SpaceX Falcon Heavy Shows Why We Need Appropriations Reform

Townhall.com ^ | December28, 2017 | Jerry Rogers

[NorthMountain]

Still there are many of us that would like to see the S5 reborn, but we are just wishing - couldn’t build it now if we tried.

And shouldn't try even if we could. If there was a need for that much lift right now, we could do better. Materials and manufacturing methods have improved greatly since the 1960s. Computers have also improved a little ...

[PIF]

And shouldn’t try even if we could.

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Not right now, but in the near future there will be need for that much and more. It takes years to bring such a project to fruition so yes start now. Good way to always be behind the lift curve. In fact, had it been rebuilt or continued, it could take guys back to the moon now.

Every time some politician says let’s go there or over here, there are decades spent trying to develop the tech to lift really big payloads, meanwhile some other politician comes along and cancels the whole development cycle - so it never happens - it always looks like it might, but never will. Not until there is a lasting political will to go beyond LEO. What ever DJT might do or initiate has no guarantee of lasting beyond his 4-8 years. Same goes for Musky’s babies - no political will means his projects are dead and all efforts are nil.

Space programs cannot achieve what they could as long as they are tied to political whims and fates. The only other possibility is for manned space exploration to become a national priority, a political GOAL, not a policy.

[Ozark Tom]

Changing the rules because the congressional districts home to the entrenched aerospace industries are crying foul. They aren’t willing to compete on the playing field, unless the field is tilted to their advantage by changing the rules.

[Ozark Tom]

Falcon Heavy is on the pad for pre-test inspection, prior to a hot firing of the engines.

[hoagy62]

NASA is proud that there has been NOT ONE launch failure of the Space Launch System after 15 years of development.

There has also been not one LAUNCH of the SLS after 15 yeats of development.

[VRWC For Truth]

Needs more Mooselimb outreach, yippie cat-yea! ...

[Svartalfiar]

Thomas Edison blew what? Thousands upon thousands of light bulbs? With a mindset like that we’d still be reading in the dark.

And how many millions of taxpayer dollars did Edison use to do that?

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Kaslin.

While the concept sounds good in theory, so have all the other broken assurances Musk has made in the past few years.

The author can't name one that Musk has made regarding SpaceX, other than delays in getting them accomplished, oh no! Call the waaaahhhmbulance!

The launch cadence in 2017 was greater for SpaceX than for Arianespace (which came in second, and is strictly EU gubmint supported). In 2018, SpaceX will -- barring the temporary loss of a launchpad, as happened with site 40 -- have more launches than everyone else in the US and EU combined. If Musk sticks to his knitting, he'll make going to orbit cheaper than staying on the ground. :^)

[SunkenCiv]

I read a year or two ago that the Russians are developing a new type of rocket tech which would equal or superseed the BFR

My ass they are. They're also going to *finally* send humans to the Moon, and make the first manned missions to Mars. As Sam Kinison once said, you want to impress us? Bring back our FLAG! :^)

[SunkenCiv]

[PIF]

Civ, it was all over the web at the time. Whether it continued to be pushed I have no idea. I’ll look around see if I can ;locate some old story about it.

[PIF]

Here are a couple of stories - I think what I remember revolves around their new super heavy lift vehicle - the pulse engine is new to me however.

Russia’s A5V moon mission rocket may be replaced with new super-heavy-lift vehicle

Russia first to test clean pulse-detonation rocket engine (VIDEO)

Anyway do not discount Russian expertise with rocket engines. I'm sure there was a story about a new engine based on a different way to generate much more thrust due to a novel engine design; at the time the aim was to get to something like 170 tons to LEO with more possible using addons to the lift vehicle.

[PIF]

In addition to launching Rosie, we can stop paying the Russians for their engines to lift our stuff.

Also if NASA were to develop this same engine it would cost 4 times as much, not counting cost over-runs, and be delayed 5-20 years.