SpaceX (general discussion)

sferrin said:
Flyaway said:
sferrin said:
Flyaway said:
Now there is to be a formal contract between NASA & Space X it will involve formal oversight of Starship development by NASA & involvement by them.
Click to expand...
Well it was fun while it lasted.
Click to expand...
Your comment is frankly disingenuous being as Space X wouldn’t be where they are now without past NASA contracts.
Click to expand...
That's your conscience talking to you for deliberately mischaracterizing my post.
Click to expand...
No it’s just knowing your track record on these issues...
 
Grey Havoc said:
From the Slashdot thread:
"As it turns out, OneWeb's "near-miss" appears to have been a farce and the company scrambled to promise to retract those statements in an April 20th meeting with the FCC and SpaceX."
This comes from a filing by, well, SpaceX. Other, less Musk-boot-licky sources, checked on OneWeb's response - and in their own filing they say they made no such promise or offer to retract anything, and stand by the story. Also, complaints about SpaceX's behavior in this particular venture are not exactly peculiar to OneWeb. This may or may not be a publicity game, but the posted article is essentially an unquestioning parroting of the SpaceX official line.

https://arstechnica.com/inform... [arstechnica.com]
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/te... [telegraph.co.uk]
https://www.pcmag.com/news/spa... [pcmag.com]
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Actually that slashdot article is really misleading if you read the Ars article which seems to be much more accurate. The Slashdot article appeared to be reproducing a Space X press release as if it was actual impartial reporting.
 
Flyaway said:
sferrin said:
Flyaway said:
sferrin said:
Flyaway said:
Now there is to be a formal contract between NASA & Space X it will involve formal oversight of Starship development by NASA & involvement by them.
Click to expand...
Well it was fun while it lasted.
Click to expand...
Your comment is frankly disingenuous being as Space X wouldn’t be where they are now without past NASA contracts.
Click to expand...
That's your conscience talking to you for deliberately mischaracterizing my post.
Click to expand...
No it’s just knowing your track record on these issues...
Click to expand...
Is that one of those "other ways of knowing" I keep hearing about?
 
www.spacedaily.com

SpaceX capsule Endeavour docks at ISS

Washington (AFP) April 24, 2021 - A recycled SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying four astronauts docked with the International Space Station early Saturday, the third time Elon Musk's company has safely delivered humans to the orbital outpost.
www.spacedaily.com

www.space.com

SpaceX's first reused Crew Dragon docks at space station with four Crew-2 astronauts

Endeavour is the first Crew Dragon to visit the station twice.
www.space.com www.space.com
View: https://youtu.be/21X5lGlDOfg
 
Referring to Starship and Booster during an interview about the Carbon Removal X Prize Musk states that "I actually want the ship, also, to be caught by the launch tower". SpaceX has previously mentioned that they are working to have the Booster be "caught" by the launch tower using the grid fins as the support structure. This is the first time I've heard the Starship also potentially using this method. This would be a great benefit for turn-around time, complexity, and weight for Starship tankers, point-to-point travel on earth, Starships intended for LEO missions, etc. He also makes some interesting comments about rapid reusability and schedules to meet 1000 Starship flights per year. Timestamp 20:40 for statement.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN88HPUm6j0
 
Musk mentioned it on Twitter a few weeks ago; he's specifically talking about catching the vehicle in a horizontal orientation so that no landing burn is required, and frankly I don't see that being particularly feasible; even designing for a 2G constant deceleration you'd need something like a 300m tall structure with a moving net or cradle that Starship rides and decelerates on.

If Elon reduces his plans so that they're just catching Starship vertically then things get a bit more sane, but the mass reduction will be relatively minimal.
 
NeilChapman said:
He also makes some interesting comments about rapid reusability and schedules to meet 1000 Starship flights per year. Timestamp 20:40 for statement.
Click to expand...
That would be 2-3 launches a Day since he wants a large fleet of 1000 (and more) Starship/Superheavy
it could work only with rapid reusability and schedules and here tops Starship/superheavy
easy-care in contrast to space Shuttle and his nightmarish patch up to launch it...

but what want to launch ?
biggest part will be
Intercontinental ballistic Transport of Cargo (150 metric Ton) world wide (your amazon order from japan/china arrive on same day you order it !)
Maybe even People by Intercontinental ballistic Transport !
Refuel Flight to bring propellant to Starship on way to Moon and Mars.
The Flights to Mars and Moon
The current satellite launches will be the smallest fraction even with 46000 Starlinks Satellite (30 launches)
 
Michel Van said:
NeilChapman said:
He also makes some interesting comments about rapid reusability and schedules to meet 1000 Starship flights per year. Timestamp 20:40 for statement.
Click to expand...
That would be 2-3 launches a Day since he wants a large fleet of 1000 (and more) Starship/Superheavy
it could work only with rapid reusability and schedules and here tops Starship/superheavy
easy-care in contrast to space Shuttle and his nightmarish patch up to launch it...

but what want to launch ?
biggest part will be
Intercontinental ballistic Transport of Cargo (150 metric Ton) world wide (your amazon order from japan/china arrive on same day you order it !)
Maybe even People by Intercontinental ballistic Transport !
Refuel Flight to bring propellant to Starship on way to Moon and Mars.
The Flights to Mars and Moon
The current satellite launches will be the smallest fraction even with 46000 Starlinks Satellite (30 launches)
Click to expand...

I think I recall the estimate quantity of Starlinks per SuperHeavy launch as between 600-700. That's more like 60 launches. Still just a fraction but a good number of launches (if successful) to prove the stability of the platform.

Also - all satellites in development today are under the constraints of existing lift and fairing sizes. How much cheaper would James Webb have been if the fairing available were 27 meters? Building moon bases? No designs have even begun with these new constraints and costs considered.

