Elon Musk warns SpaceX faces 'genuine risk of bankruptcy' if engine production troubles continue

[TexasTowelie]

SpaceX is having engine trouble.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk warned employees of a “Raptor production crisis” for the engines needed to launch the massive Starship spacecraft from South Texas.

SpaceX is aiming to launch the Starship into orbit for the first time in early 2022 and then run a series of test flights as steps toward carrying cargo and humans to the moon and Mars. But Musk on Friday warned that delays in production of Raptor engines could hamper that progress and lead to significant financial problems.

“We face genuine risk of bankruptcy if we cannot achieve a Starship flight rate of at least once every two weeks next year,” he wrote in a company-wide email obtained by CNBC and Space Explored.

A longtime SpaceX observer said it was “classic Musk” to suggest workers should forgo their Thanksgiving holiday weekends to focus on the engines. And it isn’t the first time Musk, who’s also founder and CEO of Tesla, has openly discussed the possibility of financial hardship.

Read more: https://www.expressnews.com/business/article/Elon-Musk-warns-SpaceX-faces-genuine-risk-of-16663564.php
(San Antonio Express-News)

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. Does this affect his StarLink ISP Network?

I'm seriously thinking about utilizing his network. given the shitty download speeds I get with my local ISP, Consolidated Communications.

[PTWB]

6. It would, yes.

Their plan is to use the new rockets to launch the next version of their satellites.

The email is hyperbole, though. They’re not really in danger of going bankrupt—at worst, they’re in danger of missing self-imposed deadlines.

The starlink internet service is revolutionary.

[OAITW r.2.0]

9. Thanks for posting. In rural Central ME. at the end of the internet hardwired universe.

Max D/L speed 3 MPS. My friend and forester, has 300 MPS on Starlink. Total practical uptime. Maybe $10.00 more a month for 100x bnadwidth increase? Seems reasonable.

[OAITW r.2.0]

10. Existing Satellite Infrastructure and broadcast capabilities would still be viable, correct?

Expansion would be the problem, I would think. If so, existing sat broadcast capabilities ought to work for me. 800 ft ASL Lots of unobstructed space. Already know where the dish will go.

[Casady1]

2. we should have never outsourced

space exploration. I hated when we did this. This is government business.

[LunaSea]

4. Outsourced?

Uncle Sam does not nor ever has built spacecraft.

[OAITW r.2.0]

11. It was always a partnership with Defense Corporations from the earliest days.

Should not kid ourselves. What we - as a country - controlled, was the mission. Now, missions will become both public and private,

[msongs]

3. let em go bankrupt. that's the perils of being a zillionaire nt

[2naSalit]

5. +1

[2naSalit]

7. He'd better not come sniveling...

Around for tax dollars. He's had enough help and all he does is sneer at anyone who isn't him.

[marmar]

8. The invisible hand of the market and all.....