# Catching Rockets with Musk Sticks

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2024-10-21
- Episode: 680
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/680-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks/

## Summary

Dave Jones and Chris Gammell discuss the SpaceX Starship 'Mechazilla' catch, with Jones explaining the engineering precision of landing on the arms rather than catching them. They detail Jones's experience getting stuck to an EV charger due to a solenoid lock-in pin and the manual override required to free his Hyundai Ioniq. The conversation covers EV charging infrastructure, including connector types and high-power water-cooled stations, and Gammell's new JLCPCB feature for auto-incremented QR codes on PCBs. Finally, they debate Hackaday's comment moderation policy, the safety implications of firmware-upgradable multimeters, and the supply chain impact of Hurricane Helene on quartz mining in Spruce Pine.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=0) Introduction: SpaceX Starship Mechazilla Catch
- [2:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=158) Dave Jones's EV Charger Lock-in Incident
- [7:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=434) EV Charging Connectors and Infrastructure
- [19:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=1181) EV Maintenance and Coolant Issues
- [20:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=1250) JLCPCB Auto-Incremented QR Codes
- [25:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=1524) Bryman Multimeter Firmware and OTP Chips
- [32:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=1949) Embedded World North America and Zephyr
- [37:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=2236) Hackaday Comment Moderation Debate
- [47:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=2827) Job References and Musk Sticks Candy
- [1:01:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks#t=3687) Hurricane Helene and Quartz Supply Chain

## Topics

- [PCB design & layout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pcb-design)
- [Microcontrollers & dev platforms](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/microcontrollers-and-platforms)
- [Test & measurement](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/test-and-measurement)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Careers & education](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/engineering-careers-and-education)
- [Wireless & RF](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/wireless-and-rf)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- SpaceX (company)
- Hyundai Ioniq (product)
- JLCPCB (company)
- Bryman BM2257 (product)
- MeshTastic (product)
- Spruce Pine (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep106: Connector Kerfuffle, Tuning Fork Time, Spinach Contact Prints, and Tesla's Permanent Memory](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-02-19-ep106-connector-kerfuffle-tuning-fork-time-spinach-contact-prints-and-teslas-per) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [233: Always the Wrong Way](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/embedded-fm/2018-02-09-233-always-the-wrong-way) (Embedded.fm)
- [Ep 335: Beer, Toast, and Pi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-08-29-ep-335-beer-toast-and-pi) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 330: Hover Turtles, Dull Designs, and K'nex Computers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2025-07-25-ep-330-hover-turtles-dull-designs-and-knex-computers) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 126: Cable 3D-Scanner, Tesla Charger Robot, Ultrasonic Anemometer, and a Zoetrope](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2021-07-09-ep-126-cable-3d-scanner-tesla-charger-robot-ultrasonic-anemometer-and-a-zoetrope) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2024-10-21-catching-rockets-with-musk-sticks. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.