Space and Science BS Thread

The tracking shots of the first stage was incredible!

 

Another Apollo era astronaut has died:
https://twitter.com/nasawatch/status/1610317604966522880?s=46&t=iEDOR1i3SGZfDi9cagoF2Q

1/3 of the top ballsiest crews ever to fly:
https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4029/Apollo_07a_Summary.htm


An amazing string of manned missions all within a year. Apollos 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11
https://twitter.com/ap/status/1610409680970387456?s=46&t=bXgLbP8-CJz2djS0E6HtyA

 

https://twitter.com/launchphoto/status/1610374404655005697?s=46&t=bXgLbP8-CJz2djS0E6HtyA

 

If there was ever a metal print I would actually order...

 

Just a hop, skip or jump away!
https://twitter.com/nasaexoplanets/status/1610714700794286080?s=46&t=iG1bPmRJ4tRMtKtrBJ7gJQ

 

FH in the next week or so?
https://twitter.com/explorespaceksc/status/1611072503803174917?s=46&t=i2W_Ks5T328ZsrWaNL34Ig

 

Lets hope there's no fog!

 

I admit I rely heavily on this thread (& in particular @PzTank) for my space updates or point me in directions/rabbit holes.

Is this FH something kept under wraps until close to go time? Obviously not a situation that a client pops up and X says, 'OK! Let's ride next week!'

 

Several FH flights have been in the press for a couple of years. I think USSF67 was supposed to go originally in ‘21 but had several delays. There’s a few apps that do their best to estimate the launch date but, especially w national security flights, information can be spotty.

I figure once it hits Twitter, it‘s good to post up.

Thanks for the props

 

Super earth means what? A water world? If the planet is huge it’s interesting data but doesn’t seem attractive as a possible destination. Actual earth gravity is hard enough to escape that I don’t see us seeking out water worlds unless it’s in a range that maxes out at 1g and maybe preferable to explore .8g thereabouts. As it is we can only visit the surface of moons or sub 1g planets with any expectation of return. I like the idea of investigating remotely or from orbit but if we’re looking for planets we might someday send people to they’d have to have an acceptable gravity well. Getting an idea about their relative frequency is certainly valuable.

 

What is a super-Earth?
Super-Earths – a class of planets unlike any in our solar system – are more massive than Earth yet lighter than ice giants like Neptune and Uranus, and can be made of gas, rock or a combination of both. They are between twice the size of Earth and up to 10 times its mass.

https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/what-is-an-exoplanet/planet-types/super-earth/

 

Thanks, so it’s a pretty misleading moniker, not even necessarily earth like just bigger but still rocky. Earth is the largest rocky planet in our solar system. Still, surface gravity will determine which are actually accessible.

 

The links embedded in the Tweets can be informative.

In general, they’ve classified exoplanets with a system that most people can relate to.

 

(Woots to follow if it actually goes..)
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1611931024514060289?s=46&t=ZFj3u0TqOSIjreSYfqkEZQ

 

For Starship, I assume?

 

I don't follow X's Starship progress like some of you and dont know the names of some of these parts but-
They have taken down and removed the largest part of the crane that was assembling starship tower at 39A, that was before Christmas and have begun lifting parts in place that to me resemble the chop stick idea.
I still dont know if they are going to have a mobile flame deflector ala apollo I or what that plan is. Starship seems like it will be sitting very close to the ground.

 

The legs that will hold the launch table are the same height as in TX. I do know from the Space Coast Live stream that they are getting ready to attach the Chopstick arms to the carriage and then lift it onto the Launch Tower.

 

From what I can tell, the chopstick arms are attached to a permanent structure, laying horizontal waiting to be lifted and attached to the tower.

 

We’ll see if the extra cure time helps the slab. And we still don’t know if the required steps have been completed for licensing, there’s a review of those after the paperwork gets turned in before approval. B9 testing implies matching ship testing as well along with the follow up after B7 gets its upgrades. I still think mechazilla will be fully clad on the pad side as well since they can’t afford the down time the mobile launch tower does. More covering the OLM exterior as well.

 

Ah, I didn't realize they had attached them already.