SpaceX Tuesday...
Discussion
rxe said:
Is it going to have a new base when the vacuum engines get put in? Doesn’t look like there are any obvious mounting points.
There's usually an interstage (cylinder housing the vacuum nozzle) on top of the booster for most rocket boosters. No point in dragging it up with the 2nd stage, it's just dead mass.
hidetheelephants said:
craig_m67 said:
The thin stuff (brake line) looks like a fire suppression system?
Could be sensor lines.Most of what you see are nickel alloys which also contain a decent percentage of iron hence the "rust" like oxidisation. The plus side with these nickel alloys is that the oxidisation coatings generally passivate the surface and stop further corrosion rather than flake off and offer up virgin material.
Beati Dogu said:
Meanwhile in Washington DC, moves are afoot to reopen NASA's Human Lander System competition. The losers weren't too happy about missing out and are calling in their political markers.
Introduced by Senator Maria Cantwell from Washington State (home of Boeing & Blue Origin/Amazon, coincidentally), an amendment directs NASA to fund development of “not fewer than 2 entities” in the Human Lander System program. The amendment, known as the Space Preservation and Conjunction Emergency (SPACE) Act of 2021 was passed by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (which Cantwell chairs) on May 12th.
If this is enacted into law by Congress proper, it puts NASA in quite a bind. 30 days isn't long for them to do anything & they certainly can't re-run it. The GAO (Government Accountability Office) are still investigating the initial complaints from losers Blue Origin & Dynetics & they're not due to report until 4th August.
Even if they pick one of the two losers (likely Blue Origin since Dynetic's bid was “significantly higher” than even Blue Origin's), the other one is still going to kick off.
Then there's the matter of funding. NASA went with only one provider (SpaceX) because Congress only gave them a quarter of the budget they requested. Congress will need to print more money if they want to pay for all this largesse.
The 30 day period had now been extended to 60 days. However, NASA has been directed not to change or terminate the selection already made (i.e. SpaceX).Introduced by Senator Maria Cantwell from Washington State (home of Boeing & Blue Origin/Amazon, coincidentally), an amendment directs NASA to fund development of “not fewer than 2 entities” in the Human Lander System program. The amendment, known as the Space Preservation and Conjunction Emergency (SPACE) Act of 2021 was passed by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee (which Cantwell chairs) on May 12th.
If this is enacted into law by Congress proper, it puts NASA in quite a bind. 30 days isn't long for them to do anything & they certainly can't re-run it. The GAO (Government Accountability Office) are still investigating the initial complaints from losers Blue Origin & Dynetics & they're not due to report until 4th August.
Even if they pick one of the two losers (likely Blue Origin since Dynetic's bid was “significantly higher” than even Blue Origin's), the other one is still going to kick off.
Then there's the matter of funding. NASA went with only one provider (SpaceX) because Congress only gave them a quarter of the budget they requested. Congress will need to print more money if they want to pay for all this largesse.
So while there may be a second contractor after all, SpaceX will still be one of them. Which is nice.
https://spacepolicyonline.com/news/spacex-hls-cont...
The ability of the Americans to waste money on their space programs continues to astound.
What would happen if Space X were to say, f
k it, we’re out and let Blue Origin piss NASAs money into a non-existent rocket and lander.
Meanwhile, they’ll send they own craft up there in a year or two and have a fully functioning base and be half way to Mars before BO and NASA get anywhere near the Moon?
Do they need permission to land there? It’s not like anyone owns it...
What would happen if Space X were to say, f
k it, we’re out and let Blue Origin piss NASAs money into a non-existent rocket and lander. Meanwhile, they’ll send they own craft up there in a year or two and have a fully functioning base and be half way to Mars before BO and NASA get anywhere near the Moon?
Do they need permission to land there? It’s not like anyone owns it...
MiniMan64 said:
The ability of the Americans to waste money on their space programs continues to astound.
What would happen if Space X were to say, fk it, we’re out and let Blue Origin piss NASAs money into a non-existent rocket and lander.
Meanwhile, they’ll send they own craft up there in a year or two and have a fully functioning base and be half way to Mars before BO and NASA get anywhere near the Moon?
Do they need permission to land there? It’s not like anyone owns it...
They need permission to launch from American soil.What would happen if Space X were to say, f
k it, we’re out and let Blue Origin piss NASAs money into a non-existent rocket and lander. Meanwhile, they’ll send they own craft up there in a year or two and have a fully functioning base and be half way to Mars before BO and NASA get anywhere near the Moon?
Do they need permission to land there? It’s not like anyone owns it...
Caruso said:
MiniMan64 said:
The ability of the Americans to waste money on their space programs continues to astound.
What would happen if Space X were to say, fk it, we’re out and let Blue Origin piss NASAs money into a non-existent rocket and lander.
Meanwhile, they’ll send they own craft up there in a year or two and have a fully functioning base and be half way to Mars before BO and NASA get anywhere near the Moon?
Do they need permission to land there? It’s not like anyone owns it...
They need permission to launch from American soil.What would happen if Space X were to say, f
k it, we’re out and let Blue Origin piss NASAs money into a non-existent rocket and lander. Meanwhile, they’ll send they own craft up there in a year or two and have a fully functioning base and be half way to Mars before BO and NASA get anywhere near the Moon?
Do they need permission to land there? It’s not like anyone owns it...
Caruso said:
MiniMan64 said:
The ability of the Americans to waste money on their space programs continues to astound.
What would happen if Space X were to say, fk it, we’re out and let Blue Origin piss NASAs money into a non-existent rocket and lander.
Meanwhile, they’ll send they own craft up there in a year or two and have a fully functioning base and be half way to Mars before BO and NASA get anywhere near the Moon?
Do they need permission to land there? It’s not like anyone owns it...
They need permission to launch from American soil.What would happen if Space X were to say, f
k it, we’re out and let Blue Origin piss NASAs money into a non-existent rocket and lander. Meanwhile, they’ll send they own craft up there in a year or two and have a fully functioning base and be half way to Mars before BO and NASA get anywhere near the Moon?
Do they need permission to land there? It’s not like anyone owns it...
I don't think there's all that much that will stop Elon. He'll find a way.
Gassing Station | Science! | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff