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Orion Flight Test Live Launch

nasa.gov

51–60 of 96 posts

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#51
post #40

This is awesome . Two thoughts spring to mind: 1. This is the equivalent of the Apollo 4 mission in that it also flew without a crew, and was used to prove, validate and verify that Saturn V and associated systems were fully mission-capable. 2. Events like this represent our future. Events like this are the catalysts for our future generation. The children around the world (perhaps one or more of your own) that are v…

This! This!

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#52
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Makes it easier for every country in the entire world, barring the US. Liberia and Myanmar switched over.

In Ireland we use a mix. Miles for casual talk, KMs for speeding tickets. Pounds when cooking, stones for people & kgs for everything else. Inches in carpentry and horsepower for cars. In a lot of places metric is a lingua franca kind of like latin. It's used in international, formal or academic settings (like a space launch) but the average farmer speaks a local dialect more natively.

It seems that every place uses some kind of mix. Here at Brazil we get TVs measured in inches (the government just issued a law forcing them to be measured in cm, so there is also a small, mostly hidden number, with 2 decimal places, somewhere on the box), and receipts are measured in cups and spoons (but I've never seen a correctly sized spoon).

Some farmers use a crazy set of measurement, where units vary in size from one state to another, and even between neighboring cities, and stuff with a small market use whatever their biggest market use (what normaly means, whatever the US uses).

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#53

They just stated that the force experienced by crew on reentry would be 8g, while the force on a Soyuz capsule is just 4g. 8g is more than enough for a person to black out, this seems like a major disadvantage.

With training and G suits 8G can be sustained. I believe 9G is the limit with this equipment.

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#54
post #40

This is awesome . Two thoughts spring to mind: 1. This is the equivalent of the Apollo 4 mission in that it also flew without a crew, and was used to prove, validate and verify that Saturn V and associated systems were fully mission-capable. 2. Events like this represent our future. Events like this are the catalysts for our future generation. The children around the world (perhaps one or more of your own) that are v…

Sure, and 2 years after Apollo 4 we landed on the moon. We did a few missions and haven't been back to the moon in 40 years.

A Mars mission is 20 years out. You'll be an "old man" by then. It'll take another decade or two to build a permanent Mars base.

What we really need is a lot less enthusiasm and a better plan.

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#55

They just stated that the force experienced by crew on reentry would be 8g, while the force on a Soyuz capsule is just 4g. 8g is more than enough for a person to black out, this seems like a major disadvantage.

They don't have an option on that one. The acceleration experienced on re-entry depends on the speed of approach. Re-entry from low earth orbit is no big deal, hence being able to slow down with just 4G. Re-entry from a bit further away is more serious, as there is more velocity to shed. Remember that the module has been falling from more than 3600 miles up, which is a lot of energy to get rid of.

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#56
post #40

This is awesome . Two thoughts spring to mind: 1. This is the equivalent of the Apollo 4 mission in that it also flew without a crew, and was used to prove, validate and verify that Saturn V and associated systems were fully mission-capable. 2. Events like this represent our future. Events like this are the catalysts for our future generation. The children around the world (perhaps one or more of your own) that are v…

It's impressive, but no Apollo 4. That launched on the production stack, with a ready to go capsule including all life support systems. 4 was a Phoenix after the disaster of Apollo 1.

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#57
post #40

This is awesome . Two thoughts spring to mind: 1. This is the equivalent of the Apollo 4 mission in that it also flew without a crew, and was used to prove, validate and verify that Saturn V and associated systems were fully mission-capable. 2. Events like this represent our future. Events like this are the catalysts for our future generation. The children around the world (perhaps one or more of your own) that are v…

>This is the equivalent of the Apollo 4 mission

I'm not sure if that's the best comparision. I'm something of a cheerleader for the SLS program, but this is just a dumb capsule test. This isn't the rocket we're going to be using. That rocket isn't even built yet. Historically, rockets are hard and capsules are easy. Assuming that it stays on schedule, which is a big assumption, we won't have a test flight for the SLS until 2018.

We're still a long ways off here for the Orion/SLS launch, at least a decade until a real mission, probably longer. Its incredible how the poorly conceived Bush-era constellation program set us back here. We should have had a SaturnV-level replacement the day the Shuttle was retired.

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#58
post #54
post #40

This is awesome . Two thoughts spring to mind: 1. This is the equivalent of the Apollo 4 mission in that it also flew without a crew, and was used to prove, validate and verify that Saturn V and associated systems were fully mission-capable. 2. Events like this represent our future. Events like this are the catalysts for our future generation. The children around the world (perhaps one or more of your own) that are v…

Sure, and 2 years after Apollo 4 we landed on the moon. We did a few missions and haven't been back to the moon in 40 years. A Mars mission is 20 years out. You'll be an "old man" by then. It'll take another decade or two to build a permanent Mars base. What we really need is a lot less enthusiasm and a better plan.

A better plan needs more money. To secure the money the US has to be filled with enthusiasm.

Re: Orion Flight Test Live Launch

#60
post #54
post #40

This is awesome . Two thoughts spring to mind: 1. This is the equivalent of the Apollo 4 mission in that it also flew without a crew, and was used to prove, validate and verify that Saturn V and associated systems were fully mission-capable. 2. Events like this represent our future. Events like this are the catalysts for our future generation. The children around the world (perhaps one or more of your own) that are v…

Sure, and 2 years after Apollo 4 we landed on the moon. We did a few missions and haven't been back to the moon in 40 years. A Mars mission is 20 years out. You'll be an "old man" by then. It'll take another decade or two to build a permanent Mars base. What we really need is a lot less enthusiasm and a better plan.

Speak for yourself. This is exciting. We have a plan. What we need is enthusiasm and funding.
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