Elon Musk: Tech Genius! Green Warrior! Biz King! Good Oligarch?

[angelburst29]

Re: Elon Musk

Israeli firm will be compensated for launch pad explosion by IAI, SpaceX, but company’s future remains uncertain.

SpaceCom to recoup $173m, plus interest, for destroyed satellite (No Video - only screen shots))
_http://www.timesofisrael.com/spacecom-to-recoup-173m-plus-interest-for-destroyed-satellite/

The unmanned SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the launchpad during a test in Florida on Thursday, destroying the Israeli-built and -owned Amos-6 satellite that Facebook planned to use to beam high-speed internet to sub-Saharan Africa.

The satellite’s owners, Space Communication, will receive over $173 million from IAI plus interest,
which provided insurance for the device, a company official said.

According to Space Communication, also known as SpaceCom, the total sum from IAI is “approximately $205 million.”

Under the insurance policy, IAI will have to pay the amount “in under 60 days,” a spokesperson for the quasi-governmental firm said.

In addition, the Israeli company said it expects to receive either $50 million from SpaceX or “have the launch of a future satellite carried out under the existing agreement and with the payments that have [already] been made.”

Additional insurers are expected to pay SpaceCom an additional $39 million, the company said in a statement Saturday night.

However, SpaceCom’s future is far from certain.

Since the SpaceX rocket, with the satellite on board, exploded on the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Israeli company’s stock has plummeted 45 percent.

The launchpad explosion could also jeopardize a pending deal for the sale of the private Israeli firm to China’s Xinwei group, reportedly worth $285 million and conditional on the satellite successfully entering service, the Israel Space Agency (ISA) said Friday.

“This is the second blow, ahead of the Chinese deal,” he said, recalling the blackout of the Amos-5 satellite, which like Amos-6 was owned and operated by Spacecom.

Communication with the Franco-Italian made Amos-5 was lost in November 2015, four years after it was launched from Kazakhstan.

“There is a major question about the launch and I very much hope that SpaceCom is strong enough to overcome these things and to order a new satellite,” ISA head Yitzchak Ben-Yisrael told Israeli radio on Friday.

“If it orders a new satellite, it will take between two and three years to fill the gap.”

IAI said the Amos-6 satellite was “the largest and most advanced communications satellite ever built in Israel.”

“Obviously, we are disappointed about this incident in the launch vehicle and are ready and willing to assist SpaceCom in any manner,” it said. “The communications satellite business is strategic for IAI and the State of Israel.”

The Israel Space Agency, part of the country’s Science, Technology and Space Ministry, said that “support for the space industry in Israel will continue with the aim of continuing at the forefront of technology.”

The sale of the Israeli commercial satellite communications company Spacecom to Chinese telecommunications company Beijing Xinwei Technology Group is now in jeopardy after Spacecom’s Amos-6 communications satellite was destroyed when a static engine test of a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket went wrong at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, United States, on 1 September 2016.

Israel’s Spacecom sale in jeopardy after SpaceX Falcon-9 explosion destroys Amos-6 payload
http://spacewatchme.com/2016/09/israels-spacecom-sale-jeopardy-spacex-falcon-9-explosion-destroys-amos-6-payload/

The Amos-6 satellite was due to be launched from Florida on the SpaceX Falcon-9 on Saturday, 3 September 2016. Once Amos-6 was successfully launched, it would have triggered the sale of Spacecom to Beijing Xinwei Technology Group for U.S.$285 million. With the destruction of Amos-6 the future of Spacecom is uncertain, and shares in the company fell by nine per-cent on the Tel Aviv stock exchange when news of the accident was announced.

The accident took place at Complex 40 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station during a static fire test of the Falcon-9 engines. The test was supposed to be a normal part of SpaceX’s pre-launch procedures, but an anomaly caused the rocket to explode taking the Amos-6 payload with it. At the time of writing this report SpaceX were still investigating the cause of the static fire test failure.

This Falcon-9 failure will likely have a severe impact on the global commercial satellite communications market as the Falcon-9 rocket was booked to launch at least eight satellites, not including Amos-6, through the end of 2016. With the 1 September 2016 accident, these launches shall now have to be postponed until the cause of the static fire test failure is identified and then fixed.

