525 replies to this topic

[todd]

“Environmental groups sue FAA for SpaceX launch that exploded in April”: https://www.cnn.com/...uit-scn-climate

[Victoria Watcher]

After boosting the rocket out of the thick lower atmosphere, the reusable first stage, making its maiden flight, fell away and headed for landing back at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station while the Falcon 9's second stage continued the push to orbit.

In past Crew Dragon flights, booster stages landed on offshore barges and were towed back to shore for refurbishment and reuse. But past experience showed actual performance was better than expected, leaving enough propellant on board to reverse course and return to the launch site. Heralded by twin sonic booms, the Ax-2 first stage dropped out of the clouds and settled to a picture perfect touchdown eight minutes after liftoff.

https://www.cbsnews....s-saudis-axiom/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 May 2023 - 08:33 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

That’s quite amazing.

[todd]

That’s quite amazing.

I don’t know, it’s an expensive amusement park ride followed by being locked in a camper. I wouldn’t do it because I couldn’t get past how they produce water

[LJ]

^Yeah, that's what holding me back as well.

[Victoria Watcher]

SpaceX launch 22 Starlink 'V2 mini' satellites into orbit, lands rocket at sea

It's the 1st of 2 SpaceX launches from Florida today and comes 13 years to the day of the 1st Falcon 9 flight.


https://www.space.co...aunch-group-6-4

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 June 2023 - 12:15 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

People around Vancouver Island are encouraged to look into the night sky on Thursday as the northern lights are expected to be visible to stargazers.

 

The northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, are often seen in northern Canada, Alaska and other northern countries.

 

Karun Thanjavur, senior astronomy lab instructor at the University of Victoria, said we are nearing the end of an 11-year solar cycle that will make the dancing northern lights visible in more southern regions.

 

“It’s all connected to activity on the sun,” Thanjavur said. “Many more sunspots are happening, very large sunspots, and that is what’s giving rise to the solar activity and what we call a coronal mass ejection.”

 

 

https://www.cheknews...ursday-1159961/

[Victoria Watcher]

https://en.wikipedia..._Heavy_launches

 

Spacex launches:

 

 

 

 

 

 

No failures since 2016, except Starship in April.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 July 2023 - 04:16 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

SpaceX is getting some advice from NASA to investigate the possibility of converting its huge new Starship vehicle into an orbital destination. 

 

If the idea comes to fruition, Starship could offer a wide variety of accommodations for on-orbit research and commercialization. 

 

For NASA, Starship presents another option in a line of possible space stations and technological developments in the works to support an emerging economy in low Earth orbit (LEO). The International Space Station (ISS) is expected to reach its operational end by 2030, and the space agency has been preparing for its eventual demise. 

 

 

https://www.space.co...p-space-station

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 July 2023 - 04:46 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Nparker]

Still no electric rockets...

[Victoria Watcher]

Electric rockets will never be possible.

At some point the space ladder/elevator with electric climber might be possible.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 July 2023 - 07:13 AM.

[Nparker]

Kim Stanley Robinson made use of "space elevator" technology in his Mars trilogy back in the '90s. Of course this was before he became a full-on disciple of the climate crisis religion.

[AllseeingEye]

Worst. Song. Ever. I get nauseous when I hear it and had it removed from playlist at work.

 

Grace Slick absolutely hated this song, calling it "a pretty stupid song".

[Victoria Watcher]

Starlink nails the two-booster landing back at the Cape:

 

https://twitter.com/...126346178179072

[Victoria Watcher]

Virgin Galactic rockets its 1st tourists to the edge of space   Company plans to offer monthly trips to aspiring space tourists

 

https://www.cbc.ca/n...rists-1.6932451

 

 

 

 

 

About 800 people are currently on Virgin Galactic's waiting list, according to the company.

Virgin Galactic's rocket ship launches from the belly of an airplane, not from the ground, and requires two pilots in the cockpit. Once the mothership reaches a height of about 15 kilometres, the space plane is released and fires its rocket motor to make the final push. Passengers can unstrap from their seats, float around the cabin for a few minutes and take in sweeping views of Earth, before the space plane glides back home and lands on a runway.

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

[Victoria Watcher]

 

 

^ While Spacex landed these astronauts back to earth, they also fired another 21 satellites up.

 

 

[Victoria Watcher]