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Does space matter to you?

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simon_says
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25 May 2011, 7:59 pm

Sand wrote:
See
http://dvice.com/archives/2011/05/nasa-unveils-ne.php


This is not really a big deal. This is just the continuation of Orion under a different name, which was basically mandated by Congress. Next month there should be some real new information.



psychohist
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25 May 2011, 9:15 pm

Inuyasha wrote:
They were actually thinking of launching shuttles off of airplanes for a while but finally figured it was a bad idea.

Indeed - quite possibly a mistake as Space Ship One launched off an airplane and Space Ship Two will too.



Sand
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26 May 2011, 12:09 am

psychohist wrote:
Inuyasha wrote:
They were actually thinking of launching shuttles off of airplanes for a while but finally figured it was a bad idea.

Indeed - quite possibly a mistake as Space Ship One launched off an airplane and Space Ship Two will too.


There is a tremendous difference between merely attaining an altitude beyond the atmosphere and reaching velocities for orbit. The latter requires huge sources of energy available only from rocket power.



Oodain
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26 May 2011, 12:45 am

Sand wrote:
psychohist wrote:
Inuyasha wrote:
They were actually thinking of launching shuttles off of airplanes for a while but finally figured it was a bad idea.

Indeed - quite possibly a mistake as Space Ship One launched off an airplane and Space Ship Two will too.


There is a tremendous difference between merely attaining an altitude beyond the atmosphere and reaching velocities for orbit. The latter requires huge sources of energy available only from rocket power.


none of the designs rely solely on the carrier plane, just a higher launch platform for the rocket.


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Vigilans
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26 May 2011, 1:12 am

There is also the possibility (outside of dedicated 'air-breathers') that space planes could launch without the fuel required for escape velocity and instead have refueling planes do this in air. The space plane could then build up velocity (possibly in a hybrid system with the air breathing system such as on the Skylon) before firing off the main rocket and achieving LEO


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ruveyn
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26 May 2011, 1:33 am

Vigilans wrote:
There is also the possibility (outside of dedicated 'air-breathers') that space planes could launch without the fuel required for escape velocity and instead have refueling planes do this in air. The space plane could then build up velocity (possibly in a hybrid system with the air breathing system such as on the Skylon) before firing off the main rocket and achieving LEO


This approach would not and could not have happened as long as v. Braun was the main mover for design. The successful Apollo was, in reality, an overgrown V2. Think of it as v. Braun's wunderwaffen.

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26 May 2011, 11:29 am

What I don't like is the planned mission to Mars though. The space program is already struggling and we're going to invest in a mission that is not only extremely risky, but won't offer the kind of dividends that a moon colony could.



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26 May 2011, 11:34 am

MDD123 wrote:
What I don't like is the planned mission to Mars though. The space program is already struggling and we're going to invest in a mission that is not only extremely risky, but won't offer the kind of dividends that a moon colony could.


+1

Going to Mars at this stage is very unwise. Better we should learn to use our Moon.

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Inuyasha
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26 May 2011, 11:36 am

psychohist wrote:
Inuyasha wrote:
They were actually thinking of launching shuttles off of airplanes for a while but finally figured it was a bad idea.

Indeed - quite possibly a mistake as Space Ship One launched off an airplane and Space Ship Two will too.


Actually I've been surprised there hasn't been an accident from that. Launching a spacecraft off an airplane is extremely dangerous in the fact it can get both the crew of the spaceship and the airplane killed.

The advantage to this however is that one doesn't need as much fuel to actually get to a stable orbit.



Sand
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26 May 2011, 11:57 am

Inuyasha wrote:
psychohist wrote:
Inuyasha wrote:
They were actually thinking of launching shuttles off of airplanes for a while but finally figured it was a bad idea.

Indeed - quite possibly a mistake as Space Ship One launched off an airplane and Space Ship Two will too.


Actually I've been surprised there hasn't been an accident from that. Launching a spacecraft off an airplane is extremely dangerous in the fact it can get both the crew of the spaceship and the airplane killed.

The advantage to this however is that one doesn't need as much fuel to actually get to a stable orbit.


A mistake in launching an orbiting vehicle from a ground rocket can also get people killed as experience has demonstrated. That's how mistakes work.



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26 May 2011, 12:00 pm

Inuyasha wrote:
psychohist wrote:
Inuyasha wrote:
They were actually thinking of launching shuttles off of airplanes for a while but finally figured it was a bad idea.

Indeed - quite possibly a mistake as Space Ship One launched off an airplane and Space Ship Two will too.


Actually I've been surprised there hasn't been an accident from that. Launching a spacecraft off an airplane is extremely dangerous in the fact it can get both the crew of the spaceship and the airplane killed.

The advantage to this however is that one doesn't need as much fuel to actually get to a stable orbit.


how dangerous it is has nothing to do with how many people are at risk.

i think you will find that any technology used to launch the apollo missions were a lot worse with regards to safety.
that being said safety has always been a big concern in the space industry, there is a reason the navcoms on the shuttles still use IC's from the eighties, they have been proven to work under those conditions (i think they were modified for this specific purpose i dont know)


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psychohist
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26 May 2011, 1:53 pm

Inuyasha wrote:
Actually I've been surprised there hasn't been an accident from that. Launching a spacecraft off an airplane is extremely dangerous in the fact it can get both the crew of the spaceship and the airplane killed.

Burt Rutan is an incredible engineer and with solid financing from Branson can do things right.

Here's a 5 minute video of the latest spaceshiptwo test showing the release of the space craft from the airplane:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er9-sTDh ... r_embedded

They're taking bookings here. Have your $200,000 ready:

http://www.virgingalactic.com/