Before aiming to Mars, I would consider crowfunding two free tickets for a trip on the Falcon to a couple high profile flat earthers.
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SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
191–200 of 839 posts
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#192Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've already seen conspiracy theorists online who claimed that loss of signal during every first stage landing is a proof that it's all a hoax. Like, they switch footage to another droneship with a rocket that was always there. I wonder if these people believe in flat Earth, too?
I read that the loss of the connection is very likely hardware related but I wouldn't be surprised if SpaceX simply doesn't want to livestream something that may crash with a high probability. Nothing to do with the anti-science flat earth movement.
Antennas don't like vibrations. They have also live streamed cores that failed to land. So this take doesn't make sense
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#193Earlier quoted context omitted.
Anything involving fuel is dangerous. Demo-2 is first time that humans are on the rocket while its being fueled. The escape system is on while fueling and defueling since those are high risk times for the rocket.
Even when boarding commercial flights, crew tells you not to fasten seat belts if they’re still refueling. Just in case you need to evacuate (of course it’s just a token concern, I would t expect to survive an airplane bursting in flames even if still docked.)
people have survived even crazier situations, like an airplane cartwheeling down a runway AND THEN bursting into flames. (100+ survivors, out of ~300 IIRC)
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#194Earlier quoted context omitted.
Think the bombing scene in Contact. Very unlikely, but what's the harm in protecting a high profile target like this?
It's a couple ex-military pilots being driven through one of the more secure sites in the United States. Is this Warhammer 40K aesthetic not out of place?
I think they drove on public roads to get from the prep area to the pad.
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#195Quick note: Boeing got the big bucks at $5B or so for their crewed services because they have the "better" more reliable design. SpaceX only got $3B or so. Boeing running roughly 60%+ more per seat as well. So a real accomplishment so far for SpaceX to pull this off.
If I heard correctly, SpaceX got less because they were already running regular resupply missions to ISS and not because they had "worse, less reliable design".
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#196Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think it's more that the DoD props up Boeing in any way they can, from sweetheart contracts like this, to trade policies designed to destroy competition (the Bombardier thing), to outright industrial espionage of other firms (the leaks of Airbus's foreign negotiations). Edit: Changed Embraer to Bombardier thanks to emiliobumachar's friendly reminder.
Not like Airbus’s hands are clean. https://ustr.gov/about-us/policy-offices/press-office/press-...
The WTO is run by a very specific brand of economists that don't see the value in a country subsidizing an industry to maintain local expertise in that industry.
I for one disagree pretty heavily with this ruling.
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#197It is hard to convey how "sustainable" this feels to me. For the first time, humans have gone into orbit in a spacecraft that was designed from the ground up to be a commercial venture. All of the NASA missions prior to this have an ambience of "uneconomical but useful". Even the shuttle, which was supposed to be this cost effective space truck, turned out to be not even close. And the last thing I'm feeling is the a…
factory of rockets Rocket factories existed over 50 years ago. But they were making ICBMs.[1] The big change is that it's now possible to make money launching. [1] https://youtu.be/Pqw9YOOOuKk
Rockets were being made long before 50 years ago. There were plenty of rockets in WWI. And there were smaller rockets going back to before the US war of independence (ie "the rocket's red glare"). If we are talking big metal things that fly into space being produced on an assembly line, then those operating in Germany during late WWII making the V2s (75years ago) were probably the first rocket factories. But I'm not going to clap for them.
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#198Quick note: Boeing got the big bucks at $5B or so for their crewed services because they have the "better" more reliable design. SpaceX only got $3B or so. Boeing running roughly 60%+ more per seat as well. So a real accomplishment so far for SpaceX to pull this off.
If I heard correctly, SpaceX got less because they were already running regular resupply missions to ISS and not because they had "worse, less reliable design".
Also because it costs less when you can reuse the booster rocket.
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#199Who else has prepared snacks and beer? I can feel blood in my ears how excited I am. Good luck SpaceX & NASA!
Some chips and a wheat beer. I haven't drank one in a year. No better time that this to drink one again.
Re: SpaceX successfully launches two humans into orbit
#200It is hard to convey how "sustainable" this feels to me. For the first time, humans have gone into orbit in a spacecraft that was designed from the ground up to be a commercial venture. All of the NASA missions prior to this have an ambience of "uneconomical but useful". Even the shuttle, which was supposed to be this cost effective space truck, turned out to be not even close. And the last thing I'm feeling is the a…
>> into orbit in a spacecraft that was designed from the ground up to be a commercial venture. If we are talking pure commercial travel, it is a vehicle without a destination. The ISS is definitely not a commercial project. There are lots of reasons for the ISS to exist, and they have changed over time, but it has never been a money-making venture. While the dragons certainly do come in under budget, they are a more…
They said during the launch live broadcast that SpaceX intends to fly paying tourists by next year. Apparently many tourists have also visited the space station.
https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-dragon-will-fly-space-tour...