Why are billionaires obsessed with going to space?

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/16/billionaires-outer-space-elon-musk-jeff-bezos-richard-branson

by crossroadsguy • 5 years ago

4 9 5 years ago

bb20182• 5 years ago

Bezos, Musk and Richard Branson seem animated by a lofty goal: securing the future of humanity by going into space.

This seems like a very under-researched statement. Bezos and Musk clearly see huge profits to be made flying satellites for use on earth. Space is sexy - and that's why its used as the marketing gimmick by these companies. For an article so critical of them its odd they took the promotional material of these companies at face value.

ksaj• 5 years ago

The fact that Branson pretended to ride his bicycle to the launch pad, commented on his fictitious ride, and then subsequently admitted he made it all up, suggests a huge amount of this is for show. There is definitely a one-upmanship going on, and perhaps some really oddball humour that only the billionaire trio would understand.

All three of them are doing related but distinctly different things, so I think the competitiveness is mainly a gag. If the end result proves to be beneficial in the general sense, I'm happy to let them at it.

salawat• 5 years ago

The funny thing about all this, is that back in college, the CS program included a semester on Ethics. Using computers to prevaricate or otherwise exaggerate one's accomplishments was one of the first trivial examples of maluse of computational resources.

Seems like that's one of the first uses a non-trivial demographic of users go for.

retrac• 5 years ago

What they are all doing has real risks. There is a slight but still real chance they die explosively, and I'm sure they understand that. Particularly the proposed orbital flights. This is a potentially very expensive marketing gimmick.

You are right that it's sexy, though. I figure something deeper is driving them. Us. Probably the same basic mystical awe I get watching old film of Apollo missions. Some mix of ego and adventure and eccentric waste. The PR and marketing is just the cherry on top, surely.

wmf• 5 years ago

More people have flown safely on Crew Dragon than on New Shepard.

bb20182• 5 years ago

I agree its risky. Perhaps I'm being pedantic but seems weird to do an entire article on Musk's vision for space and not once mention starlink or the satelite side of the business.

The not-up-to-date person reading this would truly think that the billions of dollars funding this by Musk are like a side project done simply because of his dreams of terraforming Mars. Maybe Musk is serious about that - but if described with starlink you realize its much less of a "billionaire hobby obsession" and more of a "potentially profitable business (with bragging rights too)"

crossroadsguy• 5 years ago

Articles mentions saving the planet, a backup. I think the reason might be more banal and vain. When you have too much money You can only buy so many new mansions — you start getting bored easily and look for something “new”.

quantified• 5 years ago

If you just spend a sum that didn’t threaten your economic position and orbit the earth to take in the sights, wouldn’t you? I’d try to take a date with me. Maybe join the 200-mile high club.

GianFabien• 5 years ago

Their egos are so massive that Earth isn't big enough for them.

Why are billionaires obsessed with going to space?

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