<p>On May 30, 2020 the private company SpaceX launched astronauts to the International Space Station. This is said to be not only a huge step for the humanity, but also a sign that USA has become able to transport its astronauts to space without Russians&#39; help.</p>

SpaceX

Sciency

Leadership

<p>As much as the latest success of SpaceX has impressed everybody, it is worth mentioning that the company has not always known only achievements. The previous three launches had meant only failure and lots of money wasted.  However, Elon Musk&#39;s company is now one of the top employers in the field while possessing an astonishing level production quality.</p>
<p> SpaceX has made space cool again. Attracting top talent has been one of the reasons SpaceX has been able to achieve its miraculous product success.</p>

SpaceX: Learning from failure

<p>One of the greatest business men of modern times, Elon Musk, came up with an idea to save on launch costs, while challenging the cycle time between launches. </p>
<p><em>By reusing the rocket boosters, he made sure to have several successful landings in three years. Furthermore, SpaceX is also equipped with the possibility to recover other parts from the launch, such as the fairing.</em></p>

SpaceX and its innovations

<p>While having been strongly criticized in regards to the decisions that he took while developing his company, Elon Musk can be considered as successful as possible at present: the achievements he has had with SpaceX are not to be compared to anything else. Therefore, it might only be normal that we start imagining how our life on Mars would be, once he enables us to go there.</p>

