Earlier quoted context omitted.
What’s the another way?
You could just re-use the studio where they faked the Apollo 11 landing except it was in 7 WTC which was destroyed in a controlled demolition to hide the evidence.
Artemis II Launch Day Updates
171–180 of 1001 posts
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#172This opinion may be unpopular here but it's hard to get excited about a colossal waste of taxpayer money after all the damage DOGE did. I don't understand how these NASA missions with questionable scientific value and obscene budgets get off the ground. I mean I do understand, NASA funding is important to oligarchs. But still.
Good idea, we should divert taxpayer money to offshore wind and AI-powered food delivery startups instead.
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#173Earlier quoted context omitted.
Truly. I'm not sure why anyone needs to be on the rocket at all, let alone our best and brightest.
Because human beings are remarkably capable, especially the best and the brightest. There's a great paper called the "dispelling the myth of robotic efficiency." https://academic.oup.com/astrogeo/article-abstract/53/2/2.22... // https://lasp.colorado.edu/mop/files/2019/08/RobotMyth.pdf Yes, a robot car that drives on its own will be a better driver than most humans who text and drive, or have 400ms reaction times. Bu…
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#174Earlier quoted context omitted.
Get nervous in 10 days, they won't need a heat shield until reentry.
10 days? Hope they brought snacks Seriously though I hope they're able to get up and walk around I don't know if I could handle that 10 days in that small room
They can move around after they switch from launch to spaceflight config. Apparently they also have some exercise gear for the journey.
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#175It is a bit chilling to watch these astronaut profiles having just read yesterday about the heat shield issues observed on the prior mission, and that this will be the first time we can test the heat shield in the actual pressures and temperatures that it will have to endure. Godspeed crew of Artemis II.
I mean, that's how these heat shields work. They aren't reusable, you can't test them and then use them again. Or do you mean the design? We already did Artemis I.
See this recent blog post about it (I am not the author): https://idlewords.com/2026/03/artemis_ii_is_not_safe_to_fly....
It says that it is not safe to fly. They are sending humans without having tested in real conditions that their design was sound, GIVEN that the first time they did that (without humans), it turned out that their design was unsafe.
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#176Earlier quoted context omitted.
There is a LOC (Loss of Crew) number that is typically calculated for these missions. I'm curious what that is? Early Apollo missions were on the order of 4%.
In 2014 an independent safety panel estimated 1:75, but I think it's slightly better now. The shuttle program officially had a limit of 1:90 but in practice achieved 1:67.
In the early days of the Shuttle program, the probability was supposedly estimated as low as 1:100,000. Challenger brought on a more realistic approach.
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#177Earlier quoted context omitted.
10 days? Hope they brought snacks Seriously though I hope they're able to get up and walk around I don't know if I could handle that 10 days in that small room
They can move around after they switch from launch to spaceflight config. Apparently they also have some exercise gear for the journey.
It is just the capsule though? There's no stage under them/another cylinder? Module
Trying to imagine how big the thing is like 10x10 feet room
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#178Earlier quoted context omitted.
Even if you think Space travel is worth the money (which I personally do), adding humans to the mix makes projects incredibly more expensive. Even in the realm of space travel and research, sending humans is a questionable use of the money.
Sports would also be much cheaper without humans.
Turns out I don't understand the point sports either.
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#179Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yeah. Doesn't really make sense. The entire mission could be done remotely. Even with a goal of eventually putting humans on the moon, it'd be better to do an automated run, measure everything in the cockpit, and put in sandbags and/or something to consume O2 to make sure the CO2 scrubbers are working correctly. It's maybe cruel, but a few dogs would work fine for that sort of thing. A flame would be better, but it's…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_I
Thanks. I should have looked this up before posting.
Re: Artemis II Launch Day Updates
#180Earlier quoted context omitted.
The heat shield is a bit different, and the reentry profile is a bit different as well.
I suppose "this will be the first time we can test this slightly modified heat shield in the slightly different pressures and temperatures that it will have to endure." isn't quite as eye catching.
I mean, sure. But that's like equipping a sub with a screen door and claiming that in the grand scheme of things, it's a slightly different door with slightly different permeability characteristics.