Astronomy and Space

[Gfamily]

SpaceX's SN9 lining up for a 10km altitude lift off and return - I assume they are hoping for some time today...
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2021/02 ... clearance/

https://youtu.be/wfHqbahPKpY
Lift off was at 2:24CST if you want to watch it.

[Grumble]

Bang

Wonder if the FAA are happy?

[Gfamily]

Bang

Wonder if the FAA are happy?

Not happy, but maybe feeling a bit vindicated.

[Gfamily]

Lol
https://twitter.com/garwboy/status/1356 ... 80290?s=20

[Grumble]

I like this photo, from here: https://twitter.com/johnkrausphotos/sta ... 36832?s=21

[Grumble]

And from further down that thread here’s a side by side with the last attempt. This latest one was worse.

[JQH]

Why do they call it a starship when it only goes to low Earth orbit*?

This probably bugs me more than it should.


*when it doesn't go boom.

[Gfamily]

Why do they call it a starship when it only goes to low Earth orbit*?

This probably bugs me more than it should.


*when it doesn't go boom.

My understanding is that It's designed to go op top of a Falcon SuperHeavy rocket so that it will go beyond Low Earth Orbit and ultimately to Mars and beyond.
The use of Methane burning engines is (in principle) so that it can land in one piece on Mars - create replacement methane using Solar Panels and then return from Mars to Earth without having to take stupid amounts of fuel with it.

ETA
Starship:
https://everydayastronaut.com/definitiv ... -starship/
The engine:
https://everydayastronaut.com/raptor-engine/

[JQH]

Still not a starship unless it goes to Alpha Centauri or further [/pedantry]

[shpalman]

I don't think going into low Earth orbit should be called "space exploration" either.

[dyqik]

Still not a starship unless it goes to Alpha Centauri or further [/pedantry]

I'll accept the Sun, and maybe Jupiter. Although that's more of a "failed-starship", which is more in keeping with Musk's capabilities.

[Martin_B]

Still not a starship unless it goes to Alpha Centauri or further [/pedantry]

When was the last time you saw a Ford Fiesta host a party, or a Ford Focus concentrate on anything?

[JQH]

Still not a starship unless it goes to Alpha Centauri or further [/pedantry]

When was the last time you saw a Ford Fiesta host a party, or a Ford Focus concentrate on anything?

They're model names not vehicle types. The motoring equivalent of calling musk's rockets "starships" would be calling a mini minor a luxury coach.

[bolo]

Starship is also a model name.

[monkey]

People seem to be annoyed at the star bit being wrong, rather than the ship bit.

[dyqik]

People seem to be annoyed at the star bit being wrong, rather than the ship bit.

Spacecraft get called ships by simple analogy. Although since they are more like submarines than surface vessels in their self-dependency requirements for housing crew, maybe they should be called starboats.

[Grumble]

Space submarines.

(In naval parlance a boat is something that goes under the water)

[monkey]

People seem to be annoyed at the star bit being wrong, rather than the ship bit.

Spacecraft get called ships by simple analogy. Although since they are more like submarines than surface vessels in their self-dependency requirements for housing crew, maybe they should be called starboats.

I once watched a conspiracy theory "documentary" that had space submarines in it. And that wasn't the most bonkers bit.

[dyqik]

People seem to be annoyed at the star bit being wrong, rather than the ship bit.

Spacecraft get called ships by simple analogy. Although since they are more like submarines than surface vessels in their self-dependency requirements for housing crew, maybe they should be called starboats.

I once watched a conspiracy theory "documentary" that had space submarines in it. And that wasn't the most bonkers bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqXN9OA41uw

[dyqik]

Spacecraft get called ships by simple analogy. Although since they are more like submarines than surface vessels in their self-dependency requirements for housing crew, maybe they should be called starboats.

I once watched a conspiracy theory "documentary" that had space submarines in it. And that wasn't the most bonkers bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqXN9OA41uw

In space, no one can hear your sonar pings.

[JQH]

People seem to be annoyed at the star bit being wrong, rather than the ship bit.

Spacecraft get called ships by simple analogy. Although since they are more like submarines than surface vessels in their self-dependency requirements for housing crew, maybe they should be called starboats.

I once watched a conspiracy theory "documentary" that had space submarines in it. And that wasn't the most bonkers bit.

Didn't involve the "Dean Drive" by any chance, did it?

[monkey]

Spacecraft get called ships by simple analogy. Although since they are more like submarines than surface vessels in their self-dependency requirements for housing crew, maybe they should be called starboats.

I once watched a conspiracy theory "documentary" that had space submarines in it. And that wasn't the most bonkers bit.

Didn't involve the "Dean Drive" by any chance, did it?

I'm afraid I can't remember. Think there was some sort of anti gravity thing given to the Nazis by the reptilians.

[Millennie Al]

Space submarines.

(In naval parlance a boat is something that goes under the water)

But spcecraft don't (necessarily) go under water, so shouldn't they be supermarines?

[Martin_B]

Space submarines.

(In naval parlance a boat is something that goes under the water)

But spcecraft don't (necessarily) go under water, so shouldn't they be supermarines?

Plus, spacecraft and submarines are fundamentally different; spacecraft keep a livable atmosphere inside when it's a vacuum outside, whilst submarines keep a livable atmosphere inside when there's several atmospheres of pressure outside.

[Grumble]

*quietly shelves plans for space diving bell*