The Spaceflight Thread

[Taaroa]

https://twitter.com/RebeccaRambar/status/1302932710290272256

[Hog]

Here is the first American Extra Vehicular Activity(EVA) as you've never seen it.  16mm film interpolated at 24fps from 6 fps in 4k, here's Gemini-4.


https://youtu.be/yUXyJsbwFtw

peace
Hog

[Ciardelo]

Here is the first American Extra Vehicular Activity(EVA) as you've never seen it.  16mm film interpolated at 24fps from 6 fps in 4k, here's Gemini-4.

peace
Hog

That's some of Kubrick's best work.

[ShayP]

I went and saw Discovery with ShayP in February.

And it was damn pleasure to meet you.  I appreciated the knowledge you shared.  Better than any docent there.  No offense to them of course.  Nonetheless, it was cool to have someone who was actually involved in certain projects tell me about them.   

[Dr. MD MD]

Aw! Bellgabbers getting together IRL.

[Taaroa]

https://twitter.com/NASASpaceflight/status/1317523332863041538

[Hog]

Looks like the first flight of the NASA Space Launch System is going to slip again, looks like we will be looking at a 2022 launch.  Technical issues on the test stand at Stennis.

peace
Hog

[Hog]

This is a real shot.

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1336849897987796992


peace
Hog

[Hog]

NASA's Space Launch System is going to fire the 4 space shuttle main engines(RS-25D's modified for using the high propellant pressure exerted by the much taller SLS Core Stage).

It was supposed to fire at 4pm east, it delayed but should be up any time now.

Here's a link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELHOXi2t3lk&feature=emb_logo

peace
Hog

[albrecht]

NASA's Space Launch System is going to fire the 4 space shuttle main engines(RS-25D's modified for using the high propellant pressure exerted by the much taller SLS Core Stage).

It was supposed to fire at 4pm east, it delayed but should be up any time now.

Here's a link.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELHOXi2t3lk&feature=emb_logo

peace
Hog

I think several people in the yootube chat thinking that it was supposed to launch.     I guess they shut it down early for some reason but long enough to get some more data, they say.   

[albrecht]

https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2021/01/17/Virgin-Orbit-rocket-reaches-orbit-satellites-deployed/5151610732230/

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55699262

[Hog]

Well I'm glad teh forums are back up.  SLS tried to launch last Monday morning, but a developmental temperature sensor for engine number 3 was indicating that the 3rd engine was NOT getting as cold as it should.  This sensor is not connected to the ALS(Automatic Launch Sequence), it was used for testing alone.
next launch attempt is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

peace
Hog

[Hog]

Here is SLS at the pad-39B awaiting the launch of Artemis-1 which will feature a Distant Retrograde Orbit(DRO) which will take teh spacecraft further from Earth than any human rated spacecraft had before.  It will be re-entering the Earth's atmosphere faster than any vehicle as well, in excess of 25,000mph.  The Thermal Protection System will be put to an extreme test.  Artemis-1 is an uncrewed test mission.

Distant Retrograde Orbit for Artemis-1



Artemis-2 uses a free Return trajectory in case something goes wrong as this is a test flight with humans aboard, the Orion spacecraft will return to Earth.


And finally for Artemis-3, Orion will enter a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit which will allow Orion to dock at Gateway or the Human Lander System(Space X Lunar Lander)  The NRHO allows for the South Pole of Luna to be observed.  There are craters that while always exposed to the Sun, there are areas at the crater's bottom that have NEVER seen light from the Sun.  Future flights will be to a NRHO as well. Orion is SLS's primary payload.



Each SLS launch costs 4.5 billion dollars.  The Solid Rocket Boosters, Core Stage and its four(4) RS-25 main engines will be expended and fall into the Pacific Ocean.  There are 16 engines left over from the Space Shuttle Program(SSP or STS=Space Transportation System). Contracts have already been signed to Restart Production of the RS25 engine at the cost of approximately US$150,000,000 a piece.  That's US$600,000,000 for the liquid engines alone.
"On May 1, 2020, NASA awarded a contract extension to manufacture 18 additional RS-25 engines, with associated services, for $1.79 billion, bringing the total SLS contract value to almost $3.5 billion."
18 more RS25s on the way.

peace
Hog

[pate]

Welcome back, Hog!

/off-topic:  How did your Monarchs do this year?

-p

[Hog]

Welcome back, Hog!

/off-topic:  How did your Monarchs do this year?

-p

Hey Pate, nice to be back!  I placed my response HERE. https://bellgab.com/index.php?topic=12756.new#new

peace
Hog

[Dr. MD MD]

Thanks for the space info, Hog. It's always aporeciated. Still driving that sweet Bel Air, I hope?

[pate]

This looks to be amusing:

I will view & possibly review it later.

That is all, Carrie Anne.

-p

[Silphion]

This looks to be amusing:

I will view & possibly review it later.

That is all, Carrie Anne.

-p

There is a mutt next door to me looks just like that little bugger.

[pate]

There is a mutt next door to me looks just like that little bugger.

I watched it, not too bad.  I was a little bit iffy on the "reality" of some of the effects in the beginning, the ending makes up for it.

Looking back, I don't know if I would classify it as "Horror."  Maybe that's the "hook" to get people to watch it?

-p

[Hog]

Thanks for the space info, Hog. It's always aporeciated. Still driving that sweet Bel Air, I hope?

Hey Doc, yup, still have her.


Here's a pic of the work they're doing at the pad. The Tail Service Mast Umbilicals(TSMU) were leaking during tanking last launch attempt. Hydrogen concentrations at the joints were 3 times allowable so they scrubbed the launch.  Looking at later in Sept following a tanking test.


https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=56782.0;attach=2125641;image

peace
Hog

[Dr. MD MD]

[Hog]

Art Bell LOVED this image. I remember him talking about it on Coast to Coast AM

1995 Pillars of Creation (left) Hubble Space Telescope
2022 Pillars of Creation (right) James Webb Space Telescope



peace
Hog

[Hog]

And the big orange rocket flew.

It was awesome

peace
Hog

[Dr. MD MD]

[Laser]

Oh you-all of little faith ...

In the 1960s, Zambian patriot Edward Mukuka Nkoloso had a dream to launch a rocket that would send 12 astronauts, a girl and cats to the moon.
He hoped to beat the United States and Russia space programs at the height of the space race.
He took his "Afronauts" through strenuous training.
But due to lack of funding, his project never took off.