A man and his dream

<div dir="ltr">
    <h2 dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr">SpaceX's momentous Crew Dragon launch is a sign of things to come for the space industry, and humanity's future.</p></h2>
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        </div></div><span dir="ltr">30 May, 2020</span></div><p><em>SpaceX founder Elon Musk celebrates after the successful launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Crew Dragon spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Earlier in the day NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley lifted off an inaugural flight and will be the first people since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011 to be launched into space from the United States. </em></p><div dir="ltr">
        <em dir="ltr">Photo:Joe Raedle/Getty Images</em>
    </div><UL><LI>SpaceX was founded in 2002 and was an industry joke for many years. Eighteen years later, it is the first private company to launch astronauts to the International Space Station. </LI><LI>Today, SpaceX's Crew Dragon launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS. The journey will take about 19 hours.</LI><LI>Dylan Taylor, chairman and CEO of <a href="http://www.voyagerspaceholdings.com/" dir="ltr">Voyager Space Holdings</a>, looks at SpaceX's journey from startup to a commercial space company with the operating power of a nation-state.</LI></UL><p dir="ltr">Today is a historic date for human spaceflight. For the first time in human history, a private company has taken astronauts, not just for a poke above the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%A1rm%C3%A1n_line" dir="ltr">Karman line</a> (the arbitrary line at 62 miles that divides the stratosphere from space) as <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/16/tech/virgin-galactic-beth-moses-spacesuit/index.html" dir="ltr">Virgin Galactic</a> has done, but much deeper into orbit, some 220 miles to the International Space Station. A feat that requires not only much higher altitude but a precise rendezvous with an object moving at over 17,000 miles per hour. In addition, this launch marks a huge milestone for US Spaceflight, as the US has now rectified the embarrassing fact that it has had no way of transporting its astronauts to space without relying on the Russian Federation. A circumstance that has persisted since the Space Shuttle program was <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_retirement" dir="ltr">retired in 2011</a>. How did SpaceX, which was founded in 2002, achieve nation-level capability in 18 short years? How did it go from not being entrusted with the lowliest of payloads, to flying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley? And do so by delivering launch services at a fraction of the cost of both the US and Russia? </p><img alt="NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzMyNDExOC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5OTEwMzgyMH0.QbG7jKYfMVn0q8vYKd91wY3sL9xAn0FF0hvQ8whcLfM/img.jpg?width=980" width="623" height="415"><p><em>NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley</em></p><p dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">Photo: </em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/spacex/49928343022/in/photolist-2j5yikM-2j5vEHQ-2j4ZNUo-2j4VA8f-2j4VA9c-2j4FFX3-2j4uGwv-2j4jnyx-2j4oxLN-2j4oxL2-2j4oxNm-2iTk9gY-2iTfHXS-2iFoNWk-2iFoNXC-2iFt2fE-2iC7pyP-2iCbvKx-2iCbvJ5-2iC7pza-2iCap5j-2iutFZK-2iuswBT-2iuswyM-2iutFZ4" dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">SpaceX</em></a></p><h3 data-role="headline">The humblest of beginnings</h3><p dir="ltr">SpaceX was an inside joke for many in the space industry establishment even years after its founding. Its first three launches famously and spectacularly failed, leading to not only snickers among the industry elite, but stressing SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk, down to literally their last dollar. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/29/elon-musk-9-years-ago-spacex-nearly-failed-itself-out-of-existence.html" dir="ltr">As Musk has related several times</a>, SpaceX's fourth launch was a "make or break." Had it failed, the company would have filed for bankruptcy. Thankfully, that launch was successful and SpaceX has really never looked back. The industry insiders who doubt SpaceX still exist, but their snickers have turned to more nuanced criticism, including that SpaceX unfairly benefits from government contracting. Which is ironic for an industry that has been built on a defense contracting model. The truth is, SpaceX has made space cool again. One only needs to compare its rocket launch telecasts with those of their competitors. One has Hollywood-level production quality and attracts over <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/6/16981730/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-youtube-live-stream-record" dir="ltr">1 million live viewers per launch</a> and the others seem dated, uninspired and draw 25,000 viewers on their best day. This has led to SpaceX being one of the employers of choice in the space industry, despite its legendary long hours and difficult working environment. Attracting top talent has been one of the reasons SpaceX has been able to achieve its miraculous product success.</p><img src="https://i.connatix.com/s3/connatix-uploads/d01f4aee-d28f-4985-b51d-71a7b77c2af2/1.jpg?mode=crop&amp;width=720&amp;height=405" width="600" height="338"><h3 data-role="headline">A big bet</h3><p dir="ltr">Once SpaceX learned to launch rockets, Musk's product vision became more futuristic. Just like it doesn't make sense to fly a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A380" dir="ltr">$400M</a> Airbus 380 from Dubai to Los Angeles only to throw the airplane away after landing, Musk challenged the industry to reuse its rocket boosters. This vision was <a href="https://blog.spexcast.com/spacex-develop-resuable-rockets/" dir="ltr">audacious</a> and was faced with massive skepticism in the industry. Despite this, SpaceX stuck its first landing of a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEr9cPpuAx8" dir="ltr">single rocket booster</a> on April 8, 2016. Stuck its first <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3dvELj9kkU" dir="ltr">dual rocket booster</a> landing on February 6, 2018 and even stuck a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVqWEoyiaBA" dir="ltr">triple landing</a> on April 12, 2019. It has now landed 49 out of its last 51 attempts. This has literally changed the game in terms of both launch costs, but also cycle time (the amount of time needed between launches). It is a game changer that will be further stretched when the potentially revolutionary heavy rocket <a href="https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/" dir="ltr">Starship</a> is rolled out sometime in the next year. In addition to the boosters, SpaceX also recovers other parts from the launch including the fairing, which houses the actual payload of the launch.</p><img src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzMyNDEyMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxODYzMDc4MH0.-Rlf6BDLUJnoLrJgzFNEcMaR-7DnsF8jZIjonI7ORSA/img.jpg?width=980" width="623" height="350"><p><em>NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley inside Crew Dragon. </em></p><p dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">Photo: </em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/spacex/49927519643/in/dateposted/" dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">SpaceX</em></a></p><h3 data-role="headline">Criticism and triumph</h3><p>Elon Musk has his critics, and certainly he has his lieutenants who do not get enough credit for their impact on SpaceX's achievements, such a SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell, but, regardless, it is indisputable that SpaceX has achieved a level of capability that is truly shocking in a relativity short period of time. Should SpaceX be celebrated for its persistence, entrepreneurism, innovation and ultimate value creation? Without question. Is SpaceX finished pushing boundaries and achieving what others thought was impossible? Not even close. If Musk stays healthy and avoids a Howard Hughes moment, as many fear, it is hard to doubt his ability to make his dream of landing humans on Mars a reality within his next 18 years (if not sooner).