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Last Flight Out

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Re: Last Flight Out

#251

Post by sph »

throw0101c wrote: post #244
sph wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Beautiful, thanks for sharing. That penguin walked to his certain death, while his mates swam and caught fish, to their certain death. Sadness for it and his supposed insanity only exists for a fleeting moment. In a long enough timespan, it lived and died like any other penguin has or ever will. Nihilism is not necessarily pessimistic. It presents our universe, and life itself, as a glass half full, but it's up to yo…

> Nihilism is not necessarily pessimistic. It presents our universe, and life itself, as a glass half full, but it's up to you to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. The nihil is nihilism is Latin for "nothing". Nihilism says there is no meaning to existence: it does not matter if the glass if half-full, it does not matter if the glass is half-empty, it does not matter if the glass (or its contents) exist a…

The nihilistic philosophy offers neither a good nor bad view of the universe, but people then assume that nihilism itself is good or bad, because of their preconceptions.

If you really want to believe that your life has meaning, you will find any philosophy saying your life has no meaning utterly abhorrent.

But if you accept that life has no meaning whatsoever, it is exhilarating and freeing.

So I'm agreeing with you, just pointing out that philosophy itself is neither good nor bad, it all depends how one approaches and judges it.

Re: Last Flight Out

#252

Post by nine_k »

AceJohnny2 wrote: post #234

These stories about the logistics at Amundsen-Scott are a fascinating glimpse at the level of logistical complexity that'd be required for an off-planet (Moon, Mars...) base. Every time I see people get excited about Martian human habitation, I note a lack of discussion of the essential intermediate step: a fully self-sustaining base in the most inhospitable parts of Earth. Where are the Biosphere++ projects? And Amu…

Martian equator has milder temperatures, more sunlight (no polar night), but has worse access to water, and none to breathable air.

I'm certain that a self-contained habitation for a year is a solvable problem; nuclear submarines can be away in the ocean for a comparable time.

A habitat self-sustained for potentially indefinite time (at least half century), while producing its own food and oxygen, is a much taller order.

Unlike Amundsen's, such a station can have a nuclear reactor, with decades worth of fuel.

Re: Last Flight Out

#253

Post by ryanisnan »

kryptiskt wrote: post #227
colechristensen wrote: post #226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. I can’t find the outcome of this attempt a while back, but it was obviously tried. https://nationalpost.com/news/world/pitch-black-frigid-cold-...

It went well: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/06/22/483121098...

Thanks for sharing! Wild to hear that the plane literally froze to the ice. What a bold pilot.

Re: Last Flight Out

#254

Post by AceJohnny2 »

nine_k wrote: post #252
AceJohnny2 wrote: post #234

These stories about the logistics at Amundsen-Scott are a fascinating glimpse at the level of logistical complexity that'd be required for an off-planet (Moon, Mars...) base. Every time I see people get excited about Martian human habitation, I note a lack of discussion of the essential intermediate step: a fully self-sustaining base in the most inhospitable parts of Earth. Where are the Biosphere++ projects? And Amu…

Martian equator has milder temperatures, more sunlight (no polar night), but has worse access to water, and none to breathable air. I'm certain that a self-contained habitation for a year is a solvable problem; nuclear submarines can be away in the ocean for a comparable time. A habitat self-sustained for potentially indefinite time (at least half century), while producing its own food and oxygen, is a much taller or…

> Unlike Amundsen's, such a station can have a nuclear reactor, with decades worth of fuel.

