SpaceX FAQ

 SpaceX Frequently Asked Questions

For those with little to no exposure to the intricacies of space flight and particularly the history and accomplishments of SpaceX, the terms, approaches, and plans that have been discussed by this author and others in the general media might be a bit confusing. This article is intended to serve as a quick general reference guide. As this is meant to address frequently asked questions, this guide is likely to change on a regular basis.

NOTE:  These links go offsite to my Medium account.  The reason for this was the difficulty in keeping the topics and anchor tags synchronized between two sites.

General

• What is SpaceX all about? or What does the the name SpaceX mean?
• But why Mars? Why not the Moon? Why bother at all?
• I have an idea for SpaceX, how can I tell Elon Musk?
• Is Elon on to this group/forum/etc?
• What would happen to SpaceX if something bad happened to Elon Musk?
• How can I get a tour of the SpaceX facilities?
• What booster is on display at SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne?

Technology and Vehicles

• What happened to the Falcon 5?
• Why doesn’t Elon make an electric rocket?
• Why did the Falcon Heavy take so long to build?
• When will the Falcon Heavy launch? Should I reserve my hotel/plane tickets?
• Will the BFR really replace the F9 and FH?
• How will SpaceX pay for the BFR?

Launches

• What was that that fell off the rocket?
• What was that thing that nearly hit the rocket?
• When is the next launch?

Landings

• Why is there such a clean line on the first stage after landing?
• What’s the point of landing?
• Why do they land on a barge vs a landing pad?
• Why don’t they use a big net/magnets/etc.?
• Does the drone ship move around to catch the booster?
• Why don’t they fly the booster back to the LZ after landing on the drone ship?