Spacex
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- uan2
1000km/h in 55 seconds
- Fax_Benson1
pretty incredible once I realised I was watching the wrong stream
- zaq2
- detritus0
who's the limp fucker downvoting positive posts here... I wonder?
- detritus0
I really, really, really want to know what it sounds like to hear three orbital rockets go off at the same time, in person.
- detritus1
An interesting user comment from Arstechnica on the apparent Zuma failure...
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Legit conspiracy theory time. How do you put a satellite in orbit without anyone knowing about it? You hide it with another satellite!
Apparently, during the first launch window for Zuma back on November 15, a secretive US satellite tracked as "USA-276" was due to fly directly overhead under conditions ideal for a rendezvous. USA-276 itself is secretive and unusual, having passed as close as four miles from the ISS. It seems like the NRO (or whoever actually built it) has a lot of confidence in their control over that satellite and its maneuverability.
The rescheduled launch window for Zuma seemed to rule out a rendezvous with USA-276; the launch inclination was expected to be similar, but the satellite wouldn't be passing overhead at the time. However, several days of launch delays coincidentally moved Zuma's launch window closer and closer to lining up with USA-276's orbit. The earlier launch windows could have been decoys, intended to suggest a willingness to launch away from USA-276 when it remained their goal the whole time.
What are the reasons for this? Well, if USA-276 is meant to be a highly maneuverable satellite, it could potentially burn through fuel quickly. Testing the ability to refuel an unmanned spy satellite would be highly valuable. If you made the rendezvous quickly, you could claim your refueling drone was "lost" and it would be hard to disprove. We're not yet at the point that civilians can track the exact location of every satellite at all times without government help (hell, we can still lose highly advanced jumbo jets in the middle of the ocean). Once the refueling drone is docked with USA-276, they would be tracked as a single object in orbit.
Why claim it's lost, then? To try to hide that you have this ability. That's especially relevant when you consider the repeated close passes USA-276 has made to the ISS. It seems like a satellite meant to surveil other satellites, which would be more valuable if it had ample fuel and could make orbital changes more frequently. You'd only get one real shot at it before the element of surprise is lost, but if you had a maneuverable satellite with ample fuel on board, you could go take close-up photos of a few Russian satellites before they realized what you were doing. Hell, maybe even get close enough to grab one and deorbit it.
They also could just have deorbited USA-276, and parked Zuma in its orbit so it looks like USA-276 now. Claim you lost your new satellite, when you really lost your old and spent one.
— shelbystripes
- Furthermore:
https://mainenginecu…detritus - Turns out 'lighting conditions' will make it impossible for non-state actors to track anything in the orbit SX attempted to launch in for 2 weeks. Convenient!detritus
- http://www.nbcnews.c…detritus
- Furthermore:
- fadein111
Superb gas ejection and controlled landing. When do all the tests end and we go to Mars?
- this kind of rocket would be used for building the $2 Trillion ship and loading it with passengers perhaps, wouldn't actually go to mars or land this way.sarahfailin
- HijoDMaite1
badass. i wonder how far from launch pad it's visible to the naked eye. i walked outside and looked north. saw nothing.
- I envy you guys to even have the chance to see this...sted
- utopian1
First they should learn how to send off and land their rockets.
- instrmntl0
We're going to Mars Bitches!
- deathboy0
@inv
The question you asked about relevancy assumes we can make human kind a multi planetary thing. I don't think we can. Or at least I haven't seen any evidence to support such an idea. I doubt we could even find a habitable planet and send a small population to start over if our planet dies out. I think there is a greater chance of this rock getting hit by a meteor.
And spaceX is a private company backed by some really rich people. People who like money and likely see that by investing they can double there money when they get little fish to bite and the whale of the government.
http://www.latimes.com/business/…
And I have always been a fan of NASA. But I have never been convinced that it ever really had any real value to justify its cost. Of course if the gov is going to spend money its probably better used on NASA than some social welfare program. Less damage that way. The only values of it i see are militaristic defensive value, entertainment value, imaginative and fantasy value, nationalistic pride. But is that value really worth the dollars spent? Are those things good or bad? Technically there is no right or wrong answer to that question and the answers all depend on what it is you value, your reasons, and perspective.
It's why i think that question posed in the 60s still is relevant today. I still not entirely sure of the answer and still waiting, but i am leaning towards the latter. How would you answer it and explain the reasons for the answer?
- You would have said same thing about Christopher Columbus if you lived 500 yr agohotroddy
- Regarding LA times article - the gov't is is removing themselves and have private companies make a way to make $$.hotroddy
- we will become an interplanetary species once we figure out a way to make money from exploring our solar systemhotroddy
- I would rather it be by NASA but people cant justify costs.hotroddy
- Oh people can choose how they value the costs if you let them. That is capitalism.deathboy
- And id only call columbus crazy if i believed the earth was flat. But back than im sure no one even knew who he was. And most we are taught about him isnt thedeathboy
- whole truth. He went out knowing the earth wasnt flat. And a motivation of god gold and glory. The real relevance with the tale is what he did when encounteringdeathboy
- new people. And what he did as an example of a poor mindset to have.deathboy
- i don't think we have to worry about encountering new people. but i would welcome it.hotroddy
- for me it's about exploring, building new technology, adapting to new environments, learning and growinghotroddy
- and the root of it is science whether it be for caplitalist reasons or gov't endorsed.hotroddy
- i share the same sentiment. but outside that sentiment im not sure its practical or correct. its like a fleeting romance. so i maintain both dispositionsdeathboy
- deathboy-1
I always think of this old quote on such space things.
"Consider this: The first hole ever dug on the moon by a man-made machine is now done. It is the most expensive hole in the history of the human race. Now, what does that mean? How do we know whether this is one of man's noblest achievements or if it is a game being played by a small group of lunatics for their own amusement -- at our expense?
Considering its been like 40+ years the question is still hard to answer. My guess is the real value lies somewhere in the fact it is easier to convince scientists and public funding to work on irrelevant things in order to appropriate it for militaristic aims.
- Why even get up in the morning?inv
- Aye, to be fair we've had fuck-all of value back from pushing scientific and engineering limitations.detritus
- yes we have. but what did we get digging that hole. was it worth the cost? could space exploration just not be worth it. Just trying to look at it objectivelydeathboy
- nothing wrong with looking at it with some cynicism. be pretty myopic not too.deathboy
- and inv i get up in the morning because their is no reason to stay in bed.deathboy
- inv2
They will land the Red Dragon space craft on Mars in 2018 as a proof of concept for landing on other planets.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re…)
Furthermore, Elon Musk will detail his future Mars plans in September. Like the man himself said; It least it will be entertaining. He has been hinting about a new super huge spacecraft called the Mars Colonial Transporter.
- inv0
http://www.spacex.com/webcast/
Tonight it will happen! Launch in ~40 mins