The Cool Science Stuff Thread

[islandman]

Company planning biggest rocket since man on moon

WASHINGTON – A high-tech entrepreneur unveiled plans Tuesday to launch the world's most powerful rocket since man went to the moon.

Space Exploration Technology has already sent the first private rocket and capsule into Earth's orbit as a commercial venture. It is now planning a rocket that could lift twice as much cargo into orbit as the soon-to-be-retired space shuttle.

The first launch is slotted for 2013 from California with follow-up launches from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Space X's new rocket called Falcon Heavy is big enough to send cargo or even people out of Earth's orbit to the moon, an asteroid or Mars. Only the long retired Saturn V rocket that sent men to the moon was bigger.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110406/ap_on_sc/us_sci_space_x_rocket

 

[rosco rathbone]

Company planning biggest rocket since man on moon

WASHINGTON – A high-tech entrepreneur unveiled plans Tuesday to launch the world's most powerful rocket since man went to the moon.

Space Exploration Technology has already sent the first private rocket and capsule into Earth's orbit as a commercial venture. It is now planning a rocket that could lift twice as much cargo into orbit as the soon-to-be-retired space shuttle.

The first launch is slotted for 2013 from California with follow-up launches from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Space X's new rocket called Falcon Heavy is big enough to send cargo or even people out of Earth's orbit to the moon, an asteroid or Mars. Only the long retired Saturn V rocket that sent men to the moon was bigger.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110406/ap_on_sc/us_sci_space_x_rocket

ISn't that the paypal guy?

 

[Peregrinator]

ISn't that the paypal guy?

"Paypal Guy," the little remembered B side to Rocket Man.

 

[islandman]

ISn't that the paypal guy?

Indeed it is.

 

[rosco rathbone]

"Paypal Guy," the little remembered B side to Rocket Man.

rimshot!

Indeed it is.

Obama was talking about how he wanted to privatize a lot of NASA functions, which seems like a good idea. (And a good argument for government R&D in areas that the private sector doesn't want to touch at first until the kinks are ironed out).

But I was reading somewhere...NYT I think...about how the profit margin just wasn't there yet and most of this was just happy talk.

So I hope this guy's company figures out how to get profitable.

 

[islandman]

4.5-Billion-Year-Old Antarctic Meteorite Yields New Mineral

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience...lionyearoldantarcticmeteoriteyieldsnewmineral



A meteorite discovered in Antarctica in 1969 has just divulged a modern secret: a new mineral, now called Wassonite.

The new mineral found in the 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite was tiny — less than one-hundredth as wide as a human hair. Still, that was enough to excite the researchers who announced the discovery Tuesday (April 5). [Image of new mineral]

"Wassonite is a mineral formed from only two elements, sulfur and titanium, yet it possesses a unique crystal structure that has not been previously observed in nature," NASA space scientist Keiko Nakamura-Messenger said in a statement.

The mineral's name, approved by the International Mineralogical Association, honors John T. Wasson, a UCLA professor known for his achievements across a broad swath of meteorite and impact research.

Grains of Wassonite were analyzed from the meteorite that has been officially designated Yamato 691 enstatite chondrite. Chondrites are primitive meteorites that scientists think were remnants shed from the original building blocks of planets. Most meteorites found on Earth fit into this group.

Article continues in link provided above.

 

[Byron In Exile]

Obama was talking about how he wanted to privatize a lot of NASA functions, which seems like a good idea.

It's a good idea if you want to kill the space program and have it look like it was someone else's fault.

 

[islandman]

rimshot!



Obama was talking about how he wanted to privatize a lot of NASA functions, which seems like a good idea. (And a good argument for government R&D in areas that the private sector doesn't want to touch at first until the kinks are ironed out).

But I was reading somewhere...NYT I think...about how the profit margin just wasn't there yet and most of this was just happy talk.

So I hope this guy's company figures out how to get profitable.

Per the article, that breakeven point seems to be 10 launches per annum at $100M per launch.

I don't see why they can't just return an updated Saturn launcher to use. The design is proven, so I imagine it would give these start-ups a comparatively easier way to monetize space while they prove their new rockets.

Then again, maybe there's no one around anymore who knows how to put together a Saturn.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Virgin Oceanic

The vehicle is a unique design made from 8,000 pounds of carbon fibre and titanium. The pressure at the bottom of the deepest trench is over 1,000 atmospheres – the quartz dome alone is under 13 million pounds of pressure, the weight of three space shuttles.

Designed by Graham Hawkes, it is the only piloted craft in existence that has ‘full ocean depth’ capability. The one person sub has an operating depth of 37,000ft (7 miles) and is capable of operating for 24hrs unaided. Once fully descended, the submarine’s hydroplanes (the equivalent of wings for submarines) and thrusters will allow it to ‘fly’ up to 10km over the ocean floor whilst collecting video and data, something submersibles could only dream of.

 

[islandman]

It's a good idea if you want to kill the space program and have it look like it was someone else's fault.

Given that Republicans seek to cut government expenses well beyond the bone so as to stimulate the private sector, your post is laughable.

