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Post by chris on Mar 5, 2021 14:41:09 GMT
What I find insane is that unless you follow these things you wouldn't know that SpaceX Falcon 9 + Merlin has, within the last couple of hours, delivered another 60 Starlink satellites to orbit (the 20th batch) to provide functioning satellite based broadband comms using a booster reused 8 times AND landed it autonomously on a drone ship to be re-used yet again. Considering where they were 5 years ago this is simply staggering and I wonder where we'll be in another 5 years with Starship + Raptor. Peter Beck and Rocket Lab have just announced they'll fund raise to build the Neutron rocket with re-usable first stage which is set to compete with Falcon 9. What do they say, immitation is the best form of flattery or something? Meanwhile, I've recently moved into a major city in the West Midlands and don't have enough cellphone signal to make voice calls. I guess I should be grateful to even receive the SMS I need to log into my banks etc... And when I fly in a jet airliner it travels no faster than those of the 1960s. SpaceX are working on both of those. Starlink will allow for easy rollout of a cellphone network, utilising a combination of the dishes of those using the service plus base stations. And point to point Starship will let you fly anywhere in the world in under an hour whilst enjoying weightlessness and the view of Earth from above the Karman line.
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Steerpike
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Post by Steerpike on Mar 5, 2021 14:41:23 GMT
What I find insane is that unless you follow these things you wouldn't know that SpaceX Falcon 9 + Merlin has, within the last couple of hours, delivered another 60 Starlink satellites to orbit (the 20th batch) to provide functioning satellite based broadband comms using a booster reused 8 times AND landed it autonomously on a drone ship to be re-used yet again. Considering where they were 5 years ago this is simply staggering and I wonder where we'll be in another 5 years with Starship + Raptor. It is indeed humbling.
I have enjoyed following Starship developments and simultaneously dreaming of the future discussed in the National Geographic Mars series on Disney Plus.
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iRobot
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Post by iRobot on Mar 5, 2021 17:12:05 GMT
SpaceX are working on both of those. Starlink will allow for easy rollout of a cellphone network, utilising a combination of the dishes of those using the service plus base stations. And point to point Starship will let you fly anywhere in the world in under an hour whilst enjoying weightlessness and the view of Earth from above the Karman line. Weightlessness might not be exactly enjoyed by all. The zero gravity flights you can book up aren't nicknamed 'vomit comets' for no reason! Might this be a significant consideration wrt the passenger experience? Sharing a confined space with someone vomiting is rarely an enjoyable experience as anyone undertaking a choppy hovercraft journey will confirm. And that's with the benefit of gravity helping the aforementioned ejectile into a suitable container and keeping there. Upchucking in zero gravity really can't be that pleasant for anyone concerned...
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 5, 2021 17:17:14 GMT
SpaceX are working on both of those. Starlink will allow for easy rollout of a cellphone network, utilising a combination of the dishes of those using the service plus base stations. And point to point Starship will let you fly anywhere in the world in under an hour whilst enjoying weightlessness and the view of Earth from above the Karman line. Weightlessness might not be exactly enjoyed by all. The zero gravity flights you can book up aren't nicknamed 'vomit comets' for no reason! Might this be a significant consideration wrt the passenger experience? Sharing a confined space with someone vomiting is rarely an enjoyable experience as anyone undertaking a choppy hovercraft journey will confirm. And that's with the benefit of gravity helping the aforementioned ejectile into a suitable container and keeping there. Upchucking in zero gravity really can't be that pleasant for anyone concerned... I would "Like" this post, but I can't find it in me to do so......
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littleoldlady
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Post by littleoldlady on Mar 5, 2021 18:02:20 GMT
And when I fly in a jet airliner it travels no faster than those of the 1960s. And considerably slower than Concorde in the 1970s.
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Post by dan1 on Mar 9, 2021 21:36:52 GMT
The wreckage of SN10 has been cleared and SN11 sits ready on the launchpad. From a twitter exchange with Musk it appears the heavy landing (look closely and it bumps) was caused by a fix to prevent the issue that scuppered SN8. One of the header tanks used in descent lost pressure ("ullage") on SN8 causing the flame-out so to maintain pressure they back-fed it with Helium (inert) on SN10 but that contaminated the liquid methane fuel causing the Raptor to lose thrust. The alternative is " autogenous pressurization" in which hot exhaust gases are fed back into the tanks to maintain pressure, which was used in the Space Shuttle external tank. It's fascinating stuff because we get to follow along in the development progress.
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ilmoro
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'Wondering which of the bu***rs to blame, and watching for pigs on the wing.' - Pink Floyd
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Post by ilmoro on Mar 12, 2021 14:07:32 GMT
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Post by Ton ⓉⓞⓃ on Mar 14, 2021 17:05:20 GMT
Starship SN11 conducted a cryogenic proof test using liquid nitrogen to verify that the vehicle is structurally sound on Friday. Triple engine static fire test next week.
Part of me wants it to blow up again, and a Mod should not want bad things to happen.
(I know nitrogen would be all but impossible to blow)
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Post by bracknellboy on Mar 14, 2021 22:04:54 GMT
Starship SN11 conducted a cryogenic proof test using liquid nitrogen to verify that the vehicle is structurally sound on Friday. Triple engine static fire test next week.
Part of me wants it to blow up again, and a Mod should not want bad things to happen.
.. Except of course to Rockers....."Who are you, who, who, who, who"...
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Post by spareapennyor2 on Mar 17, 2021 17:15:12 GMT
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keitha
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2024, hopefully the year I get out of P2P
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Post by keitha on Apr 1, 2021 11:32:34 GMT
And when I fly in a jet airliner it travels no faster than those of the 1960s. And considerably slower than Concorde in the 1970s. But much Greener ! The planes could fly significantly quicker but they don't to be economical on fuel
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littleoldlady
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Post by littleoldlady on May 6, 2021 7:33:16 GMT
SN15 landed successfully!
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Post by Ton ⓉⓞⓃ on Dec 3, 2021 19:20:45 GMT
Surprised to read this
headline being Elon Musk says SpaceX could face ‘genuine risk of bankruptcy’ from Starship engine production
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Dec 4, 2021 8:42:36 GMT
Surprised to read this
headline being Elon Musk says SpaceX could face ‘genuine risk of bankruptcy’ from Starship engine production
Couldn't happen to a better person.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2021 9:51:25 GMT
What a fruitless waste of intelligence and energy by a brilliant if autistic man. Mankind will only ever get to a few planets in the solar system and that is that. If he focused on just a few other more useful areas of research we would all be better off.
Firing big rockets (such a male fantasy) upwards and back down, upwards and back down.... has to be seen for what it is, a man with too much time on his hands (hands).
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