Shyster's thread of Spaaaace.

[Gaucho]

boo

[Shyster]

[tifosi77]

There was a story that came up last week how Artemis I failure is good for SpaceX.

I don't like that mentality. For the first time in my life I'm jazzed about the future of manned spaceflight (as opposed to having interest in its present goings on). Artemis I failure is....... just a failure imo. For all. I'm not rooting against anyone, or even really favoring one over the other. Whosoever brings me the Red Planet, I promise I'll buy you a beer.

[CBear3]

Whosoever brings me the Red Planet, I promise I'll buy you a beer.

That could carry some serious tidal consequences.

[shafnutz05]

Whosoever brings me the Red Planet, I promise I'll buy you a beer.

That could carry some serious tidal consequences.

I am always amazed at how many astronomical distances, orbits, etc. have to be just right to allow this planet to flourish. When you think about all of the things that had to turn out just right (comet leaving liquid water early in our planetary history, the moon being the exact "right" distance from the Earth, the presence of the gas giants protecting us, etc. Incredible.

[Shyster]

I don't view the Artemis program as a competitor for SpaceX. The SLS is expected to launch at a cadence of maybe once per year, and that's likely an optimistic estimate. The Artemis program currently does not have any plans to go beyond the Moon and the "Lunar Gateway" space station, the first component of which will launch on a Falcon Heavy and not the SLS. If the SLS were to be used for Mars missions, it wouldn't be until 2030 or later. SpaceX and NASA are aiming at significantly different uses for SLS and Super Heavy/Starship.

[tifosi77]

As many as six billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy, according to new estimates

Such is the vastness of the cosmos that there may be this many habitable worlds in the 'Goldilocks zone' of their star that can support life as we know it today just in our local galaxy.

[tifosi77]

I don't view the Artemis program as a competitor for SpaceX. The SLS is expected to launch at a cadence of maybe once per year, and that's likely an optimistic estimate. The Artemis program currently does not have any plans to go beyond the Moon and the "Lunar Gateway" space station, the first component of which will launch on a Falcon Heavy and not the SLS. If the SLS were to be used for Mars missions, it wouldn't be until 2030 or later. SpaceX and NASA are aiming at significantly different uses for SLS and Super Heavy/Starship.

No doubt. I just bristle at the notion that the failure of one is somehow a boon to the other.

[Gaucho]

[Shyster]

SpaceX is steadily working its way up to firing all engines on the Super Heavy booster. The most recent static-fire test was seven engines:

This thing with all 33 Raptor 2 engines up and running is going to sound like the wrath of God.

[robbiestoupe]

I think I'm more amazed at the structure being able to prevent all that thrust from throwing the cylinder into space.

Also lol at the 1:10 mark with the crane holding the penis ship

[shafnutz05]

[Gaucho]

Glorious.

[Shyster]

After replacing fuel-line seals on the pad, NASA conducted another tanking test for the Artemis 1 vehicle today. While another hydrogen leak was encountered, it wasn't large enough to stop the test, and NASA was able to fuel the vehicle and conduct a pressurization test. From a NASA blog:

The four main objectives for the demonstration included assessing the repair to address the hydrogen leak identified on the previous launch attempt, loading propellants into the rocket’s tanks using new procedures, conducting the kick-start bleed, and performing a pre-pressurization test. The new cryogenic loading procedures and ground automation were designed to transition temperature and pressures slowly during tanking to reduce the likelihood of leaks that could be caused by rapid changes in temperature or pressure. After encountering the leak early in the operation, teams further reduced loading pressures to troubleshoot the issue and proceed with the demonstration test. The pre-pressurization test enabled engineers to calibrate the settings used for conditioning the engines during the terminal count and validate timelines before launch day to reduce schedule risk during the countdown on launch day.

All objectives were completed. NASA will look at the data and decide how to proceed, but I think if the Space Force signs off on the battery issue with the launch-abort system, we should expect another launch attempt when the next window opens on September 27.

[Shyster]

[Shyster]

The issue with the Artemis I batteries might solve itself. With tropical storm Ian forecast to impact Florida as major hurricane, it's looking like NASA may need to roll the vehicle back to the VAB for protection, and they can change the batteries while it's there. That would delay a launch to no earlier than November.

[DigitalGypsy66]

Starlink launch was very visible for us along the coast tonight. Very cool. I wonder why we haven't seen more rocket launches like that? Maybe most are during the day?

[shafnutz05]

My old CG friend is a commercial pilot now. He had quite a view from the cockpit last night.

[Shyster]

Starlink launch was very visible for us along the coast tonight. Very cool. I wonder why we haven't seen more rocket launches like that? Maybe most are during the day?

Couple reasons, and the timing is a major reason. First, when launches are right around dawn or dusk, thanks to the curve or the Earth, it can be dark on the ground, but the rocket can be illuminated by sunlight once it gets high enough. The sun lights up the rocket's exhaust, with usually spectacular results. That happened this time. Second, most launches from CCSFB in Florida are to lower-inclination orbits, such as geostationary orbits, which means rockets are generally flying away from the US mainland to the southeast. But SpaceX's Starlink satellites are launched to higher inclinations, which means that the vehicle in this case was flying an angle up the east coast.

[Shyster]

[Shyster]

[Shyster]

[shafnutz05]

Wow

[DigitalGypsy66]

Readers/viewers of The Expanse know that asteroids are a real threat to the planet. This is good news.

[robbiestoupe]

Readers/viewers of The Expanse know that asteroids are a real threat to the planet. This is good news.

Just the ones propelled by man, right?