tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post1670860659242342174..comments2024-03-28T08:06:43.198-04:00Comments on The Silicon Graybeard: A Set of Predictions for the Year in Space - 2021SiGraybeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-6813927720175423292021-01-06T09:34:08.081-05:002021-01-06T09:34:08.081-05:00I have been having tbe same misgivings that you ha...I have been having tbe same misgivings that you have expressed if and most likely the Democrats rule this country (notice I did not say govern).BillBhttps://www.lastfrontierinbandera.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-73658096421898003192021-01-06T07:27:58.178-05:002021-01-06T07:27:58.178-05:00I firmly believe that a new administration will sh...<i>I firmly believe that a new administration will shutter private and semi-private space exploration companies.</i> <br /><br />There's - perhaps - a foreshadowing of that generating some whispers now. SpaceX wants to do more from Boca Chica, including some orbital flights, if I understand it all. The FAA has decided their previous inspections and certifications won't count if they go that high. They're being looked at again, and it just has this whiff of putting up barriers. My interpretations; it might be as routine as can be, but I see a few words here and there about it.<br /><br />To be honest, it's a strange situation. There are residential areas on the island, just outside SpaceX's gate. The whole island is about two miles long, so they're closer than that to each other. Musk has tried to buy them out and wasn't successful. <br /><br />It's rather more dangerous than the guy in the neighborhood with several cars up on blocks in his yard, which is just an eyesore ;-)<br /><br />Of course, I'd be happy if they moved here but that's no reason to do anything. They had or still have a facility in Cocoa that was working on Starship and that operation appears to be shut down.<br /><br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-45633620402939519852021-01-06T02:42:34.185-05:002021-01-06T02:42:34.185-05:00You can see it in their "Pride of Workmanship...You can see it in their "Pride of Workmanship" standards. Where it absolutely has to be good, it's built and finished to very high standards. Where it doesn't have to be so good, like the metalwork and paint on the outer skin, it isn't. I've seen way better rattlecan paint jobs done by 15 year old kids. But, "It Works". Until somebody wires up some gyros backwards, or loads a wrong program into it, or....drjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647484115197408897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-43600028363252294602021-01-05T23:02:03.649-05:002021-01-05T23:02:03.649-05:00That is, if the administrations don't change.
...That is, if the administrations don't change.<br /><br />I firmly believe that a new administration will shutter private and semi-private space exploration companies. On at least an 'environmental' basis and going up to out-right pandering of the ChiComs.<br /><br />So, yes, the future in 2021 for Space may be bright and shiny. Or...<br /><br />And ULA basing their rocket on vaporware-motors was and is dumb. If I were they (ULA)(hey, hey, that rhymes...) I would be working my overly bloated corporate corpse to a high sweat in finding another supplier. Of course, now that LockMart has bought Aerojet Rockedyne, mayhaps that is EXACTLY what is going on. I am sure that there is a design in AjRd's vast files that can be whipped out and working way before actual working models of BO's motor arrive (if ever...)<br /><br />Heck, I'm surprised ULA hasn't tried sucking up to SpaceX for a couple Raptors or even a brace of Merlins or something.<br /><br />I hope the future of space exploration includes the United States as a front-runner, rather than sucking hind-teat on a second-rate system like what the ChiComs and the Russkies use (sorry, not, but the Soyuz system was, is and always will be a friggin nightmare. We'd do better building Geminis and upsized versions of the Gem. Way too many close calls and 'Eh, it verks' attitude about their lauchers and space vehicles.)Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.com