Space and Science BS Thread

Interesting! I thought the fairings stayed on until reaching orbit.

 

They separate around 65-70 miles up and fall back to Earth.

 

Do they use parachutes to soften the impact?

 

Yep. Here's a couple cool videos of the process. They used to try to catch them on ships with huge nets but ended up deciding it was just cheaper to recover them and refurbish them after splashdown.

 

That’s freaking cool! Thanks for posting these videos!

 

Cool pic of the morning:
https://twitter.com/w00ki33/status/1465189672447975424?s=21

 

They stay on until space, but once they're in space they're just unnecessary mass so you're ejecting them.

 

I wonder if the discussion includes Starliner?
https://spaceexplored.com/2021/11/2...ing-commercial-docking-capability-to-prichal/

 

I can see them doing it with the Orion capsule but would the much larger mass of Starliner make them leery of even attempting that test with the ISS? I’d also expect HLS/Orion docking tests to be done apart from any other orbital facilities. Would they construct a satellite docking module specifically to test the larger crafts prior to risking both vehicles?

 

I don’t think Orion is intended for LEO destinations whereas Starliner is designed to go to the ISS and should be under consideration (if it’s actually gonna fly).

As for Orion/Starship dockings, short of Gateway, I think ship to ship would be the most efficient. We’ve been practicing ship to ship rendezvous for over 60 years now so the risks should be known and planned for.

 

My bad, I miss read that article completely and had to go look up wtf Starliner was(too many different capsules). One more excuse for Boeing to delay it. Maybe that’s why the emphasis is on having crew dragon add the adapter. Still, regarding lunar missions I’d think they’d test new ships docking to other new ships in earth orbit prior to lunar orbit. The procedure should be mundane but it’s still new ships.

 

Agreed. That’s what Apollo 9 was all about!

 

orion to ISS is a) stupid and b) only make sense if ISS is the 'shipyard' for a further voyage. and c) ... IDSS is a standard for a reason. So if orion meets some version of that standard, it should be perfunctory to dock there. If it doesn't, we should ask 'why isn't it a standard dock adapter.

 

Disagree. Identical interfaces should behave identically.

 

Should looms large at a quarter million miles.

 

Orion to ISS was already pointed out as a non starter. The problem isn’t the standard but the transition to an updated one and the fact that ISS only has 2 ports of the new standard but 7 of the Russian type. It would seem to make more sense to use a different docking module on the Rusky side but that might only be seen as a convenience from our point of view. They have plenty of access but only two standard ports limits our missions(unless we do something about it).

 

Hold on….

I was talking about testing new craft in LEO.

Gumdrop and Spider tested out CSM and LM docking in LEO before Apollo 10s all up rehearsal in lunar orbit.

 

https://twitter.com/space_station/status/1465561652754063363?s=21

https://twitter.com/cbs_spacenews/status/1465745489811456003?s=21

A surprising turn of events:
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1465761470147346435?s=21

 

All is not rosy at SpaceX:

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/30/elo...ps-raptor-engine-crisis-risks-bankruptcy.html

https://www.theverge.com/2021/11/30...acex-raptor-engine-crisis-bankruptcy-starship

https://twitter.com/djsnm/status/1465760372040736769?s=21

 

https://twitter.com/spacedotcom/status/1465691540668489728?s=21

He’s the guy who signed up for the Starship circumlunar flight..