Author Topic: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!  (Read 117441 times)

rebs

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1020 on: 02 September 2023, 17:09:01 »


Check out this stellar nursery!  While the JWST is garnering all the ooohs and ahhhhs, the old Hubble space telescope is still turning in good work like this.

Read more in the link below.

https://www.space.com/star-studded-stellar-nursery-hubble-telescope-photo
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Daryk

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1021 on: 02 September 2023, 17:12:39 »
Nice shot indeed! :)

idea weenie

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1022 on: 02 September 2023, 18:02:54 »
Nice shot indeed! :)

Now we just need to get there.  Perhaps with something like this?

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1023 on: 02 September 2023, 18:18:24 »
Orion again?  I thought they gave up on that decades ago... :/

rebs

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1024 on: 02 September 2023, 23:18:01 »
Orion again?  I thought they gave up on that decades ago... :/

The current relativistic/FTL project is classified.  Project Orion and spinoffs are simply to keep us distracted and arguing.  (As if THAT was a challenge)
« Last Edit: 02 September 2023, 23:20:36 by rebs »
Playing Guitar On My YouTube Channel:
Current cover tune: "The Wind Cries Mary" (by Jimi Hendrix)
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worktroll

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1025 on: 03 September 2023, 00:05:43 »
They solved all the practical problem with Orion that were possible without actual nuclear testing, except one - the misfire.

So think the first time you fire. The blast plate moves up, hits the springs, slows, then recoils. ending up going almost as fast out as it did in. And then the next perfectly timed blast stops the plate, sending it back up onto the springs, and so on.

Until you get a misfire. In which the blast plate sails off the end of the guiderails and flies off into intersolar space. There wasn't any way to put stops strong enough at the end of the guiderails. For every action there is ...
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Daryk

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1026 on: 03 September 2023, 05:31:47 »
Hence its shelving...

Sabelkatten

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1027 on: 03 September 2023, 08:04:46 »
They solved all the practical problem with Orion that were possible without actual nuclear testing, except one - the misfire.

So think the first time you fire. The blast plate moves up, hits the springs, slows, then recoils. ending up going almost as fast out as it did in. And then the next perfectly timed blast stops the plate, sending it back up onto the springs, and so on.

Until you get a misfire. In which the blast plate sails off the end of the guiderails and flies off into intersolar space. There wasn't any way to put stops strong enough at the end of the guiderails. For every action there is ...
That doesn't sound correct. While it would probably be optimal to use springs to transfer the momentum from the plate to the rest of the craft shock absorbers are a thing. It would be trivially easy to optimize the system such that the plate returns to its starting position with very little remaining momentum.

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1028 on: 03 September 2023, 11:10:26 »
That doesn't sound correct. While it would probably be optimal to use springs to transfer the momentum from the plate to the rest of the craft shock absorbers are a thing. It would be trivially easy to optimize the system such that the plate returns to its starting position with very little remaining momentum.

Such as linking the long shock absorbers to a pair of rotary or linear generators, so the shock absorbers moving up and down generate electricity?  The fun part is a few solar panels on the side can turn the generators into motors to pre-position the shock absorbers.

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1029 on: 03 September 2023, 13:56:16 »
As far I know the Nuclear vehicle their planning to try test in orbit isn't going be like Orion nuclear ship, it's suppose to be something on kin of well like how DropShip is protected to work.  It won't have very much in the way of fuel, it's suppose to be a brief test.  I think it's because the worry if something goes wrong getting to to orbit before they arm the engines to thrust.
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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1030 on: 03 September 2023, 14:35:41 »
NEP has been around about as long as Orion...

Sabelkatten

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1031 on: 03 September 2023, 17:23:14 »
NEP usually stands for nuclear electric. The test NASA is planning is a NTR, nuclear thermal. Hopefully bimodal (rocket or generator).

glitterboy2098

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1032 on: 03 September 2023, 18:46:24 »
cool, next generation NERVA. wonder if they're using direct or indirect cycle for the rocket mode.

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1033 on: 03 September 2023, 21:10:51 »
NTRs have been around a while too. ;)

glitterboy2098

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1034 on: 03 September 2023, 21:55:53 »
NTRs have been around a while too. ;)
as a concept yes, but no one has built actual hardware since 1969 when the NERVA XE Prime rocket engine module was tested. the NERVA project was cancelled shortly after, when Nixon basically killed off all of NASA's development projects other than the space shuttle. since then there have been a lot of "on paper" concept and design work done by small research teams, but no physical hardware or even attempts to put the design work into physical testing.

rebs

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1035 on: 03 September 2023, 23:08:57 »
I would love to go on a Highly Valid tangent about politics getting in the way of progress in space exploration and colonization, but I'll respect rule 4. 
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worktroll

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1036 on: 04 September 2023, 01:16:33 »
It's as much economics. Without the "space race", there's no pressure to innovate drastically. Same reason there's no commercial-scale research into thorium reactors. No immediate profit. Heck, if I had a lazy billion, I'd be paying for space-testing VASIMIR.

Oh, and yes, Orion didn't use springs; the shock absorbers were mainly concentric gas-filled cylinders IIRC, providing highly efficient compression/expansion cycles. But same issue in case of a misfire.
* No, FASA wasn't big on errata - ColBosch
* The Housebook series is from the 80's and is the foundation of Btech, the 80's heart wrapped in heavy metal that beats to this day - Sigma
* To sum it up: FASAnomics: By Cthulhu, for Cthulhu - Moonsword
* Because Battletech is a conspiracy by Habsburg & Bourbon pretenders - MadCapellan
* The Hellbringer is cool, either way. It's not cool because it's bad, it's cool because it's bad with balls - Nightsky
* It was a glorious time for people who felt that we didn't have enough Marauder variants - HABeas2, re "Empires Aflame"

ANS Kamas P81

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1037 on: 04 September 2023, 02:03:48 »
I'd imagine the problem was solved considering you're not going to be under thrust 100% of the time with an Orion; at some point you're going to coast without firing the engine and you'll need some way to retain the pusher plate that way.

rebs

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1038 on: 07 September 2023, 17:51:31 »
After postponing launch three times, JAXA has successfully launched its SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) lunar lander from a launch site in southern Japan.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/japan-launches-moon-sniper-lunar-lander-slim-to-space/ar-AA1glHVV

This mission was a 2fer!

