Space and Science BS Thread

Up close:
https://twitter.com/izqomar/status/1670865148599205891?s=46

 

https://twitter.com/nasagoddard/status/1671539225286660097?s=46

Happy Summer y’all

 

https://twitter.com/tylerg1998/status/1671582708315693075?s=46

End of an era..

The F9 will be launching Cygnus to the ISS for a bit while NG gets a new rocket operational.

https://twitter.com/tylerg1998/status/1671584712328978444?s=46

 

I’ve always wondered why the longest day of the year isn’t midsummer and the shortest midwinter.

 

They are.

 

No, each of those days signals the beginning of the season, not the middle.

 

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=when+is+midsummer

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=when+is+midwinter

 

https://investors.leidos.com/news-a...sfully-completes-1st-test-launch/default.aspx

 

Because google is never wrong? How can the first day of summer also be the middle of summer?

 

It would be cool if as part of the flight profiles for OFT-2 Starship and Super Heavy they include virtual Mechazillas they can target for approach maneuvers at each of the splashdown locations. Obviously that’s down on the list of priorities but if they do succeed to the point where one or both still has the capability it would be amazing to see them attempt to execute those maneuvers. It took several years to dial in F9 booster landings and these will require whole new sets of data and flight profiles so each launch becomes an invaluable possible source for that. Remember that Falcon had the benefit of a series of hop tests specifically for the purpose of recovery to landing as well as the actual satellite deployment missions but this system is targeting a catch instead and isn’t otherwise operational. Basically they can’t learn it until they start attempting it and they won’t have a lot of time to figure it out.

 

I wonder what NASA envisions for a Starship LEO destination. Space station? Habitable Hubble? Refueling depot for lunar transfers? Ginormous LIFE module? I’d think a depot would need something like a combination of solar panels and the JWST solar shade.

 

https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/status/1672631332814442498?s=46

 

With no payload why be concerned about a 10% benefit(seems way optimistic)over the risk of damage to the booster? That seems to argue in favor of doing everything possible to reach orbit even if it’s a temporary expedient. That makes a lot of sense now when reaching orbit has a high priority while recovery is a much later goal. “Just get us high and fast enough to separate and try for orbit” is what I’m getting from this.

 

Kick ass historical pic o’ the day:
https://twitter.com/airandspace/status/1673058645309812737?s=46

 

If it stays at 90% of what this says, it’s gonna be an monumental shift in human history (imho):
https://twitter.com/grandpajoe42/status/1673383403717009424?s=46

This is the first of about 10 tweets, lemme know if I need to cut and past them here.

 

Wouldn’t surprise me if they get permanently dropped from future SpaceX manifests.
https://twitter.com/spacedotcom/status/1673428990621622272?s=46

 

Until they achieve reusability they’ll need 1-1 correspondence on boosters and ships and I don’t see them stockpiling very many ships until they figure out the crew version which will need most of them. Until Star Factory is complete they’ll need some of the excess acreage for shuffling. Enough tankers to achieve a fill cadence(maybe 2-4 each at the cape and Boca Chica), enough Pez dispensers(maybe 2-each location as well), at least 2 but likely more HLS and sightseeing prototypes. Some version of an alternate payload bay for ride share. Even after they start catching them they’ll need to go over each one thoroughly before it can relaunch. The rapid part won’t start until the FAA is satisfied. I’m really curious what shape the rest of the factory will take and whether some part of it will accommodate fully stacked ships with a floor raised to airlock height or how far they’ll take modular construction. I could easily see a line of high bays on the ring yard end of the tents with payload height access along the factory side.

 

Vandenberg, nothing like it:

 

A little bit ‘o brain science (and possible retort to those that harp on the same thing year after year )
https://twitter.com/novapbs/status/1673481269961797632?s=46