Space and Science BS Thread

Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe:
https://x.com/rocketlab/status/1744471371831493053?s=46

RL recovery missions - maybe this time for sure.

 

https://x.com/astrobotic/status/1744412283743199585?s=46
https://x.com/astrobotic/status/1744419692813443333?s=46
https://x.com/astrobotic/status/1744469638640005538?s=46
https://x.com/astrobotic/status/1744543629392134194?s=46
https://x.com/astrobotic/status/1744770456626893215?s=46
https://x.com/astrobotic/status/1744835489838854215?s=46
Sad for Astrobiotic… A win for the Navajo Nation and ULA.

I’m sure ULAs market price has bumped up a bit but not much… Too bad BO isn’t able to mass produce BE4s like the Raptor v3..

 

Kinks in the Artemis timeline are becoming apparent:
https://x.com/astro_jose/status/1744532055319605568?s=46

 

That’s kinda odd. I thought #2 was supposed to demonstrate manual maneuvers in earth orbit followed by a repeat of #1’s trajectory. What’s to be gained by just repeating #1 without the manual maneuvers? That’s a shitload of money to spend without moving the envelope at all.

 

This is where it would be advantageous to have orbital recovery methods to retrieve payloads when possible.

 

Like the Shuttle with exponentially more delta-v…

 

https://x.com/airandspace/status/1744788665509756999?s=46

 

https://x.com/nasa/status/1744795716013175212?s=46

 

From today’s press conf:
https://x.com/nasawatch/status/1744801296341729605?s=46
Another way of putting it:
https://x.com/sciguyspace/status/1744801160777638265?s=46
Also;
https://x.com/jeff_foust/status/1744807740021633382?s=46

 

Something like that but was thinking in terms of combining retrieval with a space station to possibly reload into an undamaged ship rendezvous for relaunch from there. The station and tugs could be used for capture and processing sample returns as well ongoing debris removal using multiple drones on varying orbits. We need to start thinking in terms of how to set up for salvage as well as orbital industry.

 

Meanwhile, in Starliner news:
https://x.com/commercial_crew/status/1744828629589070150?s=46

 

I'm betting they try for 12 starship launches this year.

 

They’d be the hero if they could get Art III on the moon earlier than September ‘26.

 

It’s currently taking a month from after cryo testing to get the engines installed and basically another after that to do checks, SF’s, more checks, then FTS install. It took a month to fix the OLM so unless they set up to SF boosters elsewhere it could remain 2 months minimum between launches even with all the cryo work being done at Massey’s. I don’t think they’ll be ramping up much from that pace until after the current building phase is completed and they’ve tested at least one of the next iteration Starships and complete another stage one or figure out how to fry the OLM a bit less.

 

Not if the first launch isn't until February.

RGV Arieal shows that they are building a flame trench next to the Booster Cryo stand, and with the increase in the Massey's tank farm, it isn't that hard to figure out that SFs of Boosters and Ships will occur at Massey's. Plus, that would need to happen anyway to increase launch cadence without testing interrupting that.

 

That would be helpful if true. Could it be for containing cryo spills instead? Seems like a lot of greenery around for SF’s. Do they have enough LOX storage to fill a booster? We’ll just have to see.

 

X-59 being unveiled Friday 1600 EST. The new way of supersonic travel. Trying to soften the boom into a thump Nasa and Lockheed say.

Https://www.nasa.gov/mission/quesst

 

The flame trench is pointed to the south, towards the horseshoe of water that surrounds Masseys. Plus, it would be more steam than fire coming out of the flame trench. Plus plus, Massey's is pretty much devoid of vegetation at this point.

As far as LOX, I am not for sure, but the Massey's tank farm looks very much as large as the OTF hotdog tanks currently at the launch site.

 

https://x.com/RGVaerialphotos/status/1741152764397269105?s=20

 

Just watched episode 102 and they didn’t think boosters would be tested, only ships. @~16:15. That sounds more plausible.