I'm taking a break from tilting my head back and forth like a confused dog to post about the strange happenings in Boca Chica, Texas. Which has gone from a place where the most exciting thing happening was soil settling under a large mound of dirt at the site of a future launch pad, to buzzing with activity. But lately the main attention grabber has been the large grey and silvery shiny thing that's being built.
To outside observers this is roughly how the situation has progressed:
-I guess they're building a water tower?
-It looks like they're building a nose cone, but no way it's a rocket, no one builds rockets outside. Out of what appears to be steel of all things.
-Stainless steel???
-Ok I guess it's some kind of mockup test article, maybe to test how certain parts fit? Boy some of those panels look rough.
-...now it has 3 engine bells on the bottom of it...double engine bells that look like the real thing.
And as I was thinking about making this post Scott Manley put out a video and I think he covers it quite well.
I'm taking a break from tilting my head back and forth like a confused dog to post about the strange happenings in Boca Chica, Texas. Which has gone from a place where the most exciting thing happening was soil settling under a large mound of dirt at the site of a future launch pad, to buzzing with activity. But lately the main attention grabber has been the large grey and silvery shiny thing that's being built.
To outside observers this is roughly how the situation has progressed:
-I guess they're building a water tower?
-It looks like they're building a nose cone, but no way it's a rocket, no one builds rockets outside. Out of what appears to be steel of all things.
-Stainless steel???
-Ok I guess it's some kind of mockup test article, maybe to test how certain parts fit? Boy some of those panels look rough.
-...now it has 3 engine bells on the bottom of it...double engine bells that look like the real thing.
And as I was thinking about making this post Scott Manley put out a video and I think he covers it quite well.
Maybe it'll be a dummy load for the BFR booster? You'd want something that simulated the loaded weight; (relatively) cheap steel could make up for it being hollow. Most dummy weights can be simple weights because they're under a fairing, so having real(ish) aerodynamics probably helps, too. If they get it all the way to the ship's orbit circularization it'll burn up coming back down. No sense in building heat shielding on a ship that will probably explode on the way up.
0
BrodyThe WatchThe First ShoreRegistered Userregular
Maybe it'll be a dummy load for the BFR booster? You'd want something that simulated the loaded weight; (relatively) cheap steel could make up for it being hollow. Most dummy weights can be simple weights because they're under a fairing, so having real(ish) aerodynamics probably helps, too. If they get it all the way to the ship's orbit circularization it'll burn up coming back down. No sense in building heat shielding on a ship that will probably explode on the way up.
This is theoretically only for going straight up and down?
"I will write your name in the ruin of them. I will paint you across history in the color of their blood."
I'd imagine getting real world data on how the new engines behave through various flight envelopes (probably low speed but who knows at this point) is the number one priority, followed closely by verifying the control software doesn't produce any strange results flying something as large as this hopper is going to be. Maybe that's why they went with three engines when one could have sufficed, triple the engines and you get more data back during the flight and when you take them apart to verify everything is performing within expectations.
0
BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
I'd imagine getting real world data on how the new engines behave through various flight envelopes (probably low speed but who knows at this point) is the number one priority, followed closely by verifying the control software doesn't produce any strange results flying something as large as this hopper is going to be. Maybe that's why they went with three engines when one could have sufficed, triple the engines and you get more data back during the flight and when you take them apart to verify everything is performing within expectations.
Plus, as Scott mentions in the video, playing with engine-out scenarios, different "landing" profiles (1 engine vs 3 at low throttle, etc)
The Raptor is supposed to have an even larger throttle range than the Merlin, which is already world-class
+1
BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
I think it being a stainless steel construction, etc. allows them to get away with building this low-altitude test article outside, which is actually kinda neat for the future of spaceflight - if they do intend for these vehicles to eventually be reentering the earth's atmosphere 100s of time, they'll have to get used to sitting outside in all sorts of weather! :surprised:
At least the worker platforms have evolved past the days of ropes and planks of wood
Well, it is Elon, let's wait 'til they're attaching the two halves before we count out the planks of wood :P
+1
HonkHonk is this poster.Registered User, __BANNED USERSregular
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
PSN: Honkalot
+7
BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
You may joke a little in that last sentence, but they probably will :P
There's a lot of data they'll want to transmit, but getting bonus images of something that far away is a huge PR win for New Horizons and NASA
+10
HonkHonk is this poster.Registered User, __BANNED USERSregular
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
You may joke a little in that last sentence, but they probably will :P
There's a lot of data they'll want to transmit, but getting bonus images of something that far away is a huge PR win for New Horizons and NASA
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
You may joke a little in that last sentence, but they probably will :P
There's a lot of data they'll want to transmit, but getting bonus images of something that far away is a huge PR win for New Horizons and NASA
They did 2 failsafe picture downloads prior to closest approach and plan 3 "new york times" hype photo downlinks in the 2 days after. Those won't be the highest resolution pictures they'll eventually get get, but as you say, it's important to get them out fast to showcase the success of the mission. All the science data and better pictures will come over the next year.
Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
+4
HonkHonk is this poster.Registered User, __BANNED USERSregular
What if the high res images shows a naked man standing on the planetoid and waving at us. What then.
I think it being a stainless steel construction, etc. allows them to get away with building this low-altitude test article outside, which is actually kinda neat for the future of spaceflight - if they do intend for these vehicles to eventually be reentering the earth's atmosphere 100s of time, they'll have to get used to sitting outside in all sorts of weather! :surprised:
They'll need more than just stainless steel. It'll still need a coating and regular maintenance for the outer layer to prevent corrosion, as well as inspection of the joins between the skin and the primary structure. Stainless is only corrosion resistant, and the combination of heat, direct sunlight, and saltwater, care not for your resistance. I suspect that that's why NASA built maintenance buildings for their rockets. Protection from the elements as well as walkways that make inspection easier.
+2
BeNarwhalThe Work Left UnfinishedRegistered Userregular
I think it being a stainless steel construction, etc. allows them to get away with building this low-altitude test article outside, which is actually kinda neat for the future of spaceflight - if they do intend for these vehicles to eventually be reentering the earth's atmosphere 100s of time, they'll have to get used to sitting outside in all sorts of weather! :surprised:
They'll need more than just stainless steel. It'll still need a coating and regular maintenance for the outer layer to prevent corrosion, as well as inspection of the joins between the skin and the primary structure. Stainless is only corrosion resistant, and the combination of heat, direct sunlight, and saltwater, care not for your resistance. I suspect that that's why NASA built maintenance buildings for their rockets. Protection from the elements as well as walkways that make inspection easier.
Oh, definitely - and I suspect that if this test article sees any long-term use, it'll have an indoor home to retreat into for exactly those purposes
I just think it's neat that they can slap together this shell of the vehicle outside in a tent, though building things in tents is hardly revolutionary for a company headed by Elon Musk >_>
Oh please, those are clearly high quality Sprung™ instant structures, which are supported by extruded aluminum arches that are integrally connected to an all-weather outer performance architectural membrane. Produced by industry leading Sprung Instant Structures Ltd., an innovative company that has been supplying enclosure solutions to its customers since 1887.
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
They wish they had 1-2kb/s - the transfer rate's about 500b/s on a good day.
It's currently not a good day - the probe's right behind the sun right now, and has been for a few days. The downloads are supposed to resume as soon as a gigantic screaming radio source isn't parked right in the line of sight, which should be later this week.
(Still better than the Voyagers' 150 baud, though...)
Thanks for the info about the sun getting in the way, I was wondering why the team for New Horizon had been quiet. Pluto's data flowed in a bit more continuously at first.
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
They wish they had 1-2kb/s - the transfer rate's about 500b/s on a good day.
It's currently not a good day - the probe's right behind the sun right now, and has been for a few days. The downloads are supposed to resume as soon as a gigantic screaming radio source isn't parked right in the line of sight, which should be later this week.
(Still better than the Voyagers' 150 baud, though...)
What kind of shit internet can’t go through a Star?
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
+10
HonkHonk is this poster.Registered User, __BANNED USERSregular
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
They wish they had 1-2kb/s - the transfer rate's about 500b/s on a good day.
It's currently not a good day - the probe's right behind the sun right now, and has been for a few days. The downloads are supposed to resume as soon as a gigantic screaming radio source isn't parked right in the line of sight, which should be later this week.
(Still better than the Voyagers' 150 baud, though...)
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
They wish they had 1-2kb/s - the transfer rate's about 500b/s on a good day.
It's currently not a good day - the probe's right behind the sun right now, and has been for a few days. The downloads are supposed to resume as soon as a gigantic screaming radio source isn't parked right in the line of sight, which should be later this week.
(Still better than the Voyagers' 150 baud, though...)
God dammit, you’d figure nasa would afford fiber.
A fleet of repeater sattelites spread around the solar system would be nice though.
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
They wish they had 1-2kb/s - the transfer rate's about 500b/s on a good day.
It's currently not a good day - the probe's right behind the sun right now, and has been for a few days. The downloads are supposed to resume as soon as a gigantic screaming radio source isn't parked right in the line of sight, which should be later this week.
(Still better than the Voyagers' 150 baud, though...)
God dammit, you’d figure nasa would afford fiber.
A fleet of repeater sattelites spread around the solar system would be nice though.
Patience that is actually in the plans. I don't remember the name but they did develop a http/tcp protocol for communication between planets with an array of satellites.
I was wondering when there’ll be nice high resolution pictures from the fly-by of Ultima Thule and saw that the transfer speed is apparently 1-2 kb/s and it’ll take like 10 months or something for the whole data package.
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
They wish they had 1-2kb/s - the transfer rate's about 500b/s on a good day.
It's currently not a good day - the probe's right behind the sun right now, and has been for a few days. The downloads are supposed to resume as soon as a gigantic screaming radio source isn't parked right in the line of sight, which should be later this week.
(Still better than the Voyagers' 150 baud, though...)
God dammit, you’d figure nasa would afford fiber.
A fleet of repeater sattelites spread around the solar system would be nice though.
