Space and Science BS Thread

Just in case you wanted to know:

https://twitter.com/nasapersevere/status/1408468279669051407?s=21

 

Now THIS was what I was looking forward to hearing that copter take off and land but NOOOO!

I get to hear selfie shutter clicks . . .

We might accidentally crash the copter into the rover and destroy the entire mission . . . [details!]

Seriously, I think this is ALL cool as hell!

 

I wish all selfies required a team of engineers working on them for a week+. Then maybe we'd have a lot less of them.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdemFfbS5H0

 

Question about how the multiple ‘floors’ work in the VAB as they’re assembling the SLS.

Pics I’ve seen show the floor levels closely wrapping around the core stage and the solid boosters.

Are the floor levels adjustable to fit around or are new floors built to accommodate the specific rocket? Or is there some other mechanism at play?

TIA

 

Can't speak with any direct knowledge so take my speculation for just that: seeing as how only three different launch vehicles have been assembled in the VAB, I'm guessing the levels are "permanent" per vehicle and designed specifically for each.

 

This is the government we're talking about. They rip that stuff out, throw the old stuff away, and put in new stuff.
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/09/vab-high-bay-3-platforms-removed-sls/

 

@200808taco looks like what I was thinking: the levels are "permanent" in as much as they're there for the duration of their respective launch vehicles and replaced for subsequent vehicles.

 

You would think the best option would be to make levels that slide in and out to fit each vehicle as needed.

 

I would assume that the structure for any new platform would interfere with the existing platforms, and they’re never going to have to assemble a shuttle (or Saturn V) for flight in the VAB ever again, so there’s no reason to keep unused structure around that you now have to maintain in that nice Florida sea-salt-laden air. I’m just glad they’ve been able to keep the VAB useful (although not sure I’d actually call SLS a “use”).

 

Exactly. Plus each vehicle will need access at different levels/heights. Who knows, the basic structure of floors are probably reused with the specific vehicle surrounds fab'd and moved to the necessary levels.

 

https://twitter.com/nasagroundsys/status/1409591021831340034?s=21



Also, at this time, Transporter-2 still a go for tomorrow. Check favorite source for details for this RTLS flight

 

I mean it's awesome that they literally built the building so that they have huge, solid floors on many levels of the rocket, but I think it's a little excessive.

Then again, I've heard everything happening at starsbase is in an R&D phase and everything may be torn down to create a huge rocket factory eventually.

 

Starbase being torn down wouldn’t surprise me. Yeah, they’re going gang busters now but it all seems temporary to me. Elon wants 100s or even more Starships flying all over the globe and beyond. They’re not gonna do that out of the high bay and some tents.

Also, he’s not an idiot. Look up Boca Chica in any 100 year rising sea level projections..

 

Many have made themselves a boatload of $$.

 

Includes link to EM’s presentation:

https://www.cnet.com/news/elon-musk-will-speak-at-mwc-about-starlink-how-to-watch/

 

Just watched a short documentary on Apollo 9 and I knew that one of the objectives was a translation from Spider to Gumdrop that was nixed. But it got me thinking (i.e. popping fuses)...All the missions that landed left their PLSS's on the surface to save weight so how would an emergency translation have taken place?

I know on later missions the CMP made EVAs to retrieve film canisters from the SM via an umbilical cord. I'm assuming that would have been long enough to reach the LM but that would still require astronauts to disconnect from LM "house" life support and then connect to the umbilical and then back to the "house" in the CM. Was that even possible?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qnD0bgjGOk

RTLS landing, almost a hundred satellites being launched.

 

Please tell me it was the Navy causing the scrub...

 

Interesting question. (Not that I answered it )

Looks like the surface and EVA PLSS were two different systems. Makes sense the lunar surface ones would be jettisoned due to weight because both the LM and CM could provide the necessary support.

For the trans- earth EVA, only the CMP looks to have one on and the other two were connected via umbilicals.

https://www.americaspace.com/2017/12/17/walking-in-the-void-45-years-since-the-last-deep-space-eva/


Bonus reading- everything you’d want to know about the Apollo era PLSS development:
https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/ALSJ-FlightPLSS.pdf