Posts by grndkntrl

Uncle Sam explores satellites that can create propellant out of thin air

If it trails behind the ISS...

... then maybe they can suck up the air leaking out of it via the borscht strainer that the Russian Operating Segment is turning into.

Megaphone, because it looks like an intake scoop.

Boffins demo self-eating rocket engine in Scotland

Re: An interesting idea...

I think a pulley/ratchet strap mechanism on the outside would probably work, with all of the motors & cable/strap take up spools located at the nozzle end so that it pulls the nose end towards the nozzle, instead of something (linear actuator) pushing the nose end as in the video.

You could then have a parachute package in the nose cone to be able to recover the collapsed stack of nose cone & engine puck.

If it needs to survive re-entry temps, then an inflatable heatshield a la LOFTID (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-Earth_Orbit_Flight_Test_of_an_Inflatable_Decelerator) would also pack down quite neatly into the nose cone.

SpaceX's Starship on the roster for Texas takeoff

Re: Not proof of launch license

It's now up at: https://www.faa.gov/media/69476

Here: https://www.faa.gov/media/69476

Could 2023 be the year SpaceX's Starship finally reaches orbit?

Re: launch window between March and September

Note that the FCC (Federal COMMUNICATIONS Commission) licence linked to in the article is a rolling renewal of one that SpaceX have applied for every six months, for the last couple of years, and is just for the RF communications coverage used for a launch.

This has nothing to do with an actual launch licence from the FAA (Federal AVIATION Authority) which will likely only be applied for & then issued a few weeks before SpaceX is actually ready to perform an orbital launch attempt.

This confusion resurfaces every time the rolling renewal of the FCC RF Comms licence comes around.

Elon Musk to step down as Twitter CEO: Help us pick his replacement

Ughhh...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E32fJhCWEAAn481.jpg:orig

Commercial space station Orbital Reef's design phase passes NASA review

Surely Axiom Station is the first...‽

... especially given that the first module is already well under construction for them by Thales Alenia Space in Italy, and it had already received NASA's approval back in 2020.

SpaceX Starship booster in flames after unexpected ignition

Re: Oops

There's also a typo in the 8th paragraph:

> "... 33 of the company's Raptor enginers. Together, ..."

"enginers" should be "engines"

Re: Amazed the commenters on the video segment could only muster a few "whoas".

The NSF folks later said that they really had to hold themselves back from using stronger words, because it's a relatively family friendly stream.

Nothing says 'We believe in you' like NASA switching two 'nauts off Boeing's Starliner onto SpaceX's Crew Dragon

Maybe a plushie version of this: https://www.thecalmzone.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Emoji-image-1.png

Pipe down, Jeff. You've only gone where Gus Grissom went before, 60 years ago today

Re: Do allow Bezos his moment of glory

If it wasn't for SpaceX, then even more of your precious tax dollars would've been wasted on pork barrel cost-plus job programs with no end in sight, and no coherent vision for the future.

Also SpaceX have significant funding from sources outside of US Government agencies.

In addition, while Jeff Who spaffed $500 million on a mega-yacht (which has an additional separate super-yacht just for landing his helicopter on it), Elon Musk sold all his other homes, and now lives in a small bungalow in Boca Chica right next to the Starship production site.

I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Winking red supergiants sneezing hot gas 650 light years away

Re: An "outgassing event" is not a sneeze

Stellar Parp‽

Stellar Fart‽

Stellar Shart‽