Space and Science BS Thread

https://x.com/rookisaacman/status/1832985581942379000?s=46

 

Any guesses on where NASA might look for developing alternate crew support if Boeing taps out? Sierra Space, ESA, maybe JAXA or even ASA? I’d hate to be working in Boeing’s financial operations these days.

 

Im a big SpaceX fan, but the tower movement when closing the chopsticks is insane. Couple that with what ever will happen when the rocket is sitting there hovering, and I have some doubts they will get that little peg in that little hole.

 

With the booster I think all they have to do is have the pegs over the rails somewhere rather than a specific spot along the rails. Getting pivoted to the correct alignment won’t be a last second thing but continuously adjusted during descent. I believe the ship design is being altered to duplicate this rather than the V1 lifting slots. For me the question is how accurately they can target the booster since they still don’t have an excess of flight descent data with the booster fully under control and everything operating as it should. If it’s not on a very tight approach vector the attempt will probably get aborted fairly early on in order to gather more such data en route to an alternate gulf location. To even get approval they have to convince the FAA that the attempt isn’t as risky as it seems and that any abort will occur soon enough to miss the LZ by a comfortable margin. I hope we get to see it this time but won’t be terribly surprised if it doesn’t happen. The tower also has to survive the launch and be in shape to do its part as well and with no time for on site inspections they’ll be entirely dependent on telemetry from tower sensors for its condition. As soon as the shock waves from the launch diminish I expect to see some hardware verification tests get done.

 

Re: Catch .. I'm sure they'll figure it out, if not plan B will be 'catch the grid fins' like they originally proposed. Figure they moved to the smaller catch surface because they were sure they could do it.

...

Re: Starliner - apparently a couple of extra faults on the way down, too.

 

You do want some flex in your structure, especially one as tall as OLIT1. However, they have been putting doubler plates on the frame connections in the top third of the tower. In addition, they have been installing some "braces" close to the rail the chopsticks ride on to prevent them from jumping off the track.

NASASpaceflight has narrated daily video updates on YouTube if you want to keep up with the minutiae.

 

https://x.com/AustinDeSisto/status/1833440626978832437

https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1833460602171240793

 

I was able to get a tour of the Astronaut quarters where they quarantine before missions at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout(O&C) building today.

 

Oh I know you want some flex, but they got more than some. They've been doing doubler plates on every weld of the chopsticks, and crush cans. The NSF videos are where I saw the flexibility of the tower.

And I've never heard of them saying they would catch from the grid fins, only people speculating that. I doubt they could handle the weight of the booster, and would most likely just tear off.

 

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1344327757916868608?lang=en

From a couple of years ago. Plans have changed since then (to the smaller mounting points).

That said, you do realize that the fins need to be strong enough to take the aero load of the superheavy at supersonic speeds, going both up and down...

 

Just because Elon said it doesn’t mean it was the best option and if the best part is no part it stands to reason the pins were deemed a necessary addition. We aren’t privy to why but it’s possible that the pins are both stronger and allow easier movement along the rails after landing to align with the OLM. They certainly don’t have to worry about how landing shock affects the pivots and actuators this way.

 

The statement was "I never heard them say it", the quote points to the contrary.

That said, since the pins are below the grid fins, could act as a secondary 'oops' catch point in case they miss the pins. Or they could pivot back to fin based catches, they're pretty agile and will settle for what works and aren't afraid to iterate rapidly.

 

Only there aren’t grid fins on the ships and they need one system that works for both. It seems they are moving in the direction of pins on both for now.

 

Well, they don't 'need' but that's their plan for now. If things go too astray they could always pivot back to landing legs.

Gotta love hardware rich development.

 

Maybe prefer rather than need but it is entertaining watching that development occurring much more openly so we have the opportunity to debate possibilities. Whether the catch attempt occurs this launch or later has there been any word on operational payloads? Other than a new payload bay door I haven’t heard anything. This is probably the last opportunity to get one to orbit ahead of New Glenn. I’m starting to wonder if that objective is getting bumped down the road to V2.

 

https://x.com/spacex/status/1833676772157833486?s=46

 

With the exception of the items on the walls, that looks like any midwest doctor's office.

Also, the RGV Aerial highlight vid yesterday was pretty good. It included some renders on what they think the "flame trench" will look like for Pad B.

 

It's very much unspectacular. The building itself is an amazing building. The crew quarters are nothing fancy. Clean, tidy, simple. Every astronaut flown since 1964 has used the elevator and walked down the hall I walked down. The second picture with all the patches is the last place the families of the astronauts see their loved ones, through glass.

 

Apologies if I posted this here before but it’s always striking to me. Never Forget.
https://x.com/nasa/status/1833874646992658864?s=46

Read about Franks’s experiences:
https://x.com/kscartist/status/1833878738334892065?s=46

You youngsters weren’t around but the response was remarkable.

I was on the North Shore in MA on the coast. My fiancé at the time, and now wife of 22 years and 360 days, went to the beach at night. This was under one of the approaches to Logan Airport in Boston from the north. The pace of commercial airliners was constant and relentless up to that morning.

Those planes you see getting diverted and grounded in the post above was really quick until there were no planes. The silence was eerie. For 4 days, there were no planes, no sounds except for a sentry jet, sometimes two, flying up and down the coast. They’d go out of sight for a while and return a bit later. Went on like that until they opened up the US airspace 4 days later.

So many things get lost to time but the stories out of Canada those few days are amazing. The unity in the country was unmatched. The goodwill and unity across the globe was amazing too.

It all seems surreal now but it was real back then..

Thanks

 

POLARIS DAWN SPACEWALK
On Thursday, September 12, the Polaris Dawn crew will attempt the first-ever spacewalk – also known as an extravehicular activity (EVA) – from Dragon. The EVA is targeted to start at 5:58 a.m. ET. If needed, a backup opportunity is available on Friday, September 13.

A live webcast will begin about one hour prior to the start of the spacewalk, which you can watch live on spacex.com and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.

SPACEWALK OVERVIEW

While traveling in an elliptical orbit of ~190 x 700 km around the Earth, the Polaris Dawn crew will complete a pre-breathe process, perform suited mobility tests and inspections, and initiate pressurization checkouts prior to performing a final suit leak check and committing to the spacewalk.

Dragon’s cabin pressure will slowly lower to vacuum prior to hatch opening. Once opened, all four crewmembers will be exposed to the vacuum of space. Mission Commander Jared Isaacman (EV1) will exit Dragon, perform a series of mobility tests in the newly-designed SpaceX EVA suit, and return to Dragon’s cabin. Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis (EV2) will peform the same series of actions and, after re-entering Dragon, close the spacecraft’s hatch. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon will monitor vital support systems throughout the operation.

After hatch closure, Dragon will slowly repressurize while oxygen and nitrogen levels return to normal. The entire spacewalk operation is expected to take approximately two hours.

Go SpaceX! Go Polaris Dawn!