Among the other companies impacted by the Falcon-9 accident are SES, Iridium, KT Corporation, and Echostar.

As this report was filed there was no comment from Spacecom or from Beijing Xinwei Technology Group on the likely commercial consequences of the Falcon-9 accident.

 

[bjorb]

Re: Elon Musk

[quote author= Article Angelburst29]The satellite’s owners, Space Communication, will receive over $173 million from IAI plus interest,
which provided insurance for the device, a company official said.

According to Space Communication, also known as SpaceCom, the total sum from IAI is “approximately $205 million.”

Under the insurance policy, IAI will have to pay the amount “in under 60 days,” a spokesperson for the quasi-governmental firm said.[/quote]

I suppose the insurance claim was covered under alien devastation

 

[angelburst29]

Re: Elon Musk

[quote author= Article Angelburst29]The satellite’s owners, Space Communication, will receive over $173 million from IAI plus interest,
which provided insurance for the device, a company official said.

According to Space Communication, also known as SpaceCom, the total sum from IAI is “approximately $205 million.”

Under the insurance policy, IAI will have to pay the amount “in under 60 days,” a spokesperson for the quasi-governmental firm said.

I suppose the insurance claim was covered under alien devastation
[/quote]

I searched to see if there was another video - different angle, no dice. I guess, because it was a test run? When I checked, there were about two dozen news stories on the incident, all copies of one another including the same video. Many news reports only carried "distance screen shots" of flames and thick black smoke, which is pretty much what I found on several Israeli News sites, including the site above. No video?

 

[Pierre]

Re: Elon Musk

How Elon Musk Used A Broken Marketplace To Play Us All

By Soren K. with contributions by Doug and Dinsdale Piranha and the CFO of a prominent hedge fund that has no position in the stock.

http://www.marketslant.com/articles/elon-musk-how-play-broken-marketplace

Government subsidized technology is developed and Musk cashed in. Then cashed out. Then left stock holders holding the bag. It's like the Simpsons monorail episode...

In light of Tesla's earnings miss and Musk's admission of the firm's cash crunch just a month after Tesla announced it would bail out its weaker cousin, Solar City, We ask you: how can a visionary such as he not see 30 days down the road?

Here is a repost from our observations just 3 weeks ago on the likelihood of fraud at Tesla and Musk's other companies.

Summary

Businesses cannot stand on their own feet without some form of Government aid. Whether that be in QE form or direct subisidies, the marketplace is no longer a "Free Market". Tesla and its dependents are an example of what is wrong with our capital market system.

Elon Musk is using the Government as a backstop for his businesses. He is depending on easy money to support companies that would otherwise fail from debt. In short, the business structure of Tesla, SolarCity and SpaceX is a microcosm of the problem with our current capital markets.

Overview

Elon Musk has controlling stakes in 3 companies: Tesla, SolarCity, and SpaceX. Tesla and SolarCity are publicly traded. SpaceX is not publicly traded. This document's focus will be soley on the financial interdependencies of the companies. There are also incestuous business practices, and nepotism within the leadership of each company Musk controls.

We hope to illustrate simply and clearly the immense risk the US government has taken with your money by giving it to a man who is essentially telling them what they want to hear while picking their pockets doing it.

Background

Tesla borrowed Venture Capital (VC) money from Elon Musk at VC rates. It borrowed VC money from taxpayers at non-VC rates

Tesla needed $500MM to get started in 2008. The US Government lent $465MM to Tesla at 3% interest under its push for Green Energy. Elon Musk lent the company $38MM at10% interest plus stock options. Here are the profits on those loans:

Elon Musk’s $38MM generates profit of $1.4BB, or 3,600% ROR- a VC payout
Taxpayers’ $465MM- generates profits of $12MM or 2.6%ROR- not a VC Payout

Taxpayers took VC risk without VC returns. The table is set for Elon to arbitrage the Government’s largesse much more. All in, the US Government committed about $4.9BB to finance Tesla’s operations

Musk Gets More Government Money

Using Government loans, Elon Musk creates 2 more companies; SolarCity and SpaceX. He now controls three government sponsored clean energy companies financed by taxpayer money.

