Posted on 11/19/2023 12:21:39 PM PST by TomEd
I saw the Apollo XVII launch. Shortly after midnight, from across the Indian River. A second sunrise, as the world's largest kerosene lantern illuminated clouds and water in a brownish light. Several hundred thousand people went wild, shouting, cheering, dancing, weeping with wild joy.
We did not know that the politicians had pulled the plug on the dream.
The next time I had that mixture of elated emotions was when the faring came off to reveal ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH9OGQADzkA
It was amazing reading some of the comments on YouTube how this was just another failure because both stages blew. They were extolling the virtues of Artemis, how it worked perfectly the first time...after how many years? At half the thrust of Starship, and not designed to be reusable. Some people just don’t get it.
Shoot, I’d be perfectly happy with 3G (yes, 3G) if the cell companies could just get me 2 bars of signal strength consistently...
No, I’m not in some remote mountain valley.
This is what Elon is shooting for with Starlink. High speed access from anywhere on the globe. The amount of satellites already put into orbit is staggering. Most people do not realize that Starlink already has 5,000 orbiting satellites with over 40,000 total planned (so far).
Still: I don't understand how Starship is expected to lift off from the Moon and Mars without a great deal of debris affecting everything around it. Or do I not understand the mission profiles?
If it lands on the moon or Mars, it may clear a flat-ish space for itself as it slowly descends.
But I otherwise think you are right. It’s another problem to solve.
The other problem is that the primary role of NASA's manned space program is to divert money to politically connected contractors, not to get a working system. Just like military procurement.
On the moon, only 1/6 of the thrust is needed.
Well, if my transceiver “phone” fits easily in my pants’ side pocket... :-)
Agreed on the satellites. I’ve spotted the “strings” of ‘em B4 dispersal a couple times — pretty cool.
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