back the regulations and taxation of the 40's-60's. Crony capitalism and their destructive CEO's that rob/hoard wealth (and thus take it out of circulation) that others produced need to go!

Um last I check space flight was mega expensive...how does that qualify ans taking wealth out of circulation?
 
Now, if only Amazon could pay a living wage, allow their workers to use the restroom and get breaks so that they're not collapsing at work, and pay their fair share in taxes... Can't wait until we bring back the regulations and taxation of the 40's-60's. Crony capitalism and their destructive CEO's that rob/hoard wealth (and thus take it out of circulation) that others produced need to go!

They do pay a living wage, if you don't like the wage they pay, take all of your skills and experience and get a better paying job.

They are allowed to use the bathroom, and do get breaks, not even the click bait new headlines have even claimed that.

They do pay taxes, what you mean is you want them to pay MORE taxes because...Well....You want them to and seem to hate people who have become successful.

Destructive CEO's....Who provide a service and goods that millions of people around the world use, provide jobs, and actually generate wealth. This kind of understanding of basic economics is why our country is where it is right now.
 
....Which has nothing to do with the grants and funding they have also received. Believe it or not, they can get money from both. Hell, as a Texas local we gave them 20 million just for them to locate their launch facility here. Not even touching on the Air Force funding programs and NASA programs, of which almost all space programs in the USA have received money from, these are NOT contracts or services.

Funny how people get so butt hurt when you mention Tesla and SpaceX getting subsidy.
The 20 million that Texas provided in TIF is their business, not a Federal handout, which is the normal claim. In fact, TIF is a standard way that states attract big business all the time, so there's nothing unusual here at all. Funny how nobody can quote any specifics on the how much of the money that SpaceX has received from the Air Force and/or NASA was pure grants versus payment for services, yet they are so sure that SpaceX is getting them. To which I say "prove it." BTW, SpaceX pays the AF and NASA rent on the land it uses in Florida and California for launch locations. These were unused properties are now generating income for the Federal Government thanks to SpaceX.
 
The 20 million that Texas provided in TIF is their business, not a Federal handout, which is the normal claim. In fact, TIF is a standard way that states attract big business all the time, so there's nothing unusual here at all. Funny how nobody can quote any specifics on the how much of the money that SpaceX has received from the Air Force and/or NASA was pure grants versus payment for services, yet they are so sure that SpaceX is getting them. To which I say "prove it." BTW, SpaceX pays the AF and NASA rent on the land it uses in Florida and California for launch locations. These were unused properties are now generating income for the Federal Government thanks to SpaceX.

So the public information doesn't count according to you, because other people get the same money....Why you think that makes it not a subsidy I have no idea, and I stated that others have gotten the same money. Second, it seems state subsidy doesn't count because its not Federal? What?

And you want someone to give specific dollar amounts on a private company that doesn't report financial performance....Ok....Unless you break into their business and take this info, no one is going to have it, so what we go off of are the publicly announced funding.

What paying for land use has to do with getting subsidy I have no idea. You seem to have some mistaken idea that if you get any subsidy that means you get everything for free forever?
 
So the public information doesn't count according to you, because other people get the same money....Why you think that makes it not a subsidy I have no idea, and I stated that others have gotten the same money. Second, it seems state subsidy doesn't count because its not Federal? What?

And you want someone to give specific dollar amounts on a private company that doesn't report financial performance....Ok....Unless you break into their business and take this info, no one is going to have it, so what we go off of are the publicly announced funding.

What paying for land use has to do with getting subsidy I have no idea. You seem to have some mistaken idea that if you get any subsidy that means you get everything for free forever?

Why does it even matter if they get subsidized or not? Who fucking cares? Its important work that needs to get done and sure as shit NASA isnt doing it because Congress has them by the balls and is squeezing so hard they cant even cough anymore.
 
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Why does it even matter if they get subsidized or not? Who fucking cares? Its important work that needs to get done and sure as shit NASA isnt doing it because Congress has them by the balls and is squeezing so hard they cant even cough anymore.

I pointed out that Jeff Bezos funds Blue Origin almost 100% with private funds by selling $1 billion in Amazon stock a year to keep it going, with almost zero public funds or grants, something that is very rare in the space sector and shows HUGE motivation for him to want to get into space to spend that much a year of his own money (see original post #12). Other people in this thread seemed to take offense that SpaceX has taken more government funding, and went as far as stating SpaceX has never taken subsidy, which is just not the case and is a matter of public record, Blue Origin has as well, just a fraction of what SpaceX has.

I hate that the government funds business, from straight subsidy, tax rebates, interest free loans, etc etc, as it always favors one company over another. With that said, I think Jeff Bezos is making a mistake by not taking bigger advantage of it, because that is how the current climate is and if they are going to give out public funds anyway, I myself would be taking advantage of it.
 
So the public information doesn't count according to you, because other people get the same money....Why you think that makes it not a subsidy I have no idea, and I stated that others have gotten the same money. Second, it seems state subsidy doesn't count because its not Federal? What?

And you want someone to give specific dollar amounts on a private company that doesn't report financial performance....Ok....Unless you break into their business and take this info, no one is going to have it, so what we go off of are the publicly announced funding.

What paying for land use has to do with getting subsidy I have no idea. You seem to have some mistaken idea that if you get any subsidy that means you get everything for free forever?
I'm not sure what "public information" you are talking about since you certainly did not link to anything or even offer source of any kind. Maybe you mean the "everybody just knows" source? TIF financing is not normally considered a subsidy, but OK, if you want to go that route, then nearly every large corporation in the US is guilty of the same offense, yet I don't see you moaning about them. Why single out SpaceX? So fine, by your definition SpaceX got a small subsidy from Texas, but unless you live there I don't think you really have a lot to bitch about. I wouldn't be surprised if Bezos got some sort of similar deal for Blue Origin or Amazon as well. But the idea that SpaceX has received a major (or even large) portion of its financing from government subsidies and or grants is total bullshit unless someone can prove it. And by the way, most government contracts and all subsidies/grants are available via FOI.
 
I'm not sure what "public information" you are talking about since you certainly did not link to anything or even offer source of any kind. Maybe you mean the "everybody just knows" source? TIF financing is not normally considered a subsidy, but OK, if you want to go that route, then nearly every large corporation in the US is guilty of the same offense, yet I don't see you moaning about them. Why single out SpaceX? So fine, by your definition SpaceX got a small subsidy from Texas, but unless you live there I don't think you really have a lot to bitch about. I wouldn't be surprised if Bezos got some sort of similar deal for Blue Origin or Amazon as well. But the idea that SpaceX has received a major (or even large) portion of its financing from government subsidies and or grants is total bullshit unless someone can prove it. And by the way, most government contracts and all subsidies/grants are available via FOI.

You don't? Guess you have not read my posts, I always complain about any and all government intervention into the business sector. I never said no one else gets subsidy, not sure why you think i am "singling out" SpaceX. READ my post. I even stated that is the climate we have in government and business now, and also stated that almost every single other space organization has received the same kind of money. I have NO idea why you think I am attacking SpaceX, but you seem to have that made up in your head. And Yes, again, READ my posts, I said in my second or third post that I am indeed from Texas, just as my profile shows, which was something I followed pretty close.

This is not even about SpaceX, I said in passing to give contrast, that you have to be very motivated to get to space when you are almost 100% funding the business out of your own pocket, where SpaceX and Tesla have always leaned to government funding, which is something I don't blame them for, because if it was my business I would do the same thing. It's not right, but hell, they are giving it out and if you are a business owner you might as well take advantage.
 
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