Musk outlines plans for Mars

The first humans sent by SpaceX to Mars won't be astronauts, but engineers, boss Elon Musk has said. The rocket biz plans to send over unmanned Dragon capsules at first "to make sure we know how to land without adding a crater," Musk said during a Reddit chat. The landers would also carry equipment to see how easily oxygen and …

[Alister]

"to make sure we know how to land without adding a crater," Musk said.

Not a reference to the Schiaparelli lander in any way, honest.

[Fruit and Nutcase]

In other words

The first humans sent b̶y̶ ̶S̶p̶a̶c̶e̶X̶ to Mars won't be a̶s̶t̶r̶o̶n̶a̶u̶t̶s̶,̶ ̶b̶u̶t̶ ̶e̶n̶g̶i̶n̶e̶e̶r̶s̶ coming back

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: In other words

Why the joke icon?

[Trevor_Pott]

Re: In other words

"The first humans sent to Mars won't be coming back"

Who'd want to?

[Mage]

Heart of Gold spacecraft's 42

I think he reads too much comedy spoof SF to be making engineering decisions.

I'd advise anyone flying on his ships to take a white paint marker and Duck tape to disable selections on all the drinks machines.

Besides if his spacecraft are as hyped as his car's "autopilot" you want an alert human pilot too.

[Swarthy]

Re: Heart of Gold spacecraft's 42

Or, perhaps after Engineering designed a rocket with 42 engines, for engineering reasons, Mr. Musk decided that it just had to be called Heart of Gold.

[Neoc]

Hmmm... Isn't anyone who goes beyond the atmosphere an "astronaut", regardless of their actual occupation? ( https://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Aastronaut&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8 )

As for "Mars Base Alpha", well played sir. Keep those pop-culture references coming. I only hope the lander will be called "Eagle-1". Now if you'll excuse me, I have an old British TV sci-fi series to re-watch.

[Anonymous Coward]

That morning...

...when you show up to work and find your desk inside a Dragon X capsule.

Nobody said being an engineer was easy.