The Companies

Tesla- makes electrical cars, develops technology for same. Loses money hoping for future profits

Loans money to SolarCity via its own stock
Borrowed $465MM from Gov’t at 3% and $38MM from Elon Musk at 10% plus stock options
Does not make money

SolarCity- makes and leases solar panels to homeowners. Loses money hoping for a back-end profit

Borrows money from Tesla
Borrows Money from SpaceX
Does not make money

SpaceX- will provide future service related to satellite launches. It makes money via prepaying customers

Loans money to SolarCity at approx. 10%
Borrows Money from Government at approx. 4%
Makes money

Elon Musk now has 2 companies that do not make money. He has 1 that makes money from prepayments for services yet to be given. All are financed by the US taxpayer at ridiculously below market rates. The table is now set for financing using inflated currency (sound familiar?) in the form of Tesla stock to get real cash in Mr. Musk's pockets.


The SolarCity Problem

Despite gov’t subsidies SolarCity still needs money to operate. SpaceX, while not profitable, has cash on hand form prepayments and Gov’t subsidies. Tesla, also not profitable, has no cash, but has highly (over)valued stock it can use as currency or loans for cash. Elon Musk owns major stakes in all 3 companies.

SolarCity borrows $165MM from SpaceX at market rates of about 4.4%
SpaceX uses govt loans (2.0%?) to lend $165MM SolarCity
SolarCity borrows another $90MM from SpaceX to avoid defaulting on first SpaceX loan

Yet SolarCity is still in trouble. It needs cash. Government subsidies are on hold. Its stock price is sinking and it is in danger of defaulting on existing loans. Enter Tesla and Elon Musk


Tesla and Musk Bail Out SolarCity

Elon Musk and Tesla loan stock to SolarCity. SolarCity margins that stock for cash so they can make their loan payments to SpaceX.

Elon Musk used money loaned to him at 2.6% to generate 3,600% from Tesla stock sales
SolarCity was failing. If It failed, it likely would take SpaceX with it.
Elon Musk and Tesla used his govt sponsored inflated currency (Tesla stock) to prop up a failing SolarCity.


Not Enough

But that was not enough money. Tesla then makes a bid outright to buy all of SolarCity at above market valuations using Tesla stock. This essentially ensures a payout to himself and his partners at SolarCity while eliminating the SpaceX debt. Now it all depends on the price of Tesla stock. And Tesla has been punished by the market since the announcement.

Finally there is the loaned stock by Elon Musk to SolarCity. If Tesla drops enough for amargin call, it is all over in our opinion. what we have not covered includes the valuation offerred to buy SolarCity. Public shareholders of Tesla should be incensed atthe price being paid for SolarCity. Meanwhile, much of SolarCity's stock is still in the hands of Musk and family members.

If Tesla stock drops enough, it could take out potentially all 3 companies. Essentialy Musk is at the center of an American Keiretsu.

Conclusion

The interdependent relationships between the 3 government subsidized companies Elon Musk owns or has a controlling stake in are an abuse of government largesse towards Green Energy. Taxpayer money is being used at market risk without market returns to prop up 3 unprofitable companies. While we do not debate the technology Tesla has developed, we question the leverage with which these companies are able to operate under. If something were to go wrong, we feel an eventual Solyndra Greenmail situation would occur. Tesla would be TBTF to the Government and have to pay. We feel Elon Musk knows this and is will play that card if need be.

Not Discussed: Business practices, Neoptism, valuations used for buyouts and other in depth proofs of what we are merely glossing over for now.

 

[bjorb]

Re: Elon Musk

[quote author= Angelburst29]I searched to see if there was another video - different angle, no dice. I guess, because it was a test run? When I checked, there were about two dozen news stories on the incident, all copies of one another including the same video. Many news reports only carried "distance screen shots" of flames and thick black smoke, which is pretty much what I found on several Israeli News sites, including the site above. No video?[/quote]

It's a bit weird that this is the only vid. Allthough, During 9/11 the Pentagon also had plenty of camera's in the area. And what have we seen so far... Anyhow, the only vid that counts would be this one. OSIT:

[quote author= Article Angelburst29]The company issued an update of its investigation on Friday saying, "We are currently in the early process of reviewing approximately 3,000 channels of telemetry and video data covering a time period of just 35 to 55 milliseconds" as part of an investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA and the US Air Force to determine the exact cause of the explosion.[/quote]

If non-human parties destroyed the SAT. Their video should show: ''Here we are, screw your sat and there is nothing you can do about it''

I guess it can be 'sensational' but in fact it's just another day of not being on top of the 'food chain' for humanity.