Patience that is actually in the plans. I don't remember the name but they did develop a http/tcp protocol for communication between planets with an array of satellites.
Mass effect relays?
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
A few months ago, a few US publications seemed to speculate about the shuttering of Baikonur Comsodrome, with the operation of the civilian facility at Vostochnny Cosmodrome, and the closing of one of the launch facilities. That might still happen, and one of the launch sites--the famous "Gagarin's Start"--will go unused with the planned replacement of Soyuz-FG by Soyuz-2 (which can be launched from Vostochnny, Plesetsky, and the former French Guiana). However, Baikonur is still planning 19 launches in 2019 (more than double the slow year of 2018, with only 9), with the first Soyuz mission in March.
In September, with Soyuz MS-14, the manned version of Soyuz 2.1 will be launched in preparation for the first passenger missions in this variant.
Now that it's no longer blighted by the sun, apparently the New Horizons team have Done Something with the spacecraft, resulting in the downlink to Earth from it operating at 1.58kb/s instead of less than a third of that. So data coming in again and doing so much more 'quickly.'
Posts
To outside observers this is roughly how the situation has progressed:
-I guess they're building a water tower?
-It looks like they're building a nose cone, but no way it's a rocket, no one builds rockets outside. Out of what appears to be steel of all things.
-Stainless steel???
-Ok I guess it's some kind of mockup test article, maybe to test how certain parts fit? Boy some of those panels look rough.
-...now it has 3 engine bells on the bottom of it...double engine bells that look like the real thing.
And as I was thinking about making this post Scott Manley put out a video and I think he covers it quite well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVgEKBwE2RM
These are extra exciting times if you're a big fan of shiny silvery rocket ships from 1950's sci-fi!
I saw this video just before heading out earlier, and even Scott is like ... I guess they really are gonna fly whatever this thing is???
I am fascinated.
This is theoretically only for going straight up and down?
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Plus, as Scott mentions in the video, playing with engine-out scenarios, different "landing" profiles (1 engine vs 3 at low throttle, etc)
The Raptor is supposed to have an even larger throttle range than the Merlin, which is already world-class
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
It's position makes me think of where Brennan was hiding in Protector.
I think it being a stainless steel construction, etc. allows them to get away with building this low-altitude test article outside, which is actually kinda neat for the future of spaceflight - if they do intend for these vehicles to eventually be reentering the earth's atmosphere 100s of time, they'll have to get used to sitting outside in all sorts of weather! :surprised:
hmmmm
it's even roughly the same size
At least the worker platforms have evolved past the days of ropes and planks of wood
Well, it is Elon, let's wait 'til they're attaching the two halves before we count out the planks of wood :P
Hopefully they’ll start with a photo to make me satisfied.
You may joke a little in that last sentence, but they probably will :P
There's a lot of data they'll want to transmit, but getting bonus images of something that far away is a huge PR win for New Horizons and NASA
I win again!
They did 2 failsafe picture downloads prior to closest approach and plan 3 "new york times" hype photo downlinks in the 2 days after. Those won't be the highest resolution pictures they'll eventually get get, but as you say, it's important to get them out fast to showcase the success of the mission. All the science data and better pictures will come over the next year.
PSN / Xbox / NNID: Fodder185
They'll need more than just stainless steel. It'll still need a coating and regular maintenance for the outer layer to prevent corrosion, as well as inspection of the joins between the skin and the primary structure. Stainless is only corrosion resistant, and the combination of heat, direct sunlight, and saltwater, care not for your resistance. I suspect that that's why NASA built maintenance buildings for their rockets. Protection from the elements as well as walkways that make inspection easier.
Oh, definitely - and I suspect that if this test article sees any long-term use, it'll have an indoor home to retreat into for exactly those purposes
I just think it's neat that they can slap together this shell of the vehicle outside in a tent, though building things in tents is hardly revolutionary for a company headed by Elon Musk >_>
They wish they had 1-2kb/s - the transfer rate's about 500b/s on a good day.
It's currently not a good day - the probe's right behind the sun right now, and has been for a few days. The downloads are supposed to resume as soon as a gigantic screaming radio source isn't parked right in the line of sight, which should be later this week.
(Still better than the Voyagers' 150 baud, though...)
What kind of shit internet can’t go through a Star?
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
God dammit, you’d figure nasa would afford fiber.
A fleet of repeater sattelites spread around the solar system would be nice though.
Patience that is actually in the plans. I don't remember the name but they did develop a http/tcp protocol for communication between planets with an array of satellites.
Mass effect relays?
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
In September, with Soyuz MS-14, the manned version of Soyuz 2.1 will be launched in preparation for the first passenger missions in this variant.
Soooo not arguing with that result!
(DSN Now is fun.)
SpaceX has just gone live with the stream for their next Iridium launch - 10 satellites planned on this one.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Hey neat there's a ladder on the erector just above the black interstage so you can get a pretty good sense of scale for the thing.
Planned 1st-stage recovery on the Just Read the Instructions.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
Some random tweet that had the best pic I could find that wasnt press branded heh.
Dark side of the moon panorama!
Personally, I think it would be fine to talk about it.