tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.comments2024-03-18T23:24:35.194-04:00The Silicon GraybeardSiGraybeardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comBlogger28938125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-25385682017583554592024-03-18T23:24:35.194-04:002024-03-18T23:24:35.194-04:00Might be better if NASA/the Feds started worrying ...Might be better if NASA/the Feds started worrying about the economy here first. <br />As long as we are dependent on riding giant rockets that are 90% fuel, 6% rocket and 4% cargo we aren't going to be living on the moon, Mars or anywhere else in meaningful numbers.Dannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-47966298642185343162024-03-18T15:28:25.677-04:002024-03-18T15:28:25.677-04:00What, they didn't stuff the lamb with a rabbit...What, they didn't stuff the lamb with a rabbit? What a lost opportunity!Malatropehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12187333180472067677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-5341098258192020742024-03-17T21:10:49.149-04:002024-03-17T21:10:49.149-04:00Just amazing. We are entering the future we were ...Just amazing. We are entering the future we were promised.John Wilderhttps://wilderwealthywise.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-2778554983646537632024-03-17T13:32:54.763-04:002024-03-17T13:32:54.763-04:00Plus, the non-stainless steels are generally stron...Plus, the non-stainless steels are generally stronger. But will they spontaneously disappear in the Gulf breezes? Or our Atlantic breezes?<br /> <br />One day: Starship and SuperHeavy. Next day, a mound of dark red dust. <br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-53879032168392326082024-03-17T11:14:48.765-04:002024-03-17T11:14:48.765-04:00If you decide to go with a disposable starship, ma...If you decide to go with a disposable starship, may as well skip stainless steel and go with some other steel for about a quarter of the price. jeff dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11706642547337893326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-276558307165030772024-03-17T08:43:55.400-04:002024-03-17T08:43:55.400-04:00That's what Bezos is working toward. Colonies...That's what <a href="https://thesilicongraybeard.blogspot.com/2019/05/bezos-blue-origin-reveal-their-moon.html" rel="nofollow">Bezos is working toward</a>. Colonies in space instead of on other planets. I suppose it's still the same amount of work because self-sustaining colonies on Mars aren't exactly going to be easy, either.<br /><br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-12649242105626451422024-03-17T06:01:22.362-04:002024-03-17T06:01:22.362-04:00You really think the watermelons are going to tole...You really think the watermelons are going to tolerate launch of a nuke?Mark Matisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-16514254763790034192024-03-17T04:30:17.669-04:002024-03-17T04:30:17.669-04:00Though it should have flown. Would have been an a...Though it should have flown. Would have been an asset. But, no...Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-87842676327399915412024-03-17T04:27:52.554-04:002024-03-17T04:27:52.554-04:00Doesn't count, never flew. But would have bee...Doesn't count, never flew. But would have been wonderful if it had.Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-30970433374380860532024-03-17T03:10:09.161-04:002024-03-17T03:10:09.161-04:00The X-20 DynaSoar used nickel-steel construction. ...The X-20 DynaSoar used nickel-steel construction. Only the nose cone was made from exotic materials. <br /><br />https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_X-20_Dyna-Soardrjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647484115197408897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-47964764492217139252024-03-17T01:57:37.049-04:002024-03-17T01:57:37.049-04:00I'd rather a Babylon 5, without the Shadows. ...I'd rather a Babylon 5, without the Shadows. An O'Neill cylinder powered by big arsed nuclear reactors. 5 kilometers long. Habitable cylinder with a diameter big enough to provide 1g on the 'surface' of the cylinder.Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-68860477876973008652024-03-17T01:55:19.122-04:002024-03-17T01:55:19.122-04:00It made it down to the 2nd layer of clouds before ...It made it down to the 2nd layer of clouds before blowing up. And it was reentering incorrectly, rolling and pitching in a way the aero surfaces could not act properly to slow the ship.<br /><br />It's just a curiosity thing. How well did the shell hold up unprotected? I mean, everyone else has been using aerospace composites and mixes to create the lightest frame and covering possible, and those have had very bad experiences coming through the atmosphere. Nobody's used, except for some reentry vehicles for delivery of nuclear devices, thick walled stainless steel.<br /><br />Reminds me of the Earth ships in David Drake's "Reaches" trilogy. Earth made ships out of metal, because Earth is full of metal. The metal ships handle reentry stresses better than other materials, like Venusian ceramic ships.Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-76289798169962961532024-03-16T22:38:37.627-04:002024-03-16T22:38:37.627-04:00We might wind up with something like Deep Space 9 ...We might wind up with something like Deep Space 9 out at a Lagrange point, or in HEO. Might even be better than Vegas!drjimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647484115197408897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-27754978849951531642024-03-16T21:52:39.657-04:002024-03-16T21:52:39.657-04:00Beans, the ship only made it through the upper lay...Beans, the ship only made it through the upper layer of the atmosphere. To slow down and land it will have to endure those temperatures for much longer than we saw in the video. Then there's the problem of what will happen to the remaining fuel in the ship if there's not sufficient heat shielding. It would all boil off so fast it might not even be able to vent fast enough, causing overpressure and RUD. <br /><br />It's gonna take another test flight to really be sure the heat shielding works. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-61753619516046196692024-03-16T21:39:01.995-04:002024-03-16T21:39:01.995-04:00This may be crazy talk, but sides of the starship ...This may be crazy talk, but sides of the starship that weren't covered in tiles seemed to hold up very well to reentry, like seriously well. I'm beginning to wonder if using stainless steel might allow them to go away from the tiles, maybe only on the control surfaces.<br /><br />Part of the reentry presented Starship ass first and I saw no chunks being blown out of the engine compartment. I watched the reentry at half speed and except for some tiles, no other parts can be seen falling away.<br /><br />Or maybe SpaceX can reduce the amount of tiles needed.<br /><br />Seriously, more like sci-fi than any other rocket yet.Beanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15293778848879361153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-61297190021752320192024-03-16T15:20:14.985-04:002024-03-16T15:20:14.985-04:00Thanks, SiG. Your reply adds clarity.Thanks, SiG. Your reply adds clarity.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-71880625731148491022024-03-16T15:17:57.003-04:002024-03-16T15:17:57.003-04:00I'm glad to see you mentioned The Foundation t...I'm glad to see you mentioned The Foundation trilogy (I thought the 4th book disappointing).<br /><br /> I read a huge amount of Sci Fi. My first library was all Sci Fi beginning at age eight, ultimately over 500 books.<br />I guess I am smacked at the level of technology we are witnessing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-10231747336581039882024-03-16T09:44:40.609-04:002024-03-16T09:44:40.609-04:00You must not read a lot of science fiction. Many, ...You must not read a lot of science fiction. Many, if not most, authors base their stories far out into this galaxy and others. Asimov's Foundation series, for one. Heinlein tended to stay within the solar system only because he was a "hard science fiction" writer who want his technology to stay with the realms of the doable as we knew it at the time. <br /><br />Of course, there is Star Trek, but I don't really consider that science fiction. The 1965 series was "Wagon Train to the Stars" more than anything. We are probably lucky we didn't get Lorne Greene in the captain's chair (that had to wait until Battlestar Galactica).Malatropehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12187333180472067677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-91690994407613006992024-03-16T07:57:59.485-04:002024-03-16T07:57:59.485-04:00Vher reply received the 3rd. Attempt to decode beg...<i>Vher reply received the 3rd. Attempt to decode begun on the 7th.<br />Why the delay?</i><br />Probably that part about someone from the Deep Space Network did the decoding. The JPL Voyager engineers couldn't figure out what it was and I'm guessing they sent it to some known older gurus to get their opinions. <br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-56359278138476691602024-03-15T22:55:27.950-04:002024-03-15T22:55:27.950-04:00Hope!
Eventually the Voyager probes will die and ...Hope!<br /><br />Eventually the Voyager probes will die and join the ever-growing graveyard of space, but I hope it won’t be for many, many more years.Jay Beenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-25796428939598356892024-03-15T22:17:07.773-04:002024-03-15T22:17:07.773-04:00Vher reply received the 3rd. Attempt to decode be...Vher reply received the 3rd. Attempt to decode begun on the 7th.<br />Why the delay?<br /><br />Anyway, this all is simply astounding. Great distances, indeed the furthest by huge margin of anything man made. Then, interstellar. Just that term is incredibly interesting. The Voyager missions is far beyond anything Asimov or others wrote.<br /><br />Think of that, Sci Fi writers are noted for creating far out advanced concepts. Yet Voyager transcends. Fifty years and still going.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-55461531901915482192024-03-15T21:49:32.864-04:002024-03-15T21:49:32.864-04:00Is there a problem Dave? Dave?Is there a problem Dave? Dave?Ed Bonderenkahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03724552853113809036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-91801517675015284782024-03-15T11:35:06.031-04:002024-03-15T11:35:06.031-04:00If I was the USN (or PLAN) I would have some ships...If I was the USN (or PLAN) I would have some ships & aircraft out observing near(ish) the splashdown sites. A good opportunity to track an ICBM(ish) target. Tho the USN in the Indian Ocean is probably kind of busy.<br /><br />Still, we may get some imagery at some point.EdHnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-42668618330682674772024-03-15T10:26:11.710-04:002024-03-15T10:26:11.710-04:00Scott Manley discusses the clouds here:
https://yo...Scott Manley discusses the clouds here:<br />https://youtu.be/8htMpR7mnaM?t=492Malatropehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12187333180472067677noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1592992209402300549.post-56845095049389759882024-03-15T10:21:03.410-04:002024-03-15T10:21:03.410-04:00That's an interesting take. Very possible. I...That's an interesting take. Very possible. I think it was the NASA Spaceflight guys that I heard saying they thought it was deliberately rolling, and called it barbecue rotation. I think the idea was to present both the absorptive black tiles and the shiny steel to the sun and see how much it conducts into the fuel tanks. <br /><br />Watching the video again last night, I noticed a lot of what appeared to be venting from the engine bay of Starship visible in the sunlight once it was in orbit. I wondered about that, too. <br /><br />Going to the 0956 comment, I didn't see the clouds! I must have not been looking when they were visible. Time for another watch of the video with emphasis on the parts I skipped over.<br />SiGraybeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00280583031339062059noreply@blogger.com