The only thing we could do to effectively push back is through embracing the true evolution of consciousness. (stop being machines and getting more conscious)

But tell that to the ruling psychopaths, the more 'unconscious' we are, the better they can rule over us. And while they are trying to put up a 'defense' against 'what is out there' , they are also busying themselves with fighting the Russians, Chinese etc.

They really are clueless.

 

[Beau]

Re: Elon Musk

Some intriguing new possibilities emerge regarding the SpaceX explosion:

https://www.sott.net/article/327657-Was-the-SpaceX-rocket-attacked-by-a-drone

At the bottom of the article, the sott comment states:

There could be more to this story than first appears. It was reported in July that a naval ship, the USS Jackson, was undergoing "full ship shock trials" off the coast of Florida. This was to test the ship for its ability to withstand underwater shocks by using 10,000 pounds of explosives. It turns out that, at the time of the testing, many Floridians thought an earthquake had occurred, but it turned out to be the explosion from the shock test. Even the geophysicists at the National Earthquake Information Center were fooled, although one man quoted said it was obvious that it was an "induced quake". The explosion was so intense that it recorded a 3.7 on the Richter scale

Another interesting piece of data is that a "military-style" helicopter recently crashed in Florida, despite there being no signs of distress or engine failure as it fell. Could this possibly be another sign of secret military weapons being tested in Florida? Images at the crash site show only the tail and rotors remaining, as the rest of the very large helicopter apparently disintegrated upon crashing.

So what exactly is going on in Florida? Was the military secretly testing a weapon and accidentally blew up the SpaceX rocket? Is it possible that the explosion of the SpaceX rocket was done by elements of the US government to sabotage the sale of the Israel satellite operator Spacecom to the Chinese conglomerate Beijing Xinwei Technology Group? The Americans might very well be wary of the Chinese going into business with the Israelis and getting more heavily involved in the space industry. It certainly looks like the elites in the US went to great lengths to sabotage this deal by using its super-secret weaponry to destroy the SpaceX rocket and deep-six the Israeli-Chinese deal.

 

[Woodsman]

Re: Elon Musk

Astrologers generally advise against launching a project, especially tech related, during a Mercury Retrograde.

I wonder what the chances are that a strict materialists like Musk reads the horoscopes?

The current period runs from August 30 to September 22.

 

[angelburst29]

Re: Elon Musk

MailOnLine is carrying a story on the explosion stating: "According to Musk, the engines were off and there was no known heat source present to trigger the explosion."

Elon Musk reveals SpaceX rocket exploded BEFORE it was powered up - and says firm has NOT ruled out a mystery object hitting it in 'most difficult and complex failure we have ever had' (2 Videos)
_http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3782059/Elon-Musk-turns-Twitter-solve-mystery-SpaceX-disaster-reveals-difficult-complex-failure-says-firm-NOT-ruled-object-hitting-rocket.html

* Musk tweeted on Friday asking for 'support and advice' on the blast
* SpaceX CEO said engines were off at the time, with no known heat source
* The September 1 blast destroyed Facebooks $200 million satellite
* Some have claimed footage shows a drone, or even UFO, hitting rocket

It has been over a week since SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the Cape Canaveral launchpad, destroying Facebook’s $200 million satellite in a massive fireball that rattled windows miles away.

Now, Elon Musk is asking the people of the internet for help in finding answers on what he’s called the ‘most difficult and complex failure’ the firm has ever experienced.

The billionaire SpaceX CEO took to Twitter on Friday seeking ‘support and advice’ as the investigation continues – and addressing claims that a mysterious object may have hit the rocket, Musk says they ‘have not ruled that out.’

In a series of tweets early this morning, Musk revealed new details on the conditions of the rocket at the time of the blast, and asked users to send in any footage of the incident.

According to Musk, the engines were off and there was no known heat source present to trigger the explosion.

‘Still working on the Falcon fireball investigation. Turning out to be the most difficult and complex failure we have ever had in 14 years,’ Musk tweeted on Sept 9.

