Space - Spacex, NASA, Rocket Lab

[nzzp]

@Kirwan that's insane.

Fascinating hearing the original options for landing on the moon. Lunar rendezvous wasn't even a considered option at the time - it seemed to come in quite late to the party. This is just redefining lunar work completely, SpaceX are nuts in a good way. Our kids are growing up in a golden age of space exploration -- and all appears to be sustainably privately funded.

Roll on 2021 I say!

[NTA]

@nzzp said in SpaceX:

Roll on 2021 I say!

Especially after this shit show of 2020.

SpaceX has been one of the few highlights of this year.

[Kirwan]

The section of the rocket being tested;

[nzzp]

it's like they have an actual plan to put spaceships on the moon and Mars. Weird, like there's a series of steps they'll go through and they're just ticking them off one by one.

Feels ... odd?

[canefan]

@Kirwan said in SpaceX:

The section of the rocket being tested;

Looks like something out of the Thunderbirds. In a good way

[nzzp]

@canefan said in SpaceX:

Looks like something out of the Thunderbirds. In a good way

Looks like a rocket comapred to the Space Shuttle.

Also, engineering wise looks really good, with the thrust behind the centre of gravity. Who woulda thunk it?

[nzzp]

thought this was good

[Kirwan]

These fairings had already been used as well.

[Stockcar86]

@Kirwan Wasn't the first stage landing back on the barge the 6th launch with them?

[Kirwan]

@Stockcar86 said in SpaceX:

@Kirwan Wasn't the first stage landing back on the barge the 6th launch with them?

Yep, 6th landing for that particular booster, 100 landings in total. Incredible really.

[nzzp]

@Kirwan said in SpaceX:

These fairings had already been used as well.

That's so awesome. Looks like something a 9 year old draws for 'how to catch falling stuff' ... but they built it and it works! Respect

[Stockcar86]

Remember that parachutes and nets was how the US used to get spy satellite photo's. From orbit, drop film rolls attached to parachutes from the satellites, catch, then develop

[NTA]

@Stockcar86 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulton_surface-to-air_recovery_system

[canefan]

https://stuff.co.nz/business/122612507/rocket-lab-back-on-track-with-launch-success

[Kirwan]

No longer a Demo mission, first operational mission with a human crew (four astronauts).

[NTA]

@Kirwan did I read somewhere the other day that SpaceX are now certified for pretty much all operations ? I'm assuming the post-Demo mission data had to be raked over.

[Kirwan]

Yeah it's all looking rosey for them, this is a big check from NASA.

[Kirwan]

That starship sub-orbital test is coming up soon too. That's going to be spectacular (success or fail!)

[Kirwan]

https://www.spacex.com/launches/index.html

[NTA]

@Kirwan 2.5 hours to launch? Man I'd need to piss at least twice.