</p><img src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzMyNDEyNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNjAyNzI2N30.pM-3thkrk0n8wRnjoUrhmdEZqDs9Qv3ROSq9FgH34Fo/img.jpg?width=980" width="623" height="935"><p><em>The Crew Dragon demonstration of the launch escape system. </em></p><p dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">Photo: </em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/spacex/49422294602/" dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">SpaceX</em></a></p><p><em>A still from the film "We Became Fragments" by Luisa Conlon , Lacy Roberts and Hanna Miller, part of the Global Oneness Project library.</em></p><UL><LI>Stories are at the heart of learning, writes Cleary Vaughan-Lee, Executive Director for the Global Oneness Project. They have always challenged us to think beyond ourselves, expanding our experience and revealing deep truths. </LI><LI>Vaughan-Lee explains 6 ways that storytelling can foster empathy and deliver powerful learning experiences.</LI><LI> Global Oneness Project is a free <a href="https://www.globalonenessproject.org/library" dir="ltr">library of stories</a>—containing short documentaries, photo essays, and essays—that each contain a companion lesson plan and learning activities for students so they can expand their experience of the world.</LI></UL><div dir="ltr">
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            </div><UL><LI>Before the hurricane season even started in 2020, Arthur and Bertha had already blown through, and Cristobal may be brewing right now.</LI><LI>Weather forecasters see signs of a rough season ahead, with just a couple of reasons why maybe not.</LI><LI>Where's an El Niño when you need one?</LI></UL><p dir="ltr">Welcome to Hurricane Season 2020. 2020, of course, scoffs at this calendric event much as it has everything else that's normal — meteorologists have already used up the year's A and B storm names before we even got here. And while early storms don't <em dir="ltr">necessarily</em> mean a bruising season ahead, forecasters expect an active season this year. Maybe storms will blow away the murder hornets and 13-year locusts we had planned.</p><h3 data-role="headline">NOAA expects a busy season</h3><p dir="ltr">According to NOAA's <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/busy-atlantic-hurricane-season-predicted-for-2020" dir="ltr">Climate Prediction Center</a>, an agency of the National Weather Service, there's a 60 percent chance that we're embarking upon a season with more storms than normal. There does, however, remain a 30 percent it'll be normal. Better than usual? Unlikely: Just a 10 percent chance.</p><p>Where a normal hurricane season has an average of 12 named storms, 6 of which become hurricanes and 3 of which are major hurricanes, the Climate Prediction Center reckons we're on track for 13 to 29 storms, 6 to 10 of which will become hurricanes, and 3 to 6 of these will be category 3, 4, or 5, packing winds of 111 mph or higher.</p><p>What has forecasters concerned are two factors in particular.</p><p dir="ltr">This year's El Niño ("Little Boy") looks to be more of a La Niña ("Little Girl"). The two conditions are part of what's called the <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html" dir="ltr">El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle</a>, which describes temperature fluctuations between the ocean and atmosphere in the east-central Equatorial Pacific. With an El Niño, waters in the Pacific are unusually warm, whereas a La Niña means unusually cool waters. NOAA says that an El Niño can suppress hurricane formation in the Atlantic, and this year that mitigating effect is unlikely to be present.</p><p>Second, current conditions in the Atlantic and Caribbean suggest a fertile hurricane environment:</p><UL><LI>The ocean there is warmer than usual.</LI><LI>There's reduced vertical wind shear.</LI><LI>Atlantic tropical trade winds are weak.</LI><LI>There have been strong West African monsoons this year.</LI></UL><p>Here's NOAA's video laying out their forecast:</p><div class="embed-placeholder" data-type="youtube" data-id="asD4wtMj73s"></div><h3 data-role="headline">But wait.</h3><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/06/hurricane-season-began-today-and-there-are-legitimate-reasons-to-be-concerned/" dir="ltr">ArsTechnica</a> spoke to hurricane scientist Phil Klotzbach, who agrees generally with NOAA, saying, "All in all, signs are certainly pointing towards an active season." Still, he notes a couple of signals that contradict that worrying outlook.</p><p>First off, Klotzbach notes that the surest sign of a rough hurricane season is when its earliest storms form in the deep tropics south of 25°N and east of the Lesser Antilles. "When you get storm formations here prior to June 1, it's typically a harbinger of an extremely active season." Fortunately, this year's hurricanes Arthur and Bertha, as well as the maybe-imminent Cristobal, formed outside this region. So there's that.</p><p>Second, Klotzbach notes that the correlation between early storm activity and a season's number of storms and intensities, is actually slightly negative. So while statistical connections aren't strongly predictive, there's at least some reason to think these early storms may augur an easy season ahead.</p><img src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM2OTgxMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjEwNzAxN30.Dj1XKAquESmh9LmDlyaK4BMCVi-6bQoj_cVcwiiKc1g/img.jpg?width=980" width="663" height="412"><p>Image source: NOAA</p><h3 data-role="headline">Batten down the hatches early</h3><p>If 2020's taught us anything, it's how to juggle multiple crises at once, and layering an active hurricane season on top of SARS-CoV-2 — not to mention everything else — poses a special challenge. Warns Treasury Secretary Wilbur Ross, "As Americans focus their attention on a safe and healthy reopening of our country, it remains critically important that we also remember to make the necessary preparations for the upcoming hurricane season." If, as many medical experts expect, we're forced back into quarantine by additional coronavirus waves, the oceanic waves slamming against our shores will best be met by storm preparations put in place in a less last-minute fashion than usual.</p><p>Ross adds, "Just as in years past, NOAA experts will stay ahead of developing hurricanes and tropical storms and provide the forecasts and warnings we depend on to stay safe."</p><p>Let's hope this, at least, can be counted on in this crazy year.</p>

SpaceX was founded in 2002 and was an industry joke for many years. Eighteen years later, it is the first private company to launch astronauts to the International Space Station. SpaceX's Crew Dragon launched NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS at XXXpm today. The journey will take about 19 hours.

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career

From zero to hero in 18 years: How SpaceX became a nation-state

SpaceX

SpaceX: Learning from failure

SpaceX and its innovations

A man and his dream

Stuck in a cramped space? This astronaut has some advice.

International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking

Lunacy: how science fiction is powering the new moon rush

Bite‑sized knowledgeto upgradeyour career

From zero to hero in 18 years: How SpaceX became a nation-state

SpaceX

SpaceX: Learning from failure

SpaceX and its innovations

A man and his dream

Stuck in a cramped space? This astronaut has some advice.

International Space Station: Facts, History & Tracking

Lunacy: how science fiction is powering the new moon rush

Bite‑sized knowledge
to upgrade
your career