Tangentially, McMurdo (the coastal Antarctica base) did have a nuclear reactor for a bit. It didn't go great.

http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2014/ph241/reid2/

Re: Last Flight Out

#255

Post by bizzyb »

kylehotchkiss wrote: post #168
gnatman wrote: post #126

I thought those fuel bladders were pretty cool! Never thought about transporting volatiles in anything other than a rigid tank. Also had to look up what AN-8 Fuel is: "AN8 is a special fuel blend unique to the Antarctic and Arctic. It has a lower flash point of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, which also lowers the gelling point when extreme cold temperatures can cause wax crystals to start forming in the fuel. AN8 will remai…

Now I wonder what the cost per gallon is!

roughly $3 dollars per gallon purchase price for 5-6 million gallons. Plus tanker costs to McM at between $25k-$70k per day for roughly 90 days. Plus the cost of the ice breaker, between $3.5-$11 million per year. [0] That's just to get it to McM and doesn't include the labor costs of the fuelies based in McM. Then you gotta get it to Pole, which is a combination of the overland traverse and lc130 tanker missions. [0] https://erdc-library.erdc.dren.mil/jspui/bitstream/11681/243...

Re: Last Flight Out

#256

Post by geocrasher »

rootusrootus wrote: post #205
geocrasher wrote: post #152

Is there anything a C-130 cannot do? What an incredible aircraft. That landing, complete with reverse thrust, was incredible.

A C-130 with JATO is also fun to watch. I am not sure they do it any more, but the Blue Angels used to do a demo of it with Fat Albert[0] during their air show appearances. [0] https://avgeekery.com/watch-fat-albert-rockets-into-airshow-...

That also reminds me of the C-130 modified with JATO for landing

https://www.military.com/video/aircraft/military-aircraft/to...

Re: Last Flight Out

#257

Post by fm2606 »

AceJohnny2 wrote: post #254
nine_k wrote: post #252

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Martian equator has milder temperatures, more sunlight (no polar night), but has worse access to water, and none to breathable air. I'm certain that a self-contained habitation for a year is a solvable problem; nuclear submarines can be away in the ocean for a comparable time. A habitat self-sustained for potentially indefinite time (at least half century), while producing its own food and oxygen, is a much taller or…

> Unlike Amundsen's, such a station can have a nuclear reactor, with decades worth of fuel. Tangentially, McMurdo (the coastal Antarctica base) did have a nuclear reactor for a bit. It didn't go great. http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2014/ph241/reid2/

Very interesting article. Thanks for sharing.

Re: Last Flight Out

#258

Post by throwaway675309 »

sph wrote: post #176
2-718-281-828 wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

at least for most of us it is not pessimistic only as long as one can muse about it while sitting comfortably in a warm place with a full stomach.

You are mistaken. Being at peace with the universe isn't only available to wealthy people. This is a very materialistic view. There is someone out there in abject poverty that is more content than anyone with a warm place and a full stomach. They are hungry, they are cold, yet they are at peace. Likewise, I believe one can reach inner contentment even if fed and clothed. It is not a path accessible only to the poor.

"There is someone out there in abject poverty that is more content than anyone with a warm place and a full stomach"

This is a statement without meaning, e.g. so what?

I would wager that it's easier to "come to peace with the universe" if your basic needs are met: warmth, shelter, friends, food, etc. (it has nothing to do with materialism or wealth).

Re: Last Flight Out

#259

Post by kQq9oHeAz6wLLS »

nine_k wrote: post #246
ReptileMan wrote: post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first people on mars will be self replicating robots. Due to the way the exponential function works - I think enough terraforming could be done really fast.

But will humans be welcome afterwards?

Not if they load the robots with Bing chat

Re: Last Flight Out

#260

Post by wkat4242 »

foobarbecue wrote: post #249
dpflan wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(Heh, a taste of fooBBQ.) Thank you for sharing. While we're here and discussing the documentaries: care to share a highlight anecdote of your time there?

Oh ok one more story. There is a road connecting McMurdo (US) and Scott Base (New Zealand). I think it's only a few miles. So I'm sitting in the McMurdo driving training you have to take before you're allowed to take a truck out. Get to the end of the lecture. Instructor: "Any questions?" I ask, "yeah... so, New Zealanders drive on the left, and we drive on the right, right? Which side do we drive on if we go to Scot…

So where did you drive? I suppose encountering another vehicle was extremely unlikely.

I'm surprised they had a training for this. Is it more of a legal thing?

Ps thanks for the insightful stories!

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