94K views · Feb 19, 2021 · 9:25 · 0 HN recommenders · 7 mentions · discussed 2021
A clip of Sandy Munro, a veteran automotive engineer, describing his visit to a SpaceX Starship design review and meeting Elon Musk. He says he was struck by how deeply Musk is involved in engineering.
Why Hacker News points people here: Used as a neutral outsider's first-hand account of SpaceX's fast engineering culture and Musk's hands-on role.
“Sandy Munro was invited to SpaceX design review session, so he has some first-hand comments about that”HN comment, 2021
“The picture they paint of spacex is one of being in continuous flow vs cautious pessimism.”
Illustrates spacex's continuous flow versus cautious pessimism
This aligned perfectly with the thread, this video I went on a tour of Blue Origin, I learned next to nothing. It looked like a the rich kids house that had a coleco and a neo geo. The picture they paint of spacex is one of being in continuous flow vs cautious pessimism.
“Sandy Munro was invited to SpaceX design review session, so he has some first-hand comments about that”
Munro's first-hand comments on SpaceX design review
Sandy Munro was invited to SpaceX design review session, so he has some first-hand comments about that on this video (@6:17): this video
“Sandy Munro (former Chief Engineer at Ford and worked on lots of Aerospace projects) was invited to SpaceX design review session”
Munro describing a SpaceX design review
Sandy Munro (former Chief Engineer at Ford and worked on lots of Aerospace projects) was invited to SpaceX design review session (@6:17): this video
“was "blown away" at Elon's depth of involvement.”
Neutral observer evidence of Musk's engineering involvement
Elon spends nearly as much time at SpaceX as he does Tesla. There's no question that Elon mucks in at the lowest levels of engineering at SpaceX. If you want evidence from a reasonably neutral observer, take Sandy Munro (himself an engineer who has worked on everything from cars to aeroplanes). He recently interviewed Elon, ostensibly about Tesla but the interview was in a meeting room at SpaceX. After the interview he was invited to a two hour design review meeting and was "blown away" at Elon's depth of involvement. this video (6:10 to 8:45)
“was "blown away" at Elon's depth of involvement.”
Neutral observer evidence of Musk's engineering involvement
Elon spends nearly as much time at SpaceX as he does Tesla. There's no question that Elon regularly mucks in at the lowest levels of engineering at SpaceX. If you want evidence from a reasonably neutral observer, take Sandy Munro (himself an engineer who has worked on everything from cars to aeroplanes). He recently interviewed Elon, ostensibly about Tesla but the interview was in a meeting room at SpaceX. After the interview he was invited to a two hour design review meeting and was "blown away" at Elon's depth of involvement. this video (6:10 to 8:45)
“He is very much involved at actual day-to-day engineering at SpaceX.”
Source for Musk's day-to-day engineering role
He is very much involved at actual day-to-day engineering at SpaceX. He is the CEO and the chief engineer there. Sources: link this video
“Here's a video from someone who observed a design review for Starship[1].”
Outsider's view of a Starship design review
Here's a video from someone who observed a design review for Starship[1]. From the sound of it, Elon is in the thick of it in the R&D engineering. [1] this video
