Chips in a vacuum.

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/semiconductors/elon-musks-spacex-to-launch-reusable-fabships-for-orbital-chip-manufacturing-experiments-besxars-orbital-chipmaking-experiments-to-occur-over-12-launches

And here I thought you mean Ponch and Jon.

😂 me too ! A classic 

And why not? He's got unlimited government funds to play with.

1 hour ago, HiFlyer said:

And why not? He's got unlimited government funds to play with.

 

😁 No he hasn't. Starship, is 90% funded by SpaceX. The NASA contract is a drop in the bucket. Primary funding is from Starlink.

As for Falcon 9, SpaceX contracts are for NASA, Department of Defence, Space Force, NRO and numerous commercial companies. They make a product thats superior,  affordable, a product thats in demand. Reusable thus cheaper saving the tax payer money. SpaceX are the worlds largest launch provider.

They make and sell a product. Its not like the government think he's awesome and want to give him contracts for nothing, without a good value product in return. 😁

 

 

Edited November 4, 2025Nov 4 by martin-w

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

 No he hasn't. Starship, is 90% funded by SpaceX. The NASA contract is a drop in the bucket.

Elon Musk’s business empire is built on $38 billion in government funding

 

3 hours ago, Mace said:

And here I thought you mean Ponch and Jon.

And again, me too.😉

SpaceX Get`s government funding as part of involvement in US iron dome project.

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/elon-musks-spacex-will-reportedly-receive-usd2-billion-for-trumps-golden-dome-project-system-to-include-up-to-600-satellites-to-track-fast-moving-airborne-targets

12 hours ago, HiFlyer said:

And why not? He's got unlimited government funds to play with.

 

Its nothing to do with SpaceX funds. Besxar have purchased space on Falcon 9 to carry out their experiments. Its nothing to do with "government funds". SpaceX aren't funding these experiments, Besxar are. SpaceX were the best chouce for Besxar because they are the biggest launch provider on the planet and cheaper.

Did you think SpaceX were fabricating chips in space? 🙂

Your link is nothing to do with SpaceX, it relates to Tesla. Grants and loans are a longstanding feature of the auto industry, especially now with EVs, and Tesla paid back loans, with interest, so profit for tax payers, 9 years ahead of schedule. The first automotive company to do this. 

Im not a fan of Musk anymore, just like you, but your statement regarding  this chip companies purchase of space on a Falcon 9, is wrong.

Edited November 5, 2025Nov 5 by martin-w

8 hours ago, G-RFRY said:

SpaceX Get`s government funding as part of involvement in US iron dome project.

 

And... what?

If the US government needs a launch provider and SpaceX, the biggest provider on the planet, operating reusable tech, is the best option, why would they not chose their services?

You may not like Musk, you aren't alone, but i dont see you criticising other companies that provide the best product for "getting a contract". Do you think the US government should have chosen a more expensive, less suitable provider?

There's much to criticise Musk for, but pick the right things, not "everything".

IBTL

3 hours ago, martin-w said:

 

And... what?

If the US government needs a launch provider and SpaceX, the biggest provider on the planet, operating reusable tech, is the best option, why would they not chose their services?

You may not like Musk, you aren't alone, but i dont see you criticising other companies that provide the best product for "getting a contract". Do you think the US government should have chosen a more expensive, less suitable provider?

There's much to criticise Musk for, but pick the right things, not "everything".

Who`s criticising not me. I was posting something that was relevant to flight and space exploration. Why do you criticise people that don`t see your point of view.

1 hour ago, G-RFRY said:

Who`s criticising not me. I was posting something that was relevant to flight and space exploration.

 

So you weren't posting the Iron Dome contract link (which was nothing to do with making chips in space) to further the narrative that Musk's companies get government dosh in some kind of dubious way? Fair enough, apologies if you weren't... 👍

 

Quote

Why do you criticise people that don`t see your point of view.

 

You just said you hadn't posted anything, "that doesn't support my point of view".  

Or did you mean Devon's comment? In which case its nothing to do with points of its view, it was simply a case of correcting a false statement, in that...  what funds SpaceX have and where they got them is not relevant to a different company paying for space on a rocket to launch their tech that they funded.

Clearly Devon was mistaken and thought that this was some kind of SpaceX chip project funded by Musk and his company, hence the reference to "his" (Musk's) "unlimited government funds".

P.S. When I do criticize, its points of view, not people. 

Edited November 5, 2025Nov 5 by martin-w

5 hours ago, martin-w said:

Its nothing to do with SpaceX funds. Besxar have purchased space on Falcon 9 to carry out their experiments. Its nothing to do with "government funds".

Besxar has government funding (for an undisclosed amount of course) with the department of defense.

As with a lot of what Musk/Tesla and partners do, it doesn't take much shaking to find the government money in the tree, without which these "private" ventures would likely not survive.

To me at this point, its become a game of three card monte trying to follow the money, with networks of connected people and their companies quietly slicing up the funding of what would once have been national/government ventures belonging to the people.

I consider Musk a symptom of something deeper, which is the wholesale appropriation of public funds into unaccountable private hands that are simultaneously deleting (Musk's word) relevant regulatory agencies. (no checks and balances)

Examples of Government entities now proposed or considered for privatization

• Prisons
• Air traffic control
• Veterans Affairs
• Healthcare
• Roads and bridges
• Public lands and national monuments.
•  Public education
• Utilities, prisons
• Healthcare programs like Medicare and Medicaid
• IT, HR, and facilities management
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Misc. government-owned corporations.

Makes my teeth hurt. Others milage may vary