mfb said:
Starting now, or at least should start now. I'll keep this post updated.
xx:08: Livestream now showing something. SpaceX factory, BFR sketch on the wall next to people and Falcon 9 stages. It is big. Some renders of the rocket we saw already, some new.
:14: Musk starts his talk. The usual talk about becoming a multiplanetary species, about being excited for the future and so on. History of SpaceX (first orbital flight of the company 10 years ago, largest operational rocket today, reflight of boosters and Dragon).
:22: Finally getting to BFR. 118 m long, a bit more than 100 tonnes to LEO. Upper stage 55 m long, more than 1000 m
3 pressurized volume (more than the ISS!).
Two flaps at the front and two wings at the rear can both change their angle.
Some cargo storage near the engines (close to the surface).
Third "wing" is just a leg.
BFR will fall body first most of the time in an atmosphere, unlike Falcon 9 first stages which always fall engines-first.
From the video later: Solar panels will span between the wings.
Construction status:
First cylinder section of the spacecraft completed.
Full-scale raptor engine built, test fired.
Funding BFR:
Launching satellites, servicing ISS (also with Dragon), Starlink (SpaceX satellite internet constellation), private customers for BFR
Lunar mission: Free-return mission, 4-5 days.
Tourist:
Yusaku Maezawa, billionaire from his companies.
Now speaking about ... himself. And his companies.
Bought the full BFR flight and wants to share it with 6-8 artists to inspire their art to promote world peace. Project "Dear Moon". Not decided yet which artists. Painters, musicians, sculpture designers, fashion designers, ... will invite them.
Target date: 2023
https://dearmoon.earth after the press conferencexx:50: Q&A session (paraphrased):
Q: We saw multiple iterations, is this final?
A: We probably see the final iteration in terms of architecture (third one SpaceX showed). "Tintin rocket design"
First hops next year, then high altitude/velocity flights in 2020 and first booster tests. First orbital flight "in 2-3 years" if things go well. Many test flights (easy with a reusable system!) before the paid flight.
Q: "Why is the first passenger Japanese?"
A: (Effectively:) Because he was the first one to ask and because he paid a lot of money (undisclosed amount). Musk calls it a "material impact to the BFR development cost" later, could be something like $500 M or more (net worth of the passenger is $3.6B).
Q: What happened to the people who wanted to go on FH/Dragon?
A: Same person. Back then he wanted to take only one other passenger as Dragon 2 is quite small. Repeated mentions from Musk that the mission will be dangerous.
Q: Where will BFR launch/land initially?
A: Brownsville in Texas for initial hops. Not yet decided for orbital flights, could be a floating platform.
Q: Interior?
A: Depends on the mission. Life support will be somewhat derived from Dragon 2, but hopefully with more recycling of gases. [Looks like development is still in early stages.]
Q: Training necessary for the flight?
A from passenger: Not decided yet
Q: Fraction of effort of SpaceX going towards BFR/Lunar mission?
A: <5% on BFR currently, will change a lot. Top priority is crewed missions for NASA.
Dragon 2 test flight
in December (was previously announced for November).
Q: Why this flight?
A from passenger: I like art, want to see what the artists made out of flight.
Q: Development cost of BFR "to make that trip"?
A: ~5B for BFR in total
Q: Development cost of BFR?
A: That's what I just said. Probably $5B. In the range of $2B to $10B.
Q: Lunar landing? Billionaire friends funding development?
A: Base on the Moon would be great. Reiterates that powered landing is the only viable option for the scope of BFR.
Q: Boeing claims to get to Mars first.
A: Go for it! Competition is a good thing.
Q: Ramp-up speed?
A: Will ramp up BFR efforts once crewed missions and maybe Starlink launches work.
Q: Changed engine configuration?
A: Common engines between booster and ship. Sort of sea-level optimized. Vacuum version as potential future upgrade. 100 tonnes with the current engines, vacuum engines would increase this notably. Two-engine out capability (can still fly if any two engines fail).
Q: Artist selection process?
A from passenger: I'll ask them.
Q: Did passenger contribute more than 5% of development cost?
A: "It is a material percentage."
Q: Flight profile for lunar mission? Maximum g, distance to Moon?
A: Exact mission profile still to be decided. Getting very close to Moon would be interesting. <3 g for ascent in this case as the payload is so light, normally more like 5 g. ~6 g re-entry for direct entry or ~3 g for aerocapture and then landing.
Q (to Musk): Do you want to go to space yourself?
A: He is not sure how/when. He might even fly with the passenger. Previously he said "I want to die on Mars, just not on impact" so generally he clearly wants to go to space at some point.
Livestream ended after 1.5 hours.
Post-livestream: The mission profile doesn't have any plans or time for refueling. I guess they make the interior very light so they can directly go to the Moon.
Video of the livestream
:
