SPACE - random thread about space stuff

[Kraken]

That fellow conflates colonizing with terraforming. The latter is impossible with today's understanding and technology, and might always be impossible. But colonizing is doable. We'll have one or more lunar colonies in a couple of decades, and the moon is even less hospitable than Mars. We've had an orbital colony (in the loosest definition of that word) for a couple of decades, and outer space is even less hospitable than the moon. No offworld colony is ever likely to be independent of earth's resources, but the moon and Mars both have the capacity to produce food, water, and oxygen in situ.

Whether any lunar or Martian colony could ever achieve a quality of life that would entice someone to live there full time is another question, but it's not unimaginable.

I'm not even going to touch his philosophical argument, except to disagree.

[jztemple2]

Since Musk is asserting that he'll have 50 or more people living on Mars (or at least en route) before 2030:

Neither Elon Musk Nor Anybody Else Will Ever Colonize Mars

This is a sharp and glib essay that's worth a read not just for the technological but for the ideological takedown.

I read part of it, but the remainder of my life is too short to pay attention to people like that, so I passed.

[Daehawk]

Billionaire does worlds first commercial spacewalk ...Musk who?

World’s first commercial spacewalk complete

[jztemple2]

SpaceX's Starship won't be licensed to fly again until late November, FAA says

SpaceX's Starship will be grounded for a while longer yet.

Starship — the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built — flew for the fourth time in June, and SpaceX has been gearing up for flight number five ever since. But that test mission is probably still at least 2.5 months away, according to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

"SpaceX must meet all safety, environmental and other licensing requirements prior to FAA launch authorization," agency officials said in an emailed statement to Space.com on Wednesday (Sept. 11). "A final license determination for Starship Flight 5 is not expected before late November 2024."

The statement explained how the FAA arrived at this timeline.

"SpaceX's current license authorizing the Starship Flight 4 launch also allows for multiple flights of the same vehicle configuration and mission profile. SpaceX chose to modify both for its proposed Starship Flight 5 launch, which triggered a more in-depth review," agency officials wrote.

"In addition, SpaceX submitted new information in mid-August detailing how the environmental impact of Flight 5 will cover a larger area than previously reviewed," they added. "This requires the FAA to consult with other agencies."

[Kraken]

When Moonship isn't ready for Artemis III, I know who I'll blame.

[Max Peck]

No worries, once Leon is appointed as the government efficiency czar there will be no more of these delays.

[Kraken]

I'm all for safety and environmental oversight, but there comes a point that it's just red tape.

[Max Peck]

I'm assuming that someone at SpaceX understood the parameters of the authorization they had and yet chose to cross several lines that invalidated it. This isn't their first rodeo, so they must have known what would happen when they did it.

[Kraken]

I wonder if the conflict is between fail-fast and don't-fail.

[Zaxxon]

I'm assuming that someone at SpaceX understood the parameters of the authorization they had and yet chose to cross several lines that invalidated it. This isn't their first rodeo, so they must have known what would happen when they did it.

Absolutely. But that doesn't imply that 'what would happen when they did it' is being done in the most efficient/effective way possible, nor in a manner that's best for the future of spaceflight in America.

In other words, to iterate on the design required triggering a more in-depth review given the local/national regulatory setup. Is that in-depth review structured in the most efficient way possible? Is it being carried out as effectively as it could be? Are its goals and structure aligned with the goals of NASA and the US populace in general? I imagine SpaceX knows that they will be required to press this trigger several more times in the next bunch of years, and the PR they're applying here is aimed just as much at those future reviews as it is at this one.

[jztemple2]

I'm all for safety and environmental oversight, but there comes a point that it's just red tape.

Well, to me, there are three primary reasons the FAA is being so cautious.

One, Starship and the SHB are significantly different from previous designs. Things like hot staging don't have a lot of history.

Two, both components are being flown back to the launch site (but just one for now). Lots of possible failure scenarios.

Finally, SpaceX picked a pretty unfavorable launch site. Nearby communities, a large city, a wildlife preserve and oh, a foreign nation . Many reasons for the FAA to be cautious.

[AWS260]

Should NASA clip the Europa Clipper?

The Clipper has the go-ahead.

On Aug. 27, the teams updated their progress to senior NASA leaders, including Pam Melroy, the deputy administrator, and Jim Free, the associate administrator. This time, the cells on Ms. Ervin’s chart were green from top to bottom.

Some attendees, including Dr. Niebur, found that suspicious.

He thought maybe the presenters were succumbing to “launch fever,” the desire to fly at all costs. He wasn’t alone. A month earlier, the mission had seemed done for. How could they have made that much progress in 30 days?

Ms. Ervin laid out the case. She explained everything that had happened for every single assessment and justified every change. They had tested every type of MOSFET in the spacecraft.

“We were systematic, we were rigorous, and we were confident in our results,” Ms. Ervin said.

[Kraken]

Amazing. Just the kind of routine miracle-working we expect from NASA engineers.

[jztemple2]

Titusville company tests balloon that will send tourists to space

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Titusville company Space Perspective had a successful first flight of its Neptune capsule (and its second uncrewed test) recently. It is designed to be attached to a huge balloon where tourists can get a view of Earth that only astronauts get to see.

Space Perspective’s Marine Spaceport Voyager ship sailed into Port Canaveral earlier this week with the Neptune aboard, showcasing the capsule’s ability to launch and be recovered from anywhere in the world.

The Neptune, named Excelsior, is a test capsule that was used to gather data from its flight, which will then be analyzed and used to build its next human-rated capsule.

Each flight lasts approximately six to seven hours, and you will be launched from Voyager. There is a two-hour ascent period into the atmosphere traveling at 12 mph (19 kph) until you reach your apogee at 100,000 feet (30,480 meters), where you will stay for two hours, before the two-hour descent stage where you will splash down and be recovered by the Marine Spaceport Voyager.

[Kraken]

While I'm sure it will be a comfortable ride with an epic view, "into space" it ain't. Not even close. By the most generous definition space begins at 62 km, and this ride barely breaks 30. Sure would be satisfying to buy tickets for some prominent flerfers, though.

[jztemple2]

SpaceX has started recovering parts of the Super Heavy Booster that soft landed off Boca Chica during flight 4.

[Kraken]

That'll buff out.

[jztemple2]

That'll buff out.

If they'd give me one of the engines I could put it in my front yard so the neighborhood kids could climb on it and I could yell at them

By the way, more info on this operation, or at least related to it, from this article:
Confirmed: Elon Musk's SpaceX is pulling sunken Starship booster from the Gulf off Starbase

The article is focused on a small group of filmmakers that focuses on rocket launches. They hired a boat and went out to check out the rumors that SpaceX was trying to retrieve the booster parts. I especially enjoyed this part...

After a two-and-a-half-hour cruise they were about a half mile from the Ridgewind when a drone buzzed toward them. It hovered for a moment before a voice announced through a loudspeaker: “There is a one mile exclusion zone in this area, please depart one mile away from vessel.”

SpaceX frequently uses such drones to chase away trespassers and keep people outside safety boundaries it sets up at its Starbase launch site in South Texas.

“This was the first major sign that something was up,” Leal said. “Why would a survey ship need a security drone?”

So the charter moved away but continued capturing images of the ship at work. They could see the Ridgewind’s crane was extended over the starboard side along with a ladder, apparent dive lines and cables for remotely operated submersibles. On the ship’s aft deck, a blue tarp covered what Leal said he thinks is “mangled” Starship debris.

“There might be a Raptor (engine) bell on its side near the middle as well,” he said. Two large white bags near the crane also appeared to hold debris. Most telling, at least one of the Ridgewind’s crewmembers wore a SpaceX “Occupy Mars” T-Shirt — which Leal called one of his “favorite details.”

I'm thinking of getting a security drone to keep those pesky neighborhood kids out of my yard

[jztemple2]

Tropical Storm Helene delays SpaceX's Crew-9 astronaut launch to Sept. 28

SpaceX's next astronaut mission has been delayed by a powerful storm.

The company had been planning to launch the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 26).

However, that target date has slipped by at least two days, thanks to a maelstrom named Helene. Helene is a tropical storm at the moment, but it's expected to slam into Florida's Gulf Coast on Thursday as a Category 3 hurricane. Thus, NASA and SpaceX now aim to launch Crew-9 on Saturday (Sept. 28) at the earliest. Liftoff that day would be at 1:17 p.m. EDT (1717 GMT).

"Although Tropical Storm Helene is moving through the Gulf of Mexico and expected to impact the Florida panhandle, the storm system is large enough that high winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions on Florida's east coast," NASA officials said in an update this afternoon (Sept. 24).

[Holman]

I'm thinking of getting a security drone to keep those pesky neighborhood kids out of my yard

Does a private corporation have a right to declare a one-mile exclusion zone? Or even a ten-foot one?

Obviously the wreck is SpaceX property, so if you try to grab it you are breaking the law. But the sea is public space, and simply observing the operation up close seems legal to me. Drone patrols seem thuggish.

[jztemple2]

I'm thinking of getting a security drone to keep those pesky neighborhood kids out of my yard

Does a private corporation have a right to declare a one-mile exclusion zone? Or even a ten-foot one?

Obviously the wreck is SpaceX property, so if you try to grab it you are breaking the law. But the sea is public space, and simply observing the operation up close seems legal to me. Drone patrols seem thuggish.

These exclusion zones are quite common when doing undersea activities. The presence of boat or ship travel could disrupt the operation and even put lives at risk. It is likely that the exclusion zone is coordinated with the US Coast Guard.

By the way, the sea is not public space. Usage is governed by international law.

[dbt1949]

Ask China about that.

[Isgrimnur]

I'm not in the habit of asking criminals their thoughts on the law.

[Zaxxon]

Interestingly, the Coast Guard officer in the article above denied any knowledge of an exclusion zone and mentioned that had there been one, a Coast Guard boat would have been involved. Which surprised me, as I would have expected one to be in place for an operation like this.

[jztemple2]

Interestingly, the Coast Guard officer in the article above denied any knowledge of an exclusion zone and mentioned that had there been one, a Coast Guard boat would have been involved. Which surprised me, as I would have expected one to be in place for an operation like this.

I noticed that too, but I also thought it was odd that the Petty Officer would say that they would have a boat present. From my own experience I know that the Coasties don't have the assets to keep a boat at all operations. Also this, my italics:

“The captain can say there’s an exclusion zone — I don’t know what an exclusion zone is in his terms, but (the Coast Guard) doesn’t just implement a security zone and leave — that’s not how it works,” Wargo said.

Exclusion zones and security zones are two different things so maybe both are right. It's a shame that the boat the filmmakers were on didn't go ahead and challenge the exclusion by pushing in closer. They could have just pretended they didn't hear the drone or couldn't make out what it was saying . Where's Dan Rather when you need him?

[Isgrimnur]

Who would do that, just go on the ocean and lie?

[jztemple2]

SpaceX has temporarily grounded its Falcon 9 rocket after the vehicle experienced an issue on the Crew-9 astronaut launch for NASA.

Crew-9 lifted off on Saturday (Sept. 28) from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, sending NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aloft aboard the Crew Dragon capsule "Freedom."

Everything appeared to go well. The Falcon 9's first stage aced its landing shortly after liftoff, and the rocket's upper stage deployed Freedom into its proper orbit; the capsule is on track to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday afternoon (Sept. 29) as planned.

But the upper stage experienced an issue after completing that job, SpaceX announced early Sunday morning.

"After today’s successful launch of Crew-9, Falcon 9's second stage was disposed in the ocean as planned, but experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn. As a result, the second stage safely landed in the ocean, but outside of the targeted area. We will resume launching after we better understand root cause," SpaceX wrote in a post on X.

[jztemple2]

"

[Kraken]

Whee!

[jztemple2]

For our folks out west! Original full-size space shuttle mockup to be restored for Downey display

A full-size mockup of the space shuttle orbiter that was built as a contractor's showcase model before NASA decided on the spacecraft's final design is heading back on display after more than 25 years in storage.

For the past decade, the City of Downey in California has worked on plans to exhibit the North American Rockwell model after rediscovering its existence in 2012. Nine years later, state lawmakers approved $800,000 to restore the plywood and plastic space shuttle ahead of its display at the city's Columbia Memorial Space Center in Discovery Park.

Then, in May of this year, the city completed a environmental review for the Space Shuttle Exhibit & Education Building Project, giving the go to construct a 29,000-square-foot (2,700 square meters) expansion to the space center. The two-story building will include a dedicated space to exhibit the 122-foot-long by 35-foot-tall (37 by 11 m) original concept model for NASA's winged orbiters, as well as an event space for up to 300 attendees, offices and classrooms.

[jztemple2]

FAA requires investigation of anomaly on SpaceX's Crew-9 astronaut launch

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is requiring an investigation of the anomaly a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket experienced during the Crew-9 astronaut launch on Sept. 28.

That liftoff successfully sent a Crew Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov toward the International Space Station. However, the Falcon 9's upper stage suffered an issue after deploying the capsule, SpaceX revealed on Sept. 29. The issue was an "off-nominal deorbit burn," which resulted in the upper stage landing in the ocean outside of its target disposal area. (The Falcon 9's first stage is reusable, but its upper stage is not.)

SpaceX is pausing launches while it looks into the issue. The company's investigation will be overseen by the FAA, which said the inquiry is not optional.

"The FAA is aware an anomaly occurred during the SpaceX NASA Crew-9 mission that launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on September 28. The incident involved the Falcon 9 second stage landing outside of the designated hazard area. No public injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA is requiring an investigation," agency officials wrote in an update.

[Jaymann]

Has anyone else heard of the new mini moon (about the size of a bus) circling earth for the next month or so?

[Daehawk]

Has anyone else heard of the new mini moon (about the size of a bus) circling earth for the next month or so?

Yup.......not seen though.

[LawBeefaroni]

That is big.

Astronomers have spotted two record-breaking
plasma jets blasting out of a supermassive black hole and into the void beyond its host galaxy.

The enormously powerful plasma streams are the largest ever seen, measuring 23m light years from end to end, a distance that would cross 140 Milky Ways arranged side by side.

[jztemple2]

Who knew you could make so much money in space?

[jztemple2]

ULA launches second Vulcan flight, encounters strap-on booster anomaly

By thirty-seven seconds after liftoff, it was clear one of two strap-on solid fuel boostersvwas suffered an anomaly as can be seen by sparks and debris falling away from the rocket. Image: Adam Bernstein/Spaceflight Now

United Launch Alliance fired off a next-generation Vulcan rocket Friday in the second of two “certification” test flights needed before the new launcher can be used to carry high-priority national security payloads for the U.S. Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office.

One of two solid-propellant strap-on boosters provided by Northrop Grumman suffered an anomaly of some sort during the climb out of the lower atmosphere, but the Vulcan managed to continue on into orbit. What impact the issue might have on the Vulcan’s certification is not yet known, but ULA CEO Tory Bruno said it will be investigated.

“The trajectory was nominal throughout,” he said on the company’s launch webcast. “We did, however have an observation on SRB No. 1, so we will be off looking at that after the mission is complete.” No other details were provided.

The Vulcan’s two Blue Origin-built BE-4 engines and twin solid rocket boosters, or SRBs thundered to life at 7:25 a.m. EDT, shattering the morning calm with the crackling roar of 2 million pounds of thrust.

The 202-foot-tall, 1.5-million-pound rocket, decked out in a swirling red-and-white livery, climbed skyward from launch complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, rapidly accelerating out of the dense lower atmosphere on an easterly trajectory.

The apparent booster anomaly could be seen in long-range tracking camera views when a shower of sparks and what looked like debris fell away from the right-side SRB 37 seconds after liftoff. The problem appeared to originate at or near the nozzle at the base of the booster. The exhaust plume changed shape dramatically, but the Vulcan was able to continue its climb to space.

The anomaly aside, the strap-on boosters burned out and were jettisoned about 20 seconds later than planned. The methane-burning BE-4s, each one generating 550,000 pounds of thrust, continued boosting the rocket out of the lower atmosphere for another three minutes or so before shutting down.

The non-reusable stage then fell away to crash into the Atlantic and the flight continued on the power of the Centaur 5 upper stage’s two Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10C engines.

The upper stage fired its engines a second time after reaching orbit to demonstrate its ability to restart in space, a key requirement for military payloads requiring complex “high energy” trajectories to reach their operational orbits.

The Vulcan’s maiden launch on January 8 went off without a hitch, successfully sending a commercially-built moon lander on its way. For its second flight, ULA initially planned to launch a Sierra Space’s winged cargo ship — Dream Chaser — on its maiden flight, but the spacecraft could not be delivered in time.

Instead, ULA put a dummy payload atop the Vulcan, a so-called “mass simulator,” added a few technology demonstration experiments to help enable long-during flights and installed extra instrumentation to record as much data as possible during the 54-minute demonstration.

[jztemple2]

Scott Manley shows us what happened

[Hrdina]

Thanks, I'll be watching that when I get home.

I have multiple satellites that are queued up waiting for Vulcan to get that NSSL certification. Seeing that little burst of activity 37 seconds into the flight was more excitement than I wanted.

[Pyperkub]

This is really cool too - supernova, gravitational lensing and relativity...

https://gizmodo.com/webb-telescope-capt ... 2000506262

[Isgrimnur]

This is really cool too - supernova, gravitational lensing and relativity...

https://gizmodo.com/webb-telescope-capt ... 2000506262

It’s a similar arc-and-specks structure to the one in which a different team spotted the 12.9-billion-year-old Earendel, the oldest known star, in 2022.

A ship then new they built for him
of mithril and of elven-glass
with shining prow; no shaven oar
nor sail she bore on silver mast: