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Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#1176: Oct 9th 2013 at 4:26:30 PM

[up]Did some reading around: seems it's moving at the same general speed and in the same general direction as a young star cluster it's within spitting distance of. Most are of about a similar age, give or take, so it's likely from the same crèche.

It doesn't seem to be a slingshot, in short. A dust-cloud-clump couldn't even manage brown dwarf mode when it started to gain enough spin to do interesting things with... grin

edited 9th Oct '13 4:30:16 PM by Euodiachloris

KylerThatch literary masochist Since: Jan, 2001
literary masochist
#1177: Oct 9th 2013 at 5:04:07 PM

Hasn't that rogue planet already been known for a while now? I remember hearing about it a couple months or so ago (and making a lame D&D joke about it).

This "faculty lot" you speak of sounds like a place of great power...
demarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1178: Oct 9th 2013 at 5:58:17 PM

A star cluster 80 ly away? Is this the one associated with the big dipper?

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
DeviantBraeburn Wandering Jew from Dysfunctional California Since: Aug, 2012
Wandering Jew
#1179: Oct 10th 2013 at 4:25:20 PM

Scott Carpenter, Second American To Orbit Earth, Dies

Everything is Possible. But some things are more Probable than others. JEBAGEDDON 2016
BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#1180: Oct 10th 2013 at 5:39:55 PM

I genuinely think that astronauts (and I mean those of all nationalities - I know they have different terms but I don't see the need to list them) are genuine heroes.

Sure, they get to experience something that's almost unique, and they get to see and do things that most people will never have - so there's definitely sufficient reward for them implicit in the work itself, let alone the motivations (such as advancing science) that drive these people.

Still, they make a huge sacrifice. For the duration of their active career they're putting their life on the line and spending most of their waking hours on a mission that is hazardous to their health. It's unsustainable for them, and that's why an astronaut's career tends to be rather short. The price they pay will be on them for the rest of their life.

I wish I could have been an astronaut, and I'm sure it's the dream of millions of people around the world. They do valuable work that advances us as a species, and in return they get to experience things that are literally out of this world. Some (most?) of them go on to a career of bringing those experiences back to this world, in the form of education and advocacy of science and technology. That latter adventure is probably as important and as rewarding as the one that took them on a precarious mission on a feeble bit of metal to a place (slightly) beyond the reach of the nurture of the planet that raised them.

In my opinion astronauts deserve all the praise they get and then some. They are heroes and pioneers, and hopefully they'll be remembered by the generations that reap the benefits of their groundwork in this fledgling field. They make huge sacrifices in order to take small steps forward for all of us.

edited 10th Oct '13 5:40:16 PM by BestOf

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
jaustin89 Since: Jul, 2012
#1181: Oct 11th 2013 at 12:01:59 AM

Definitely. I'm aiming to do my best to support their stuff from the engineering side, but I could never do any kind of long term mission and as such really respect the courage and commitment they show in volunteering to be strapped into a tiny box inches from the most hostile environment known with limited food, water, and air and with little to no chance to fix anything that goes seriously wrong.

edited 11th Oct '13 12:02:50 AM by jaustin89

Euodiachloris Since: Oct, 2010
#1182: Oct 11th 2013 at 12:07:16 AM

Anybody who has the guts to go EVA or who made their way through the earlier missions when the tech was... rather iffier than currently? Instant hero: no need to even add water. smile

DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1183: Oct 11th 2013 at 5:39:11 AM

We tend to forget, everything they fly is experimental, they're basically test-pilots, flying big ICBM's into a vacuum.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Joesolo Indiana Solo Since: Dec, 2010 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
Indiana Solo
#1184: Oct 11th 2013 at 7:18:37 AM

[up][up] "An Extra Vehicular Activity or EVA is when your Kerbals trust their lives to the chewing gum, duct tape, and prayers that comprise their (mostly) airtight suit, and exit the capsule to go enjoy a space walk."

While this is about Kerbal Space Program, it's not too inaccurate for early suits. tongue

I'm baaaaaaack
KnightOfNASA Since: Jan, 2013
#1185: Oct 13th 2013 at 1:26:43 PM

Off topic: SNL take on NASA shutdown

Warning: does not work outside US.

on a tablet, can't find the direct link, sorry

edited 13th Oct '13 1:32:11 PM by KnightOfNASA

eagleoftheninth Shop all day, greed is free from a dreamed portrait, imperfect Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: With my statistically significant other
Shop all day, greed is free
#1186: Oct 13th 2013 at 9:45:34 PM

How much does it cost to run a website really? I need their articles for a paper ;___;

Aaanyway, Juno managed to pull off its Earth flyby at last - meaning that it's halfway through the voyage to Jupiter at the moment. Even with 98% of their employees put on furlough, NASA still means business. Mad respect for the steely-eyed missile men.

One day, we will read his name in the news and cheer.
Achaemenid HGW XX/7 from Ruschestraße 103, Haus 1 Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
HGW XX/7
#1187: Oct 14th 2013 at 1:49:42 AM

Space X's VTVL rocket Grasshopper makes a 744m test.

Embedded video:

edited 14th Oct '13 6:01:46 AM by Achaemenid

Schild und Schwert der Partei
DeMarquis (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#1188: Oct 14th 2013 at 6:00:33 AM

That doesn't even look real. If you had asked me a few years ago if anyone would invent a vertical landing rocket I would have looked at you like you're crazy.

I'm done trying to sound smart. "Clear" is the new smart.
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#1189: Oct 14th 2013 at 6:34:47 AM

Isn't that rather inefficient compared to the shuttles and older rockets? You need to use even more fuel than before because you have to slow down enough to not crash into the ground.

BestOf FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC! from Finland Since: Oct, 2010 Relationship Status: Falling within your bell curve
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
#1190: Oct 14th 2013 at 10:04:03 AM

That was amazing. Great landing and everything.

Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
jaustin89 Since: Jul, 2012
#1191: Oct 14th 2013 at 10:19:36 AM

Isn't that rather inefficient compared to the shuttles and older rockets?

Yes, Very. It basically doubles the fuel required for a mission (not quite, but it's close enough for a generalization).

AnSTH Lawful Evil Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#1192: Oct 14th 2013 at 10:25:40 AM

Watching science fiction become science fact: priceless.

Now we just need to land this thing on an alien world and demand that they take us to their leader. Seriously though, does anyone else have that feeling in the back of your head that a flying saucer capable of VTVL is somehow more plausible than a (relatively) thin rocket?

But that's a story for another time.
Xopher001 Since: Jul, 2012
Achaemenid HGW XX/7 from Ruschestraße 103, Haus 1 Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
HGW XX/7
#1194: Oct 14th 2013 at 10:28:03 AM

@Kostya

In terms of fuel, yes, in terms of time, hell no. SpaceX clearly feel the advantages of reusability and rapid reuse outweigh the disadvantages of increased to fuel costs.

The older rockets simple let their discarded stages burn up or crash into the ocean, meaning they could only be used once. The shuttle SRBs had to be fished out the sea by specially designed ships, refurbished, and refilled, whilst the fuel tanks disintegrated over the Indian and Pacific oceans. By contract, the ultimate aim of the Space X reusable rocket launching system is to develop a multistage system that can return the first stage to the launchpad in minutes and the second stage within 24 hours, with both stages being ready to fire again within "single-digit hours".

Just about the only space project that promises something more time efficient that that is the REL Skylon, which is a hell of a lot more ambitions and hasn't even built a prototype engine yet.

Could well be cheaper too, as recovery costs will be far less.

[up]

Vetical Takeoff Vertical Landing

edited 14th Oct '13 10:30:43 AM by Achaemenid

Schild und Schwert der Partei
jaustin89 Since: Jul, 2012
#1195: Oct 14th 2013 at 10:43:51 AM

The time efficiency thing is a good point, but could just as easily be addressed by adding a parachute system robust enough to land it passively. There's just no way an active landing like that will ever be more efficient overall on any planet with a half decent atmosphere.

I have a feeling they're using this as an early test bed for a lunar lander, getting the software and stuff working, otherwise it just doesn't make sense.

optimusjamie Since: Jun, 2010
#1196: Oct 14th 2013 at 10:50:04 AM

@Vertical landing: Am I the only one reminded of Thunderbirds?

Direct all enquiries to Jamie B Good
Achaemenid HGW XX/7 from Ruschestraße 103, Haus 1 Since: Dec, 2011 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
HGW XX/7
#1197: Oct 14th 2013 at 10:59:36 AM

[up][up]

Wouldn't that still entail having to go all the way downrange to pick the thing up? Not to mention, you're completely at the mercy of the wind when parachutes are involved.

I think the basic idea of SpaceX's plan is that eventually the benefits of re-using launch stages will outweigh the costs of the extra fuel and recovery.

EDIT: The idea is that they're going to try to use it to drive the costs of launching LEO satellites. The plan is to try to recover the first stage on the next flight of their Falcon 9 rocket in February.

edited 14th Oct '13 11:02:11 AM by Achaemenid

Schild und Schwert der Partei
Meklar from Milky Way Since: Dec, 2012 Relationship Status: RelationshipOutOfBoundsException: 1
#1198: Oct 14th 2013 at 11:00:20 AM

If you had asked me a few years ago if anyone would invent a vertical landing rocket I would have looked at you like you're crazy.
Well, they were working on the Delta Clipper during the 1990s, but the project was cancelled after a couple of accidents with the test vehicles. It was looking good for a while though, and they made flights similar to what SpaceX is shown doing above. here's a video from a 1995 test.

edited 14th Oct '13 11:00:36 AM by Meklar

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Soban Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: 700 wives and 300 concubines
#1199: Oct 14th 2013 at 11:02:48 AM

question, why not add wings and they fly back home and land horizontally? That would save on fuel and we have drone planes already.

AnSTH Lawful Evil Since: May, 2013 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#1200: Oct 14th 2013 at 11:03:43 AM

[up][up][up] Whether it actually does save money is a bit of a wait-and-see thing for now though. The reasoning for why this system is better than just dropping bits off or using parachutes seems solid at least. They only need to pay for the gas needed to refuel the rocket, and much less on any trucks or ships that would be needed to recover it otherwise. On top of the saving from reusing material instead of letting it burn up in reentry or fall into the sea.

[up] Something to do with needing to tip the rocket at some point and wings not being very aerodynamic for a vertical takeoff?

edited 14th Oct '13 11:05:15 AM by AnSTH

But that's a story for another time.

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