SpaceX Tuesday...
Discussion
Petrus1983 said:
Just seen Elon saying he wants a base on the moon. Would usually put such comment alongside flat earthers.... but not him!
A base on the moon has been seriously touted since the end of World War 2. It's been technically doable for over 40 years - we just haven't got around to it yet.hyphen said:
Any reason why they aren't painting the Starship white like the rest?
Well, there's no need, the current prototypes won't be around long enough to justify the trouble, and it all adds mass and every gram counts. Furthermore since it's ultimately intended to re-enter at lunar return velocities it's going to need thermal protection on at least one side, which may interfere with the painted aesthetic. Eric Mc said:
Petrus1983 said:
Just seen Elon saying he wants a base on the moon. Would usually put such comment alongside flat earthers.... but not him!
A base on the moon has been seriously touted since the end of World War 2. It's been technically doable for over 40 years - we just haven't got around to it yet.p1stonhead said:
Eric Mc said:
Petrus1983 said:
Just seen Elon saying he wants a base on the moon. Would usually put such comment alongside flat earthers.... but not him!
A base on the moon has been seriously touted since the end of World War 2. It's been technically doable for over 40 years - we just haven't got around to it yet.p1stonhead said:
I guess in theory it’s no different to the ISS but on land?
Sort of.A moon base is not so far away that it cannot be replenished with consumables from earth - like the ISS (or any earth orbiting space station - we've had a dozen or so of the things since 1971).
The main constraint is that it is MUCH further away. Low earth orbit is approximately 300 miles above the earth. The moon is 250,000 miles from the earth and takes around three days to get from the earth to the moon. As a result, the cost of lifting people and material from the earth to the moon is much, much higher than low earth orbit. However, it is technically doable - if you are prepared to absorb the cost.
What has made moon bases more attractive in recent years is the fact that some of the important consumables needed (e.g. water and oxygen) can be found on the moon and would not need to be transported all the way from earth all the time.
I'm don't think Elon is that bothered about the Moon; He has his sights firmly set on Mars. He recently compared going back to the Moon to be like sailing from Europe and America; He said “If you want to cross the Atlantic, maybe you want to go to Iceland, probably not. To visit, sure, but it’s not like it’s a mandatory stop.”
But the Lunar Gateway space station and a Moonbase is something borderline affordable for NASA to do and gives them & the politicians a reason for the SLS rocket to keep existing.
Obviously, Elon is more than happy for SpaceX to take the money to support whatever NASA want to do. Makes sense to help pay for Starship and other projects that way. They've recently got a supply contract for the forthcoming Lunar Gateway and are on the shortlist to supply an eventual Moonbase with a special version of Starship.
But the Lunar Gateway space station and a Moonbase is something borderline affordable for NASA to do and gives them & the politicians a reason for the SLS rocket to keep existing.
Obviously, Elon is more than happy for SpaceX to take the money to support whatever NASA want to do. Makes sense to help pay for Starship and other projects that way. They've recently got a supply contract for the forthcoming Lunar Gateway and are on the shortlist to supply an eventual Moonbase with a special version of Starship.
AFIk it takes more Delta-v (from earth) to land on the moon than it does to land on Mars
Its just quicker to get too and easier to leave.
If we can use resources on the moon rather than having to boost them out of earths well then it could be worthwhile having a moon base but if not its no use at all as a waypoint
Its just quicker to get too and easier to leave.
If we can use resources on the moon rather than having to boost them out of earths well then it could be worthwhile having a moon base but if not its no use at all as a waypoint
RobDickinson said:
AFIk it takes more Delta-v (from earth) to land on the moon than it does to land on Mars
Its just quicker to get too and easier to leave.
If we can use resources on the moon rather than having to boost them out of earths well then it could be worthwhile having a moon base but if not its no use at all as a waypoint
I presume that once you are in LEO the trip to Mars is mostly "downhill" with a big gravity well and some helpful atmosphere for aerobraking at the end whereas the trip to the moon has a much smaller well pulling you in and you need to cancel all your velocity with thrust?Its just quicker to get too and easier to leave.
If we can use resources on the moon rather than having to boost them out of earths well then it could be worthwhile having a moon base but if not its no use at all as a waypoint
Flooble said:
I presume that once you are in LEO the trip to Mars is mostly "downhill" with a big gravity well and some helpful atmosphere for aerobraking at the end whereas the trip to the moon has a much smaller well pulling you in and you need to cancel all your velocity with thrust?
yep , takes more to get to mars but less to land due to atmospheric braking etc~9 hours until starlink 9 launch
On just one engine. And it looks like the engine totally didn't eat itself this time, which is good.
Long way to go, but you can see the progress.
Here's footage of SN5 on its landing pad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTeeT4WVIfY
You can see the crush cores on some of the stubby legs did their job. Looks like they're getting ready to shift it.
Long way to go, but you can see the progress.
Here's footage of SN5 on its landing pad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTeeT4WVIfY
You can see the crush cores on some of the stubby legs did their job. Looks like they're getting ready to shift it.
These launches are becoming so "routine" that they are beginning to become non-newsworthy. Of course, this launch suffered multiple delays so was anything but routine.
If any of us had bothered to get up early this morning, would we have sen the top stage and satellites pass over the UK?
If any of us had bothered to get up early this morning, would we have sen the top stage and satellites pass over the UK?
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