JohnMitchell 14 #26 October 28, 2009 Quote So let me get this right, it's been what 30+ years. We now have super computers that play music. We have space grade alloys used make tooth brushes.......and NASA's latest and greatest design to get us to the moon....looks just like the old design that took us too the moon? It's been 50+ years for jet airliners, and they still look about the same. Form follows function, and the space capsule is a time tested, reliable platform. We tried winged reentry for the past 25+ years, and found there are too many single point failure modes, and not as cost effective as promised. This new machine solves the problem of getting people into orbit as reliably and cheaply as possible, I hope. Quote And is most likely twice the cost? Orion carries twice as many people as the Apollo. I wouldn't be surprised if it cost more. I bet the avionics are much nicer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallingJordan 0 #27 October 28, 2009 clear to launch! just a few minutes till take off as long as the weather holds!I'm like a chocolate covered pretzel...I might be kind of melty but dang, I'm exquisite! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #28 October 28, 2009 I think the sticker stayed on.Good job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallingJordan 0 #29 October 28, 2009 yeah that was really cool to watch!I'm like a chocolate covered pretzel...I might be kind of melty but dang, I'm exquisite! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkeenan 13 #30 October 28, 2009 Nothing left at KSC but a smiking launch pad. that was a very cool launch. For the last two days no one has gotten much done, due to running in and out of the buildings all morning as the launch times kept changing. Watching the downlinked video from the rocket right now, and the view toward the ground during ascent is awesome. Interesting testiment to the power of the rocket is that it continued to climb another 20,000 ft. after the engine burned out and the thrust had stopped._____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #31 October 28, 2009 It was cool watching it live on the internet feed. My dad and I watched it together. He worked for Thiokol for more than 30 years in the small rocket motor division as a chemical engineer, but he had always had an interest in the space program. That thing was tall, but strange looking, not like the Saturn 5, which is big at the bottom and tapers off towards the top, whereas the Ares' launch stage has a noticably smaller diameter than the payload above."Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,470 #32 October 28, 2009 >and NASA's latest and greatest design to get us to the moon....looks >just like the old design that took us too the moon? Yep. And cars in 1950's look pretty much the same (to a non car aficionado) as cars nowadays look. Four wheels, trunk, steering wheel, horn. That's because the basic design works pretty well. >Oh what defense contractor thought that one out! They need to hire >me! I've got all kinds of crap i can resell the government! I think you might find it more challenging than you imagine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,470 #33 October 28, 2009 >whereas the Ares' launch stage has a noticably smaller diameter than the payload above. That's an effect of wanting to reuse the Shuttle SRB as the first stage, but still have a large crew capsule diameter. The Delta III looks similar BTW. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #34 October 28, 2009 Quote>whereas the Ares' launch stage has a noticably smaller diameter than the payload above. That's an effect of wanting to reuse the Shuttle SRB as the first stage, but still have a large crew capsule diameter. The Delta III looks similar BTW. I thought that stage looked familiar. Is it exactly the same as the ones used on the shuttle launches?"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #35 October 28, 2009 Quote>and NASA's latest and greatest design to get us to the moon....looks >just like the old design that took us too the moon? Yep. And cars in 1950's look pretty much the same (to a non car aficionado) as cars nowadays look. Four wheels, trunk, steering wheel, horn. That's because the basic design works pretty well. >Oh what defense contractor thought that one out! They need to hire >me! I've got all kinds of crap i can resell the government! I think you might find it more challenging than you imagine. Yeah I guess.....but it would have been cooler if it has some fins...you know for flare! And I'm a weapons systems engineer, I think I could figure it out! Nothing a 55gal of JB weld couldn't fix! But the fact that it kept going 20k ft long after the engine had shut off is very impressive! Bravo! That there is a good design!Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #36 October 28, 2009 Quote The Delta III looks similar BTW. Ares I, Delta III, Titan IIIC, Titan IV, Atlas V 500 series... Pretty much anything with a 5 m fairing is going to look like that (with the exception of the Delta IV) The booster used on I-X was, IIRC, taken off the shelf from the shuttle program and modified (lengthened, weight added, tumble motors added) to make it behave more like the longer first stage the Ares I will actually use. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #37 October 28, 2009 Quotethe fact that it kept going 20k ft long after the engine had shut off is very impressive! Question from a non-engineer: wouldn't the impressive-ness of that depend on how much atmosphere it still had to punch through? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1969912 0 #38 October 28, 2009 QuoteQuote>whereas the Ares' launch stage has a noticably smaller diameter than the payload above. That's an effect of wanting to reuse the Shuttle SRB as the first stage, but still have a large crew capsule diameter. The Delta III looks similar BTW. I thought that stage looked familiar. Is it exactly the same as the ones used on the shuttle launches? Even if it's the same basic casing, it probably has a different thrust profile. "Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ." -NickDG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #39 October 29, 2009 Way cool stuff can be found in the Press Kit.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #40 October 29, 2009 QuoteQuotethe fact that it kept going 20k ft long after the engine had shut off is very impressive! Question from a non-engineer: wouldn't the impressive-ness of that depend on how much atmosphere it still had to punch through? Partly. If memory serves me right, when the Challenger disintegrated it was at an altitude of 47k feet. Afterward, the crew compartment continued to climb to 68k feet. The air is thin there, but not super thin. There is still plenty of drag. Still, it's a good idea of the tremendous amount of inertial energy bing directed upwpward. And - the vehicle was already into roll pattern - it was almost as far downrange as it was high. Kkeenan - since I haven't seen the launch, how far downrange was the rocket at engine cutoff versus splashdown? And another question - we know that these craft get hot on reentry. I reckon they must get hot on launch, as well. How hot does, say, the shuttle get on launch from atmospheric friction? My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #41 October 29, 2009 QuoteAnd another question - we know that these craft get hot on reentry. I reckon they must get hot on launch, as well. How hot does, say, the shuttle get on launch from atmospheric friction? I'm not that familiar with manned spaceflight profiles, but by the time an unmanned LEO launch is crossing through 300,000 (where you're all but completely out of the atmosphere) it's going only about 3.5 - 4 km/sec, or about half what the space shuttle is traveling at when it begins reentry. Most of the kinetic energy isn't imparted on the space vehicle until after it leaves the atmosphere. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #42 October 29, 2009 Couldn't they give the thing racing stripes or something? Something to give it the "ooh cool" factor? Anything! Maybe a sparkler? Strobe light? A nude photo of Jenna on the side?Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
champu 1 #43 October 29, 2009 Quote Something to give it the "ooh cool" factor? Ever seen a launch like this in person? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #44 October 29, 2009 Quote Quote Something to give it the "ooh cool" factor? Ever seen a launch like this in person? Me yeah! It's fun and exciting! And you feel it in your chest! All the things you can't feel when you watch it on TV. I mean look at that thing! As sexy as a Volvo! I think NASA has to grab all the engineers and scientists that either live at home with mom or can't pic up a girl at a bar and lock them away in some basement....don't worry they'll start playing D&D....they will be fine! And let the wiz bang woo hoo racing stripes, give it cool fins engineers take over! You know guys like this! http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_74Fj16-aWFo/SV9Njj7nmvI/AAAAAAAAHzs/-y8IK8wnf1k/s400/zapp_brannigan.jpg Who would build ships like http://theinfosphere.org/images/4/4e/Nimbus1.jpg I mean will you look at that grill! That there is sexy! But no honestly, as a guy who's job it is to be the gooey interface between contractors and government sex sells. It has to look fast, it has to give the impression of leading edge, best of the best, doing light speed while standing still. And most importantly, it has to look good on a polo shirt. Now do you want this embroidered on your Polo Shirt....? "Hay Joe what is that, sperm or a sex toy?"Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #45 October 29, 2009 QuoteCouldn't they give the thing racing stripes or something? Paint is heavy. Yes, it matters. Maybe not so much on this particular flight, but on real ones this on was simulating, so yeah, even then.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #46 October 29, 2009 Quote Quote Couldn't they give the thing racing stripes or something? Paint is heavy. Yes, it matters. Maybe not so much on this particular flight, but on real ones this on was simulating, so yeah, even then. What about skydive stickers? That's 3 grams biatch. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #47 October 29, 2009 Quote What about skydive stickers? That's 3 grams biatch. When they stopped paining the external tank of the Space Shuttle they saved something like 1,100 pounds. It adds up!quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #48 October 29, 2009 The external tank is covered in foam and that paint was actually designed to hold that foam in place and let the ice just slide off. See! Racing stripes! Saving lives every day! Is there anything they can't do! Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #49 October 29, 2009 Quote Is there anything they can't do! Yeah, actually make you go faster.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #50 October 29, 2009 Quote Quote Is there anything they can't do! Yeah, actually make you go faster. We need to call myth busters to test this one out Actually....seeing how the shuttle keeps loosing foam.....maybe it does help you go. Maybe not faster but still....go!Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
