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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: diamondgeezer on April 08, 2004, 02:09:04 pm

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: diamondgeezer on April 08, 2004, 02:09:04 pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3610755.stm

Go Burt go!

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: Nico on April 08, 2004, 02:24:15 pm

That rocks :)

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: J3Vr6 on April 08, 2004, 02:25:02 pm

So does it have to be launched from the ground or can it be released from an airborne ship?

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: diamondgeezer on April 08, 2004, 02:32:04 pm

Spaceship One will be lofted to high altitude on the back of White Knight, a jet plane which takes off and lands conventionally

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: J3Vr6 on April 08, 2004, 02:35:01 pm

Is that what the future of leaving earth will be like?  In the future, would we ever launch from the ground again?  I'm not up to date on all the latest innovations or whatever.

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: Liberator on April 08, 2004, 02:35:55 pm

Strange that it's looks kind of like Farscape 1.

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: diamondgeezer on April 08, 2004, 02:40:33 pm

Quote

Originally posted by J3Vr6
Is that what the future of leaving earth will be like?  In the future, would we ever launch from the ground again?  I'm not up to date on all the latest innovations or whatever.

Small rocket craft are probly better off launched from a plane or other platform. But this is only one way of doing things. And a biggie like a Moon or Mars shot would never be lifted by any jet aircraft on Earth :)

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: karajorma on April 08, 2004, 02:51:36 pm

Quote

Originally posted by diamondgeezer

Small rocket craft are probly better off launched from a plane or other platform. But this is only one way of doing things. And a biggie like a Moon or Mars shot would never be lifted by any jet aircraft on Earth :)

Unless they assembled it in space of course. :)

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: diamondgeezer on April 08, 2004, 03:09:24 pm

That's just showing off

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: Liberator on April 08, 2004, 03:16:00 pm

Cheaper though.  During the Apollo Program in the 60s and 70s, something like 95% of the Saturn Vs thrust potential was used exclusively for escaping Earth's gravity well.  Any interplanetary vehicle constructed in space could use much more of it's potential thrust to accelerate toward the destination and thus shorten the trip.

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: mikhael on April 08, 2004, 03:34:38 pm

The problem with that, though, Lib, is that you still have to get the raw materials into LEO, unless you're already mining asteroids. The moon is great for nickel-iron, but not for many other metals, and certainly no good for volatiles, so you're not going to be putting a general purpose foundry there any time soon.

For the forseeable future (IE until asteroid mining is a reality), heavy lift is going to going to have to be relegated to Big Dumb Boosters.

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: Darkage on April 08, 2004, 03:35:57 pm

I only hope that it doesn't use windows to guide the craft:p

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: Liberator on April 08, 2004, 03:46:41 pm

Well, we could use MagCats(Magnetic Catapults) for LEO insertions.  They're kinda big, but a better long term solution, especially if/when spaceflight becomes a more privatized affair.

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: Carl on April 08, 2004, 03:49:04 pm

yes, and it would kill anyone aboard.

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: mikhael on April 08, 2004, 04:00:00 pm

People can stand a lot of Gs, Carl, but that's unimportant. You use mag-cats for moving raw materials and shock resistant components. You put squishies up on something like SpaceshipOne or the classic Shuttle.

Title: Watch out, space
Post by: Corsair on April 08, 2004, 06:27:10 pm

I've been following SpaceShipOne for about a year now...and what they're doing is awesome.

I first heard about it here: http://www.popsci.com/popsci/aviation/article/0,12543,444888,00.html

I've got a subscription to PopSci and I have to say it's a great magazine.