He continued, ‘Important to note that this happened during a routine filling operation. Engines were not on and there was no apparent heat source.

The SpaceX CEO also noted that they are investigating a sound that occurred just before the blast.

So far, the origin of this sound remains a mystery.

‘Particularly trying to understand the quieter bang sound a few seconds before the fireball goes off.

'May come from rocket or something else,’ Musk tweeted.

As the cause of the fireball continues to elude investigators, conspiracy theorists have proposed numerous explanations on what may have happened – including sabotage from a rival company, a drone collision, and of course, aliens.

And while some of these suggestions may be far off, the investigators are still considering the possibility that a third-party interference could have triggered the explosion.

 

[bjorb]

Re: Elon Musk

Elon Musk: 'We Have Not Ruled Out' That UFO Caused Space X Explosion

https://sputniknews.com/science/20160910/1045180070/elon-musk-ufo-spacex-explosion.html

The statement by the vaunted entrepreneur that he couldn’t rule out that UFO hunters were correct that an unidentified object or weapon initiated the explosion has alien enthusiasts out in full force.

The frenzied excitement for alien hunters hit new heights on Friday when the innovative wunderkind Elon Musk wrote to a commenter on Twitter that "We have not ruled that [a UFO hitting the Space X Falcon 9 rocket] out" with theories ranging from an attack by foreign defense forces to a laser attack by an alien ship quickly cascading through social media.

The statement comes one week after self-proclaimed UFO hunters pointed to video footage from the SpaceX explosion noting that there was a black object barreling near the rocket only seconds before explosion with YouTube viewers quickly dispatching theories that the flying object was a bird or a bug based on the relative speed of the object – over 1,000 MPH – and its appearance behind riggings that ruled out the possibility that it was a bug in the camera lens.

The explosion quickly consumed the rocket destroying Facebook’s AMOS-6 internet-beaming satellite and causing unprecedented damage to the launchpad – a fairly unusual incident for a rocket explosion. Musk said the explosion was "really a fast fire" and was unable to point to specific mechanical causes for the failure of the rocket. One Twitter user said that the sound at 54 seconds in a video posted "sounds like a metal joint popping under stress" which Elon Musk said was "most likely true" but also said that "we can’t yet find it on any vehicle sensors" pointing to the possibility of some outside sabotage. "Important to note that this happened during a routine filling operation. Engines were not on and there was no apparent heat source," said Musk questioning how the rocket could spontaneously erupt in flames. "Particularly trying to understand the quieter bang sound a few seconds before the fireball goes off. May come from rocket or something else."

One person suggested that it could be a drone, but opined that if it was a drone it was a particularly fast and circular drone that does not match the description of any known existing defense products. Others opined that whatever the flying vehicle that may have given rise to the explosion, it appears it was a "well planned attack from a competitor."

Although speculation continues to circle around the explosion of the Space X Falcon 9 rockets with the most fascinating theory by far being the potential that space aliens beamed the rocket, many more plausible alternatives exist including a leak of propellant fuel, metal on metal contact sparking just enough initial flame, or a buildup of oxygen. Some commenters are even blaming Vladimir Putin and/or China – which makes maybe less sense than even space aliens. The truth is out there.

 

[angelburst29]

Re: Elon Musk

There was a delay of an Atlas V rocket launch today (Friday) due to a minor leak. It was to be launched from Vandenberg Air Base in California. Recent Atlas V launches were from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida like the Space X Falcon 9 rocket that exploded. I would imagine, Cape Canaveral has more than one launch pad? As for Israel, last Tuesday, they launched a satellite from Tel Aviv but the payload, the Ofek-11 satellite, is malfunctioning. With all these "spy" satellites being launched, makes me wonder what was on the SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket?

An Atlas V rocket launch set for Friday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in the US state of California was canceled due to a minor leak, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) said in a statement.

Atlas V Launch Rescheduled for Saturday Due to Minor Ground Leak
https://sputniknews.com/us/20160916/1045390707/atlas-v-launch-rescheduled-minor-ground-leak.html

The statement about the leak appeared on the ULA's Facebook page.