 

[Balladeer08]

"Wassonite is a mineral formed from only two elements, sulfur and titanium,

So what do we think the properties of this new mineral are?

I'd guess it would burn rather well. Better than magnesium?

Anyone here enough of a chemist to give us some hints?

The article contains no clue as to the ratio of sulfur to titanium. That would help, I'd think.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Per the article, that breakeven point seems to be 10 launches per annum at $100M per launch.

I don't see why they can't just return an updated Saturn launcher to use. The design is proven, so I imagine it would give these start-ups a comparatively easier way to monetize space while they prove their new rockets.

Then again, maybe there's no one around anymore who knows how to put together a Saturn.

I could be wrong, but I think those Saturn launches were insanely expensive. They did the job, but at extremely high cost per kilo to orbit.

 

[Byron In Exile]

Given that Republicans seek to cut government expenses well beyond the bone so as to stimulate the private sector, your post is laughable.

What Republicans seek is irrelevant; your post is laughable.

 

[rosco rathbone]

It's a good idea if you want to kill the space program and have it look like it was someone else's fault.

Interesting take. You don't think the older functions of NASA are ready to be handed off yet?

 

[islandman]

What Republicans seek is irrelevant; your post is laughable.

Sorry, didn't know you were crabby Neil Armstrong.

 

[Byron In Exile]

Interesting take. You don't think the older functions of NASA are ready to be handed off yet?

Manned space flight will never be monetarily profitable.

"Privitization" is Obama-speak for consigning it to the dust-bin of history.

 

[rosco rathbone]

Manned space flight will never be monetarily profitable.

"Privitization" is Obama-speak for consigning it to the dust-bin of history.

AFAIK, SpaceX is mainly concentrating on satellite launches and stuff like that. That's where the money is.

On the other hand there's a case to be made that any privatization of any NASA functions will just be used as a means to defund them.

I don't know how much future there is in manned spaceflight beyond the orbit of the moon anyhow. Mars, maybe. But it seems that spacemen are probably going the way of jet fighter pilots.

 

[Saint Peter]

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2010/12/13/nasa-pact-will-bring-research-park-to.html

Good news for a talented and inspired engineer!




Good news for Pete, too.

 

[Byron In Exile]

AFAIK, SpaceX is mainly concentrating on satellite launches and stuff like that. That's where the money is.

On the other hand there's a case to be made that any privatization of any NASA functions will just be used as a means to defund them.

I don't know how much future there is in manned spaceflight beyond the orbit of the moon anyhow. Mars, maybe. But it seems that spacemen are probably going the way of jet fighter pilots.

The only economically rational purpose for rockets is launching satellites. No private companies are going to sink money into something like a Mars rover, or probes to the other planets, let alone sending humans into space, even in low earth orbit. There's no way to make a profit doing that sort of thing.

 

[Balladeer08]

The only economically rational purpose for rockets is launching satellites. No private companies are going to sink money into something like a Mars rover, or probes to the other planets, let alone sending humans into space, even in low earth orbit. There's no way to make a profit doing that sort of thing.

Currently.

Wait for it. Time has a way of changing things.

The biggest expense is getting things and people out of the gravity well of Earth. The idea of a space elevator is awesome for bringing that down. Now they just have to get the materials and engineering together. Which may not exists. YET!

But wait for it.

Remember, the Earth is flat, man will never fly, the sound barrier will never be broken....

 

[Peregrinator]

Currently.

Wait for it. Time has a way of changing things.

The biggest expense is getting things and people out of the gravity well of Earth. The idea of a space elevator is awesome for bringing that down. Now they just have to get the materials and engineering together. Which may not exists. YET!

But wait for it.

Remember, the Earth is flat, man will never fly, the sound barrier will never be broken....

No one needs a computer in their home.

 

[Byron In Exile]

Currently.

Wait for it. Time has a way of changing things.

The biggest expense is getting things and people out of the gravity well of Earth. The idea of a space elevator is awesome for bringing that down. Now they just have to get the materials and engineering together. Which may not exists. YET!

But wait for it.

Remember, the Earth is flat, man will never fly, the sound barrier will never be broken....

The moon will never be made of green cheese.

 

[rosco rathbone]

The only economically rational purpose for rockets is launching satellites. No private companies are going to sink money into something like a Mars rover, or probes to the other planets, let alone sending humans into space, even in low earth orbit. There's no way to make a profit doing that sort of thing.

Right. So how does privatizing the economically rational stuff end up killing the manned space flight program?

 

[Colonel Hogan]

I don't see why they can't just return an updated Saturn launcher to use. The design is proven, so I imagine it would give these start-ups a comparatively easier way to monetize space while they prove their new rockets.

Then again, maybe there's no one around anymore who knows how to put together a Saturn.

There are no spare Saturn V parts just laying around and nobody is making any. Sure, the schematics still exist, but just about everything associated with a rocket this big is a "custom job."

It makes far more sense to design a brand new lift vehicle based on today's technology than to return to the 60s.

 

[Byron In Exile]

Right. So how does privatizing the economically rational stuff end up killing the manned space flight program?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7011322.ece

http://gizmodo.com/#!5461806/obama-cancels-kennedys-dream