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As last module docks, China completes its space station

nytimes.com

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Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#91

Post by erik »

JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #23
Victerius wrote: post #8

I hope mankind can move beyond building space stations as a handful of modular small cylinders, and start building space stations the way they appear in science fiction: dozens of rooms, cubical exteriors, hallways, human height doors that open and close, stairs, elevators, hangars, a nuclear reactor instead of solar panels, and modules that rotate around an axis to create artificial gravity. And a more diversified c…

Unfortunately it’s about $2,720 per 2.2 lbs in even the best case scenario.

SpaceX aims to reduce that by two orders of magnitude with Starship. It will be a big deal if they can achieve it.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#92

Post by grubbs »

stefan_ wrote: post #71
Victerius wrote: post #8

I hope mankind can move beyond building space stations as a handful of modular small cylinders, and start building space stations the way they appear in science fiction: dozens of rooms, cubical exteriors, hallways, human height doors that open and close, stairs, elevators, hangars, a nuclear reactor instead of solar panels, and modules that rotate around an axis to create artificial gravity. And a more diversified c…

Why, there is already barely anything useful to do with the current crop of space stations.

Uhmmm...at least we get to find out how spiders spin a web in zero-g.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#93

Post by bayesian_horse »

diskzero wrote: post #34

Does anyone know to what extent China has advanced the state of the Soviet technology that they have (I assume) licensed? I have been to the Russian Star City training facility, Baikonur Cosmodrome and been in the full-size Mir training module and the Chinese station components look very similar. I am sure getting good information is difficult, but perhaps someone here has some more info.

"Licensing" is a strong word when applied to China. I'm pretty sure they have advanced a lot and may have surpassed Russian technology in some areas. As far as I understand it, they have more diverse launch vehicles, for example. Hard to compare what constitutes "better", as long as it works. I don't think they are as cost-efficient as SpaceX or even Atlas and Ariane systems.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#94

Post by monocasa »

diskzero wrote: post #34

Does anyone know to what extent China has advanced the state of the Soviet technology that they have (I assume) licensed? I have been to the Russian Star City training facility, Baikonur Cosmodrome and been in the full-size Mir training module and the Chinese station components look very similar. I am sure getting good information is difficult, but perhaps someone here has some more info.

I can't speak at all to the space station, but my understanding from discussions over beers with American spacecraft MechEs was that Shenzhou resembles Soyuz (and is derived form Soyuz in real ways), but is noticeably larger. This has a significant amount of effects to essentially every aspect of the design making it pretty damn close to a fully indigenous design. They would've had to truly own every piece of the design and manufacturing to make those changes and end up with the flight safety record they currently hold.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#95

Post by bayesian_horse »

csdvrx wrote: post #7

Now let's hope it will inspire more countries, or even companies, to launch their own!

I'd prefer countries to cooperate more. There's no need to have dozens of national space stations or even launch systems. Some diversity is Ok, but it's just too damn expensive.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#97

Post by daemoens »

dQw4w9WgXcQ wrote: post #48
jedberg wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you but I suspect you're blaming the wrong nation. China built their own station because the USA won't allow them to join ISS.

The USA requiring China to invent something on their own rather than Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V the USA's work is helping them grow up. It's a long-term win-win. We don't "blame" parents for asking their children to grow up into independent adults, nor should countries enable codependent behavior.

Ok, it doesn't change the fact that since 2011, Congress has forbid NASA from working with and Chinese government/organization without explicit approval from the FBI and Congress.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Amendment

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#98

Post by shadowgovt »

jason-phillips wrote: post #86
shadowgovt wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not just that the key isn't populated; it's that it's undefined. FWIW, my browser (Chrome) works on the site even if I choose not to share geolocation; I assume because the API is populated even if it then refrains from sharing. Your point isn't quite wrong but it also isn't quite right; geolocation is supported by every browser listed on Mozilla's documentation ( https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API…

None of the browsers on my iPhone will render this site, W3C compliant or not. In any event, I would never tell my users that it's their fault that my app didn't check the truthiness of the object's property. Seems particularly hostile to one's users and customers, free product or not.

Ever written a website that checks whether `window` is defined?

Technically, we should be checking everything.

Practically, nobody does.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#99

Post by ch4s3 »

nonethewiser wrote: post #11
Victerius wrote: post #8

I hope mankind can move beyond building space stations as a handful of modular small cylinders, and start building space stations the way they appear in science fiction: dozens of rooms, cubical exteriors, hallways, human height doors that open and close, stairs, elevators, hangars, a nuclear reactor instead of solar panels, and modules that rotate around an axis to create artificial gravity. And a more diversified c…

Hopefully they solve more important problems first though.

Isn't this a logical fallacy? Rocket scientists and engineers are going to best suited to getting stuff into orbit, they aren't simply going to be able to go a solve a "more important problem". Other people are already working on those things and are likely specialists.

Re: As last module docks, China completes its space station

#100

Post by yoz-y »

wainstead wrote: post #84
Victerius wrote: post #8

I hope mankind can move beyond building space stations as a handful of modular small cylinders, and start building space stations the way they appear in science fiction: dozens of rooms, cubical exteriors, hallways, human height doors that open and close, stairs, elevators, hangars, a nuclear reactor instead of solar panels, and modules that rotate around an axis to create artificial gravity. And a more diversified c…

I think this company is highly optimistic, but this might fit the bill: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/space-hotel-orbital-assem...

It’s a scam ran by an ex airline pilot with no engineering experience whatsoever. https://youtu.be/lue35X4DFeQ
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