"Today's Atlas V launch of DigitalGlobe's WorldView-4 mission was scrubbed today due to a minor ground leak during propellant tanking," the statement reads. As long as the issue is fixed, the rocket will launch on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. PDT (6:30 p.m. GMT), the company added.

Sept. 2, 2016 - US Launches Atlas V Rocket With Navy Communications Satellite After Delay
https://sputniknews.com/science/20150902/1026493299.html

Although initially scheduled for Monday morning, the rocket launch was delayed for two days due to the threat posed by Tropical Storm Erika. The launch took place at 6:18 a.m. (11:18 GMT) on Wednesday.


July 28, 2016 - US Launches Atlas V Rocket With Spy Satellite - United Launch Alliance
https://sputniknews.com/us/20160728/1043716375/us-spy-satellite.html

United Launch Alliance said that United States successfully launched Atlas V rocket with NROL-61 spy satellite from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.


June 24, 2016 - ULA Launches Navy Communications Satellite Atop Atlas V Rocket
https://sputniknews.com/science/20160624/1041908047/atlas-v-launch.html

The US Navy's fifth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite has been launched atop an Atlas V rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, a United Launch Alliance broadcast showed on Friday.

On Tuesday, Israel launched into orbit its seventh spy satellite, Ofek 11, which is set to provide the Israeli military with surveillance imagery of the developments in the Middle East; however experts tell Sputnik that the Israeli space program, which is financed by the US, is also aimed at Russia and even China.

Sept. 13, 2016 - Israel to 'Spy on the Middle East, Russia and China' With US-Funded Satellite
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160916/1045380247/israel-spy-satellite.html

On September 13, Israel's Ministry of defense and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) manufacturer launched Shavit2 rocket from the facility at Palmachim airbase, south of Tel Aviv.

This is the seventh spy satellite launched by Israel and it will allow the country to conduct unlimited surveillance of developments throughout the Middle East, according to reports of the local media.

"Ofek 11 joins Ofek 9 and 10 in space. Ofek 9, which was launched in June 2010, is an imaging and intelligence gathering satellite developed by IAI and costing $300 million. Ofek 9 and 10 have sent back exceptional quality images and it is able to identify objects just dozens of centimeters in size. This is technology possessed by very few countries around the world," Israeli news website Globes reported shortly after the launch.

"Throughout many years Israel has been using the advanced and high technology surveillance satellite systems for espionage on the territories of the Middle East and Central Asia," Hanizadeh told Sputnik.

"It has previously launched ten modifications of the Ofek series. With these provocative actions Israel wanted to thoroughly monitor and collect the secret data, analyze and control developments not only the Middle Eastern countries, such as Iran, Syria and Iraq, but also in countries farther afield, such as Russia and China," he said.

The expert noted that such actions contradict international laws and norms which specify that the use of the satellites should be purely for peaceful purposes.

"Israel is using these satellites for espionage and provocative military actions in Middle Eastern states. Israel's actions put the national security of the whole region under threat," the political analyst said.

The expert added that these satellites were constructed and launched with the participation of the US, which supplies Israel with the advanced equipment for the construction of these telecommunication spies.


[...] Meanwhile Israeli media reported that while the launch and delivery of the Shavit2 rocket was successful, the payload, the Ofek-11 satellite, is malfunctioning.

The Times of Israel quotes Amnon Harari, head of the Defense Ministry’s Space Department, as saying that it was “not clear that everything was in order,” hours after the launch.

The Ofek-11 is widely believed to be the newest satellite among the world’s most advanced satellite recon systems. It operates at an altitude of 600 km with an orbital path designed to pass over Israel’s region six times per day, allowing the Ministry of Defense to focus on targets of interest in the region. Its enhanced imaging system purportedly collects images at a ground resolution of 0.5 meters from its 600-Kilometer orbit. However for obvious reasons, the Israeli Defense Ministry is keeping its exact capabilities secret.

 

[3DStudent]

Re: Elon Musk

"Today's Atlas V launch of DigitalGlobe's WorldView-4 mission was scrubbed today due to a minor ground leak during propellant tanking," the statement reads. As long as the issue is fixed, the rocket will launch on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. PDT (6:30 p.m. GMT), the company added.

