SpaceX Tuesday...
Discussion
It was a war. War drives technical advancement.
We need something similar IFwe want to make similar leaps. Of course, we would have to put up with the overbearing fear of nuclear annihilation as well. But maybe it was a good tradeoff.
If the US Air Force had their way, the US would have gone from sub-orbital lobs to space planes in FOUR years. In fact, the air force was all for abandoning sub orbital ballistic nonsense and going straight to space planes.
We need something similar IFwe want to make similar leaps. Of course, we would have to put up with the overbearing fear of nuclear annihilation as well. But maybe it was a good tradeoff.
If the US Air Force had their way, the US would have gone from sub-orbital lobs to space planes in FOUR years. In fact, the air force was all for abandoning sub orbital ballistic nonsense and going straight to space planes.
Eric Mc said:
If the US Air Force had their way, the US would have gone from sub-orbital lobs to space planes in FOUR years. In fact, the air force was all for abandoning sub orbital ballistic nonsense and going straight to space planes.
Yes although the USAF has a reputation for expensive halo projects that always cost overrun and under perform- just look at almost every aircraft they've commissioned in the last 30yrs :-)I wonder how far the Soviet Union would have progressed if it had continued to lead the Space Race over the Americans? I think it fair to say they were in with a shout of a moon landing but the relentless US pace steamrollered them.
There are some cracking/bonkers/imaginative programs that were proposed and scrapped during the rush to the moon- MOL, Big Gemini, Manned Venus Flyby etc.
Don't confuse USAF manned projects with the moon race. In many ways, the Air Force was very ANTI moon race as they thought the REAL Soviet threat in space wasn't space spectaculars, but missile systems, spy satellites and possibly even orbital bombardment systems and ant-satellite systems. T
hey wanted to develop technology to enable humans (i.e. USAF personnel) to get into earth orbit and disable these Russian threats.
They were also miffed that virtually all the money for manned spaceflight was going to NASA and not to them.
They tried to get two manned programmes funded, Dyna-Soar and, when that was axed, MOL. That too got axed and the crews transferred to NASA (who didn't want them).
hey wanted to develop technology to enable humans (i.e. USAF personnel) to get into earth orbit and disable these Russian threats.
They were also miffed that virtually all the money for manned spaceflight was going to NASA and not to them.
They tried to get two manned programmes funded, Dyna-Soar and, when that was axed, MOL. That too got axed and the crews transferred to NASA (who didn't want them).
RoadRunner220 said:
Beati Dogu said:
Something went boom at the McGregor test facility in Texas earlier:
What I really want to know however, is how the hell they made the resulting cloud look like an ostrich.Beati Dogu said:
It's a teapot
Although it could be a dragon.
Although it could be a dragon.
Ain't no dragon's here...
Oh and to tie it in (loosly) with the thread I viewed this asterism from the same location that I viewed the space station followed by the space shuttle..
Edited by Sylvaforever on Sunday 18th December 19:32
Interesting findings following the investigation into the September 1 launchpad explosion -
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/01/02/spacex-failu...
https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/01/02/spacex-failu...
They completed a successful static test fire at Vandenberg AFB a couple of days ago.
The launch itself is set for Monday, Jan 9 at 6:22 PM UK time. Weather permitting of course.
EDIT: "Launch moving due to high winds and rains at Vandenberg. Other range conflicts this week results in next available launch date being Jan 14." - SpaceX
That's Saturday at 5.54 PM UK time.
The launch itself is set for Monday, Jan 9 at 6:22 PM UK time. Weather permitting of course.
EDIT: "Launch moving due to high winds and rains at Vandenberg. Other range conflicts this week results in next available launch date being Jan 14." - SpaceX
That's Saturday at 5.54 PM UK time.
Edited by Beati Dogu on Sunday 8th January 17:28
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Tech webcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WimRhydggo
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