Space and Science BS Thread

It came in pretty hot(fast) so I wonder if they could reduce the speed at which it leaves lunar orbit. It would still accelerate from the gravity neutral point but maybe not end up going as fast upon reentry.

 

From Reddit:


Someone’s living a deluded life..

 

Cool clip o’ the day:
https://x.com/mastronomers/status/1786441590422041060?s=46

 

Moon's reflection near the end? Seems too small in my mind

 

The spot in the middle just above the bottom? I’d say it IS the moon. What else could it be

Good catch

 

https://x.com/torybruno/status/1786514106112991349?s=46


Hopefully Starliner OFT-2 is successful allowing it to enter into regular crew rotations. That would half Crew Dragon flights. Any thoughts on if this excess capacity will be picked up by more private endeavors? Say more Axiom flights? Maybe other brokers?

 

Love learning new stuff about the Apollo era:
https://x.com/nasahistory/status/1786040452711346500?s=46

 

Didn’t know yesterday was National Space Day…. In any case, posting this pic for scale… truely amazing what the Shuttle and her crews accomplished.
https://x.com/commandermla/status/1786457485731135560?s=46

 

That's assuming they can build another one, let alone in a timely manner.

 

Yeah, good point.

Anyone hear if Butch and Suni are going to name this capsule?

 

Isn’t Dragon supposed to serve Vast Haven-1? And I expect further reductions when Sierra Space regularly flies DC and then gets the crew version certified. It was certainly good for Spacex to take advantage of the situation but I think there will be a gradual slowdown before things heat up again.

 

I’d be slightly amazed if DC goes into routine operations much less crew certification. There’s already reports the first flight will be delayed due to issues and one would think after at least 2 decades, maybe more, they would’ve made it by now. Not to mention it’s dependent on BE-4s….

 

https://x.com/annawmenon/status/1786769374851842094?s=46

 

Dream Chaser won’t be crew certified but it’s successor should be and is already under construction though I won’t be holding my breath. Also it’s supposed to launch on Vulcans but could be launched on F9’s as well. I think the whole space plane idea is a lot harder to accomplish than a capsule or it would be more in use and as fun as it is to watch, the business model Spacex uses to develop Starship probably isn’t available to them. I think BE-4’s will perform as projected, it’s BO’s production rate that has me concerned. Even there though I think they’ll get them done and they aren’t trying to meet the demand of 39 engines for thousands of Super Heavies so comparing them to Raptor production is more tempting than apt.

 

Here’s a short video of it.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fdELVCg2Ank

 

https://x.com/cnunezimages/status/1787107234360545752?s=46

Geez, that was a fast 3 YEARS

I’m thinking their iteration need to be iterating like no other if we’re going to get to the Moon by the end of this decade.

 

With the launch tomorrow, the US will add another human certified launch complex

https://x.com/boeingspace/status/1786862843414876163?s=46
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Canaveral_Space_Launch_Complex_41

 

https://x.com/commercial_crew/status/1787135168567710183?s=46

 

I don’t think anyone since Apollo has moved at this pace except the Chinese. I’m not certain Spacex can do 5 launches this year but they don’t seem to dread failure, instead they both count and thrive on it which along with their other successes providing plenty of funds allows all these disposable iterations. You’re absolutely right though, they have to keep up the pace of iterations and likely amp it up but considering what they’ve accomplished working in tents without bridge cranes I do believe the new Star factory facilities (including the office building) should at least double production right from the start and keep increasing as the larger plant crews learn the process and more robotics are introduced. Finishing up tile work, engine install, and flight prep will be the production/iteration bottle necks. With bridge cranes in the factory taller sections result in fewer seams needing to be tiled after stacking in the bays and Raptor 4’s should install and get flight prepped much faster as well. The bottleneck to launches remains the OLM but even if they only have the one launch system available for the next 18 months they should be well into Starlink launches and perfecting fuel transfer by then. They might have to accept “only” a 10-week flight cadence for now but with what they’ve learned I expect that to change drastically for OLIT-2. If they have the means along with the answers then if they can have 2 new OLIT’s operable by 2026 then HLS should be there for the taking. By the time OLIT-1 gets upgraded they should easily be able to complete a full launch and refueling mission profile. Say, 2027? It would not surprise me in the least if it was further delays at NASA and other Artemis partners that actually ends up driving the timeline to the moon. I’d like to say watch the progress on a gateway launch because they won’t launch it until they’re close but I’m beginning to think(and hoping as well) that the excessively cramped space in it might push them to include a LIFE module to the design(even a bare-bones empty one with a window, gateway doesn’t have one). 2 weeks in a windowless closet is going to be more of a challenge than the few days Apollo crews had to endure.