I was just reading this a few minutes before 2:30 EST and was like, "Oh that's in a few minutes." So I looked up live launch cameras from space.com and United Launch Alliance, and when the launch time came, the screen stayed black and it said that the launch had been scrubbed (again).

 

[angelburst29]

Re: Elon Musk

"Today's Atlas V launch of DigitalGlobe's WorldView-4 mission was scrubbed today due to a minor ground leak during propellant tanking," the statement reads. As long as the issue is fixed, the rocket will launch on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. PDT (6:30 p.m. GMT), the company added.

I was just reading this a few minutes before 2:30 EST and was like, "Oh that's in a few minutes." So I looked up live launch cameras from space.com and United Launch Alliance, and when the launch time came, the screen stayed black and it said that the launch had been scrubbed (again).

You're absolutely right, 3D Student - the launch was scrubbed a second time.

The launch of the Atlas V rocket with the WorldView-4 satellite has been rescheduled again and is now set for Sunday, September 18, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) said on its website.

Atlas V WorldView-4 Satellite Mission Launch Postponed Second Time
https://sputniknews.com/us/20160917/1045397099/atlas-v-satellite-mission-rescheduledsecond-time.html

The launch of the rocket was previously rescheduled from Friday to Saturday because of the leak, according to ULA.

"The launch of a United Launch Alliance Atlas V carrying the WorldView-4 satellite is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 18 to allow the team additional time to evaluate the cause of the ground leak anomaly experienced during propellant tanking," ULA said on Friday.

Atlas V is now expected to launch from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in the US state of California at around 11:30 Pacific Time (18:30 GMT) on Sunday.

The WorldView-4 satellite is a high-resolution commercial imaging satellite built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company and owned and operated by DigitalGlobe.

 

[angelburst29]

Re: Elon Musk

After causing an eruption of speculation among alien enthusiasts after refusing to rule out the possibility that a UFO spaceship sabotaged the doomed Space X rocket, Elon Musk looks to have identified a more plausible cause for the explosion of the Falcon 9.

Space X Rocket Explosion Likely Caused by Helium System, Not Mysterious UFO
https://sputniknews.com/science/20160924/1045669546/musk-spacex-rocket-explosion-ufo.html

Space X believes they have determined the cause of the Falcon 9 explosion on September 1 with early data analysis pointing to a "large breach" in the cryogenically cold helium system of an oxygen fuel tank in the rocket’s upper segment.

The helium is used to pressurize oxygen and kerosene rocket fuels and is stored at extremely high pressures according to Paulo Lozano, an aerospace engineer at MIT, which may have caused a rupture if the seals were insufficiently installed.

The data remains inconclusive but poses a more plausible explanation than the leading one to date, uncovered by UFO hunters who pointed to a rapidly moving black object that passed over the space ship right before explosion. Video footage calculations suggest that the UFO near the Space X Falcon 9 was travelling at a speed in excess of 1,000 MPH ruling out the possibility of a bird. The UFO also appeared behind the stanchions surrounding the rocket ruling out the possibility that the video anomaly was simply a bug that appeared larger than it was passing along the lens of the camera frame.

There remains no definitive explanation as to what the flying object was that passed near the Space X Falcon 9 rocket near its time of explosion and the Space X/Tesla Founder Elon Musk even refused to rule out the possibility that a UFO may have caused the spontaneous blast that occurred during refueling of the vessel with the rocket system’s turned off when asked on social media.

The Space X Falcon 9 rocket was valued at over $60 million and was carrying a $200 million satellite to provide phone, video and internet services for the Middle East, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. The explosion destroyed the rocket in full, the satellite system and even the launch pad putting the cost of the blast at upwards of $300 million by some estimates.

 

[Palinurus]

Re: Elon Musk

The article states:

The data remains inconclusive but poses a more plausible explanation than the leading one to date, uncovered by UFO hunters who pointed to a rapidly moving black object that passed over the space ship right before explosion.

I take that as meaning there's not yet a definite NO to the UFO possibility -- just doing damage limitation so to say.

 

[bjorb]

Re: Elon Musk

Elon Musk should be careful he doesn't go out of business by those pesky aliens, or whatever it was.

To me it also seems like damage control. He needs to give an explanation that the problem has been identified and is fixable, that everything is under control. Blaming it on 'ET' is bad PR to say the least.