This article does a fantastic job of explaining how SpaceX will become the primary launch vehicle for the US and for the world.  They are going to be able to launch payloads to orbit for 1/10th the cost of alternative launch platforms.

To fairly compare the two rocket performances, you really have to look at the numbers. Although the Falcon Heavy looks similar to a Delta 4 Heavy, its performance is much higher and, simultaneously, its cost per launch is much lower. It can put 53 metric tons (117,000 lbs) in orbit compared to the Delta 4 Heavy’s 23 metric tons (or 50,600 lbs), a 230% improvement. At the same time, it only costs about $100 million per launch, while the Delta 4 Heavy launches cost $435 million each (calculated from an Air Force contract of $1.74 billion for 4 launches).

Comparing the payload costs to orbit is useful here. The Delta 4 Heavy can put up 23 metric tons at about $19 million/ton or $8600 per pound). If it could put up 53 metric tons at the same price per ton, then that payload launch would cost almost exactly 1 billion dollars. Since the Falcon Heavy’s posted price per launch centers on 100 million dollars (and the corresponding payload price is about $850 per pound or $1.9 million per ton), it is easy to see that the future (< 2 years) price of a commercial Falcon Heavy launch per unit weight is almost exactly one-tenth of the current Delta 4 Heavy price.

Elon Musk has a vision to make the human race a pan-solar system species.  He is our own D. D. Harriman from Heinlein’s “The Man Who Sold the Moon”. 

26 days.

...this could also make trips into orbit agonisingly slow, adding nine days or more to a climb that – at several hundred kilometres per hour – might already take about 15 days.

How many games of pinochle can you play on your way up the elevator?

Space elevator trips could be agonisingly slow

Look! In the Sky. It’s a Rocket Racer.

eh...what?  It wasn't you?  Oh it must of been one of the other many daredevil astronaut/test-pilot types that read the rivet.  It's one of our core demographics you know...the astronaut.

Racers in rocket-powered aircraft will fly four laps around a five-mile “track” at anywhere from 150 feet to 1,500 feet above the ground. The planes, designed to fly at 340 miles an hour, will start side by side, two at a time. The pilots include professional test pilots who received their training in the military and a former astronaut.

This is a great idea...

Red Bull Air Race already has a competition with acrobatic prop planes.  I guess that isn't hairy enough.  I mean 240+ miles an hour, doing flips and stuff...not enough.

Add rockets.

Race 'em together.

50% faster.  100% louder.  100% more dangerous...what's not to like.

I've been thinking about this lately.  You see, I'm becoming a runner.  Never been before but I think you'd have to say that I'm getting there.  Which brings me to this point.  I think my "hull speed" is a 9 minute mile.

For those of you not familiar with "hull speed" it refers to a boats natural "max-speed".  Essentially the point at which you have to begin expending vastly more energy into the boat to get incremental speed increases.  For our family's Cal 40 sailboat that is approximately 6+ knots (6.5 maybe).

For me and running it appears that the 9 minute mile is about where my body likes to be.  Check out this chart.

Of course I have a chart, I'm a geek aren't I?

Anyways, the first datapoint is from February 6th.  Just coming off the long winters break and I walked half my route.  But look at the way the curve is settling down very nicely right at the 9 minute mile mark.

My goal of course is to get it much lower than that, but I anticipate having to expend a lot more energy to get there...and the energy is being expended vastly right now...at least that is the subjective opinion on the ground.

For those of you interested in this chart, go here: running log

If you know me you know I love Porsches.  Although I'm a bit more of a classic Porsche guy.

Rather than a new Porsche guy.

But this guy REEAALLY loves a Porsche. He broke the highest speed recorded by the British police...and that isn't a good thing.

I've lost my job, said driver clocked doing 172mph. Now his liberty has gone too.

...oops.