CEO Jim Farley says “It’s going to be a heck of an effort to launch this [Fathom] at scale, at cost, on time.”

rekamyenom

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I already gave up on the Slate, hoping the Fathom will be available in 2027. Fingers crossed. C'Mon Ford! Ramp it up!
 

onuiebvbevnulib

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I was hoping he would have said "hurled into space at a great speed". They gotta do something to one-up that Tesla stunt from a few years back. :)
Actually that "stunt" was pretty cool.

On February 6, 2018, SpaceX launched Elon Musk's personal cherry-red Tesla Roadster into space aboard the inaugural Falcon Heavy test flight.

Mission Details and "Starman"
  • The Payload: Elon Musk used his own 2008 Tesla Roadster as a dummy test mass instead of a boring block of concrete because he expected the experimental rocket to fail.
  • Starman: A mannequin wearing a SpaceX spacesuit sits in the driver's seat.
  • Live Stream: Cameras on the car streamed views of Starman with Earth in the background for a few hours before the batteries died.

Current Status in Space
  • Orbit: The car is in an elliptical heliocentric (Sun-centered) orbit that crosses the paths of Earth and Mars.
  • Location: You can track its estimated current distance and orbit progress in real-time using Where is Starman?.
  • Lifespan: Scientists expect the vehicle to remain in space for millions of years.
Complete Launch of Falcon Heavy Test Flight



Fairing Deploy & Starman (video queued just press play)

 
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onuiebvbevnulib

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Don't believe the clickbait!

by Patrick Anderson

There are a couple of articles like this one that are hinting that the Fathom could be delayed. Jim Farley just said it is a "heck of a job" to get it launched on time and on budget. He didn't say anything about it being delayed. It is still on track for 2027!
 

commadorebob

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Don't believe the clickbait!

by Patrick Anderson

There are a couple of articles like this one that are hinting that the Fathom could be delayed. Jim Farley just said it is a "heck of a job" to get it launched on time and on budget. He didn't say anything about it being delayed. It is still on track for 2027!
To be fair, that comment would apply even if Ford got it out early. It is a "heck of a job" to stand up a brand new production process.
 

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Nothing makes the Slatista happier than Fathom smack.

I'm not the least surprised that in our current culture that somehow the Fathom/Slate trucks have turned into yet another example of us vs them. But it's so strange that we are so willing to take the bait.

I've got 4 different shovels in the barn. Depending on the task, one shovel might be the better tool than the others. I personally might own BOTH a Slate and a Fathom. And honestly, one of the most exciting things about the possibility is that both combined would cost LE$$ than my F150.
 

commadorebob

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Nothing makes the Slatista happier than Fathom smack.

I'm not the least surprised that in our current culture that somehow the Fathom/Slate trucks have turned into yet another example of us vs them. But it's so strange that we are so willing to take the bait.

I've got 4 different shovels in the barn. Depending on the task, one shovel might be the better tool than the others. I personally might own BOTH a Slate and a Fathom. And honestly, one of the most exciting things about the possibility is that both combined would cost LE$$ than my F150.
I used to get sucked up in the brand debates, but I grew up. I don't understand the need to hitch our wagons to a specific brand. Unless you literally work for Ford, you make no money carrying their water. As I tell my scouts, the best tool for the job is the best tool available. For now, my needs require a small truck that only Ford offers. In the future, my needs may require a different brand.

When my dad worked for Chrysler during the Daimler days, he told me that the only reason people are proud of their Mercedes is that they are too proud to admit they made a poor purchasing decision. In my life, I have been bitten too many times by brand loyalty and pride when there has been an objectively better option.
 
 
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