Perhaps they'll get a contract to police up space junk - or maybe they'll find a way to make that profitable.

Or perhaps Starships will be early space stations for tourism.

If you can put 150 metric tons into LEO for a few million dollars with a 27 meter fairing I feel confident many people will find net new ideas for utilizing space. Really, that's the point. Once cheap access and new volume becomes the standard and the new cost structure is realized, new ideas will explode beyond anything we can imagine at the moment.
 
Solar energy harvesting, Lunar mining, Lunar real estates, space banking (the value of minerals ressource potentially brought back to earth is so high that I can't see how a legal moratory delay wouldn't be imposed leaving Moon as the most probable place to stock minerals. During that time, capital offer would lead to a moon centric economy for investors. We can foresee how the industry would be for example gradually interested by Lunar production given the specifity of a relaxed gravity, atmosphere free environment* (while dynamically stable) that would offer substantial cost reductions once transportation has become affordable).

With SpaceX moving so fast, It's however imperative that states keep pace and come around a widely accepted set of regulations that goes beyond exploratory research as of today. The decade long investments would be impaired otherwise.

*yes, you've read right, it's a free pass for unregulated polluting gaseous emissions. And if you are an accountant lost reading this page, you've probably already quickly factored the cost of gravity, corrosion and emissions controls on earth based manufacturing lines...
 
Last edited:
NeilChapman said:
I think I recall the estimate quantity of Starlinks per SuperHeavy launch as between 600-700. That's more like 60 launches. Still just a fraction but a good number of launches (if successful) to prove the stability of the platform.
Click to expand...
Minor correction, but they'll only be able to fit a maximum of around 400 Starlink satellites within the payload fairing of Starship.
 
Jeff Bezos issue a complain to NASA about Artemis lander to build by SpaceX
in form of 175 Pages from law firm !

Source
nasawatch.com

Blue Origin Formally Protests NASA HLS Contract Award

Blue Origin Filed Protest With GAO Over NASA’s HLS Option A decision, Blue Origin “Today, Blue Origin filed a protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding NASA’s HLS Option A decision. Attached is a redacted copy of the protest. Additionally, here is a statement from...
nasawatch.com nasawatch.com
 
Michel Van said:
Jeff Bezos issue a complain to NASA about Artemis lander to build by SpaceX
in form of 175 Pages from law firm !

Source
nasawatch.com

Blue Origin Formally Protests NASA HLS Contract Award

Blue Origin Filed Protest With GAO Over NASA’s HLS Option A decision, Blue Origin “Today, Blue Origin filed a protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding NASA’s HLS Option A decision. Attached is a redacted copy of the protest. Additionally, here is a statement from...
nasawatch.com nasawatch.com
Click to expand...
"Don't like it? Lower your price." - US Gov.
 
Man I hope Blue Origins wins the nuclear spacecraft design contract over Lockheed martin, just so I can stay entertained with the Bezos/Musk feud.
 
Bezos' Blue Origin on Monday filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office (GAO), accusing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of moving the goalposts for contract bidders at the last minute.

Musk, who also leads SpaceX, fired back with a tweet that said: “Can’t get it up (to orbit) lol.”

www.reuters.com

Musk trolls Bezos as space race between world’s richest men heats up

The space race between the world's two richest men went into hyperdrive on Tuesday after Tesla chief Elon Musk took a swipe at Jeff Bezos' attempt to challenge a major NASA contract.
www.reuters.com www.reuters.com
 
Ouch. Musky.

Seriously though, what organization is better prepared to take outsized payloads to lunar orbit? They already run the heaviest payload rocket in the world even if you discount starship.
 
Elon and SpaceX have over a hundred successful launches to orbit and are launching every few weeks.

BO feels it should be given a program over SpaceX when it has yet to put one object into orbit, but is saying they can and wants to get paid more. File 13 their pile of paper, or for grins, ask them if they could put it into orbit.
 
Richard N said:
Elon and SpaceX have over a hundred successful launches to orbit and are launching every few weeks.

BO feels it should be given a program over SpaceX when it has yet to put one object into orbit, but is saying they can and wants to get paid more. File 13 their pile of paper, or for grins, ask them if they could put it into orbit.
Click to expand...
Amen

BO has been spending too much time with the 'good ol' boy' vendors.

Thank God NASA is starting to recognize that SpaceX competes with themselves. EM brings heart, passion, and excitement back to Space exploration. Something this generation of beaurocrats probably entered the field to experience and haven't seen too much of. He launched a Roadster into space for goodness sakes. He sets high expectations and delivers. It's contagious.

The history of US space exploration is built on the memory of test pilots, Space Cowboys if you will. They drove Corvettes. They risked it all. Does anyone feel BO is ready to risk anything? Does anyone have a clue what vision Bezos has for space? While I hope BO gets to space for the sake of the US, their leader does not inspire.
 
NASA continues to excel at space probes, even if it’s launchers are hopeless boondoggles since Saturn. Their record at landing increasingly complex things on Mars continues to be exemplary.
 
sferrin said:
Michel Van said:
Jeff Bezos issue a complain to NASA about Artemis lander to build by SpaceX
in form of 175 Pages from law firm !

Source
nasawatch.com

Blue Origin Formally Protests NASA HLS Contract Award

Blue Origin Filed Protest With GAO Over NASA’s HLS Option A decision, Blue Origin “Today, Blue Origin filed a protest with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) regarding NASA’s HLS Option A decision. Attached is a redacted copy of the protest. Additionally, here is a statement from...
nasawatch.com nasawatch.com
Click to expand...
"Don't like it? Lower your price." - US Gov.
Click to expand...
Better yet, launch an orbital payload.
 

Similar threads

Please donate to support the forum.

Back
Top Bottom