tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post6843014873255595731..comments2024-03-28T08:06:43.198-04:00Comments on The Silicon Graybeard: Lockheed Martin Proposes Huge Lunar Lander for NASASiGraybeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-80553166951885949012018-10-07T15:23:24.913-04:002018-10-07T15:23:24.913-04:00The what and how concern me less than the "wh...The what and how concern me less than the "why". Luna is actually a rather poor place to put a military outpost. UNLESS what you want is a guard shack to lock up something you want a lot more. Otherwise it is a crapton of money and dead guys for a big ball of vacuum packed dust. So WHY is my question. What did they find that makes them want to risk bankrupting the nation, and killing a generation of our best? That the part that none of us know. And YES I read Heinlein and Niven and A.C.Clark and all the pulps. I have been space happy since I was a pup.---RayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-90210023498262901092018-10-06T22:43:04.200-04:002018-10-06T22:43:04.200-04:00Heinlein also talked about orbital bombardment in ...Heinlein also talked about orbital bombardment in "The Moon is a Harse Mistress."<br /> Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-65795548695578156352018-10-06T22:28:02.307-04:002018-10-06T22:28:02.307-04:00rods of godrods of godindyjonesoutherenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-19187067937388759552018-10-06T17:19:58.996-04:002018-10-06T17:19:58.996-04:00And don't forget that nukes aren't needed....And don't forget that nukes aren't needed. If one can get rocks into freefall from that height, they'll impact with plenty enough kinetic energy. I think that was a Larry Niven book. <br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-61797224598306791522018-10-06T17:11:06.231-04:002018-10-06T17:11:06.231-04:00Space was weaponized years ago by Russia and more ...Space was weaponized years ago by Russia and more recently by China. I assume the U.S. did as well. I also assume that any realistic assessment of fighting a potential nuclear war must include the likelyhood that your enemy has nukes in space and maybe in a few years on the moon. So I don't think this is "unknown".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-13845178828255448982018-10-06T12:35:04.251-04:002018-10-06T12:35:04.251-04:00The whole point, and the one y'all are missing...The whole point, and the one y'all are missing, is the militarization of Luna. The "Space Academy" and US Space Force have been made into jokes. They shouldn't be. Somebody wants, To quote NASA "Boots on the moon". IMO NOBODY in the Pentagon plans on waiting till 2025 to do this. For whatever unknown to us reason. The military wants bases on the moon at least, and they want them yesterday. Not just our military ether. --RayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-11797925515841356402018-10-06T11:15:47.428-04:002018-10-06T11:15:47.428-04:00A colossal waste of money. Build the wall. 3000 ...A colossal waste of money. Build the wall. 3000 Americans are killed every year by illegal aliens. 100's of thousands of other crimes committed by illegal aliens. 100's of billions of dollars used to support and mitigate the damage caused by illegal aliens. We have troubles here on earth that need fixing before we throw money at the moon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-1442595242605743662018-10-06T01:03:31.505-04:002018-10-06T01:03:31.505-04:00And precisely - and honestly - what is the desired...And precisely - and honestly - what is the desired outcome? What do they plan to bring back other than a few more rocks? As a practitioner of the "science" of logistics, I fail to see any worthwhile end results other than finally proving, "without a shadow of a doubt", that there has actually been an American Astronaut on the moon.Philhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14740225198076205725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-90132047454457488852018-10-06T00:18:18.361-04:002018-10-06T00:18:18.361-04:00Show me the spreadsheet for how this forcible taxe...Show me the spreadsheet for how this forcible taxed "investment" earns me a return as a taxpayer. I'm still waiting for the Saturn V blueprints for my peace dividend. Recently NASA blueprinted a Saturn V main engine, built the bell differently without so much OA torch handwork, and fired it. I haven't received my CAD solid model files and operational firing data from that peace dividend, either.<br /><br />As they Muppets said, "Pigs in Space!!". Space pork. After the Great Default, I'm looking forward to reading conservative blogs whining about how if only the liberals hadn't stabbed them in the back, they would have won in VN|Obamacare|gun control|tariffs.<br /><br />I've heard "mining lunar water" means the equivalent of roasting it out of concrete.<br /><br />When NASA goes back to the moon in 2030, they won't have a problem with resupply; they can refill at one of the many fine Chinese restaurants.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-42190490789768651942018-10-05T22:33:05.214-04:002018-10-05T22:33:05.214-04:00My question is what they will do to mitigate lunar...My question is what they will do to mitigate lunar dust, which caused a host of problems within the original LEMs, both to equipment and to the crew. <br /><br />A reusable system must have some way of either barrier quarantining or active removal of dust.<br /><br />Though I have to be encouraged that LockMart has decided to try to out-SpaceX SpaceX in dreaming big. <br /><br />I like the idea of a SSTO lunar transport. Once the underlying infrastructure of fuel depot/fuel extraction is set up. Till then a system like the original LEM leaving behind the landing stage (and equipment for serving as a fuel depot/fuel extraction) may be more sensible.<br /><br />But still, finally, someone besides the SXers are thinking big and doable.<br />Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-66071702526070532362018-10-05T21:56:22.714-04:002018-10-05T21:56:22.714-04:00Dumb. They need to go back and read Tom Kelly...Dumb. They need to go back and read Tom Kelly's book on the Apollo Lunar Lander, then read Dr. John Houbolt's treatise on Lunar Orbit Rendezvous. Apollo got it right. We may have better computers and communication, but a) orbital mechanics doesn't change and b) fuel is still the most previous commodity in a spacecraft.Backwoods Engineerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13666984602233967254noreply@blogger.com