Also onboard the H-IIA launch vehicle was a new orbital X-ray telescope. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/japan-launches-moon-lander-and-x-ray-space-telescope-on-same-rocket/ar-AA1gnoB6
« Last Edit: 07 September 2023, 17:54:37 by rebs »
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Daryk

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1039 on: 07 September 2023, 18:01:30 »
Excellent news! :)

Prospernia

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1040 on: 07 September 2023, 18:34:50 »
After postponing launch three times, JAXA has successfully launched its SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) lunar lander from a launch site in southern Japan.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/japan-launches-moon-sniper-lunar-lander-slim-to-space/ar-AA1glHVV

This mission was a 2fer!

Also onboard the H-IIA launch vehicle was a new orbital X-ray telescope. 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/japan-launches-moon-lander-and-x-ray-space-telescope-on-same-rocket/ar-AA1gnoB6

The moon belongs to America, and anxiously awaits the arrival of our astro-men. . .


rebs

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1041 on: 07 September 2023, 20:14:05 »
There's a newly discovered comet - fairly long-period variety as it won't come around again for about 400 years - called Nishimura, named for its discoverer.  In fact, it was discovered less than a month ago on August 11th. 

This object is quickly brightening.  It also had its tail blown off by the recent solar storm, though that has quickly reappeared.

Check it out in the link below.

https://earthsky.org/tonight/new-comet-c-2023-p1-nishimura-bright-august-september-october-2023/
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Wrangler

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1042 on: 09 September 2023, 23:37:41 »
I hope JAXA will get their bot rovers on planet the beach ball one seems to be fascinating to me.
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rebs

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1043 on: 12 September 2023, 22:07:27 »


This chart outlines the orbital flightpath of a new NASA space probe called Psyche, which will likely be launched at some point between October 5th and October 26th of this year.  Its destination will be the metal-rich asteroid of the same name, which orbits in the depths of the Asteroid Belt.

Getting closer to resource development and production in orbit.  One step at a time.
 Details in the link below.

https://phys.org/news/2023-09-nasa-psyche-mission-track-liftoff.html

« Last Edit: 12 September 2023, 22:09:23 by rebs »
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Daryk

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1044 on: 12 September 2023, 22:11:17 »
Awesome!  That looks like the dawn of asteroid mining (finally) to me! :)

rebs

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1045 on: 12 September 2023, 22:42:38 »
Awesome!  That looks like the dawn of asteroid mining (finally) to me! :)

Yes.  And if we bring production up into orbit piece by piece and then make larger production facilities up there with the resources at hand, there's no need to concern ourselves with getting large amounts of ore to the surface.  We can make what we need in space right there in orbit. 

In time, that is.  Problems need to be worked out of course, but we will do that.  We can't stay here forever.
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Wrangler

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1046 on: 13 September 2023, 05:25:33 »
Given the budget constraints for NASA, I think private enterprise is better off leading the way with NASA assistance.  If its US lead mission. 
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
"How do you defeat a Dragau? Shoot the damn thing. Lots." - Jellico 
"No, it's a "Most Awesome Blues Brothers scene Reenactment EVER" waiting to happen." VotW Destrier - Weirdo  
"It's 200 LY to Sian, we got a full load of shells, a half a platoon of Grenadiers, it's exploding outside, and we're wearing flak jackets." VoTW Destrier - Misterpants
-Editor on Battletech Fanon Wiki

rebs

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1047 on: 13 September 2023, 12:23:49 »
With this launch it will be NASA leading the way in prospecting.  Info will likely be made available to private enterprise.

But we also need to vet private enterprise as well.  Unless we want private concerns to pose security risks to all of the rest of us. 
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Wrangler

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1048 on: 16 September 2023, 06:42:13 »
I honestly don't think the serial production of the SLS will keep costs given the ever changes and mandates that's been dropped on program will keep it affordable enough keep Congress happy. GOA report on system was not too favorable.  The rocket wasn't even designed to keep small sats it was carrying powered during off and on being pulled the pad.
"Men, fetch the Urbanmechs.  We have an interrogation to attend to." - jklantern
"How do you defeat a Dragau? Shoot the damn thing. Lots." - Jellico 
"No, it's a "Most Awesome Blues Brothers scene Reenactment EVER" waiting to happen." VotW Destrier - Weirdo  
"It's 200 LY to Sian, we got a full load of shells, a half a platoon of Grenadiers, it's exploding outside, and we're wearing flak jackets." VoTW Destrier - Misterpants
-Editor on Battletech Fanon Wiki

idea weenie

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Re: Deep Space and Interplanetary Exploration - Houston, we are go for launch!
« Reply #1049 on: 16 September 2023, 11:02:45 »
NASA will lead the way with research, while commercial access will be for contracts that are repetitive.

I.e. a single launch for a long-term probe will be a custom (and pricey) design only used once, vs the reusable Falcon rockets providing resources to the ISS steadily.  With cheaper launch costs due to reusable rockets other groups will prefer to use the sizes that can fit on a Falcon rocket instead of paying to get a custom rocket built.

 

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