Bob
Well-known member
For those wanting to see space history being made...
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
Dragon 9 is about to launch...
- Thread starter Bob
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Shelley
Well-known member
I'm a big fan of NASA and what they do but history is definitely not being made here since I've been following the Orion project (and the new heavy lift rocket). Agreeing with Rob, more repeating itself than making history. Shame about the 2013 nasa budget has significantly cutback any planetary projects which is where i think they should be focusing.
Atleast we still have a few to look forward to like new horizons (mission flyby to pluto) Juno (jupiter) curiosity (mars rover).
Atleast we still have a few to look forward to like new horizons (mission flyby to pluto) Juno (jupiter) curiosity (mars rover).
Digital Doctor
Well-known member
First thing I thought of was ...
But I'm already on version 11 !
http://www.nuance.com/for-business/...duct-resources/whats-new-version-11/index.htm
To be honest, I always thought what do you achieve by spending a billion dollars to send another 10 people into space for a month?
I always would think the research should go into finding faster and safer ways to travel once in space, i mean... its realy big... so wouldn't you want to zip around it quickly... then once you can get form one place to another without spending 10 years to do so then you start looking at rocks on other planets...
Bob
Well-known member
3:30 AM your time is the next window.
Bob
Well-known member
This is SpaceX (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX), a private civilian corporation, not NASA, so yes, it is history being made.
Shelley
Well-known member
I agree 100%. Most of the research and development nasa are doing are to build a heavy lift vehicle to send things into low earth orbit. Where is the logic in funding this? Giving NASA credit they have developed An ION Drive that has allow a current spacecraft to visit the asteroid belt (forgot the project name) but it's allowed the spacecraft to visit one of the main asteroids in the inner belt and afterwhich it'll go on to the outer belt to visit another major asteroid. Point being, the current rocket propulsion would never manage this since it would run out of fuel so I think the ion drive is a step in the right direction.
The problem with the ION drive technology is it takes days, weeks even months to build up speed but it does have sustaining power on it's side. So yeah, a faster, more sustaining propulsion technology gets a thumbsup instead of NASA farting around sending stuff to the international space station in low earth orbit which in my books doesn't serve any purpose whatsoever.
New propulsion technology
Moon base (for lower cost launching)
Mining the materials of the moon would be a good stepping stone to other areas of the solar system.
Just think of the costs being saved (example) the James webb telescope due to be launched in and don't quote me 2018 if they could develop this at a fraction of the cost on the moon with the infrastructure of course being a there/focus for Nasa cutting the current 8 billion price tag and rising cutting that down significantly. I think the low earch orbit thing NASA are focusing on is just wasteful.
Shelley
Well-known member
I was watching the live feed so assumed when I seen Orion it was a nasa /civilian joint venture.
Ps. template edit pending.
Taylor J
Well-known member
Read the topic and find out...........
DRE
Well-known member
Bob
Well-known member
"Dragon" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_(spacecraft)) is the space craft placed on top of the Falcon 9 Rocket (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9). Both are developed by SpaceX.
DRE
Well-known member
Shelley
Well-known member
Impressive if this ever comes to light. *looks at the payload of the falcon heavy* http://www.spacex.com/falcon_heavy.php
Fred Sherman
Well-known member
The difference is the Orion is not made to deliver cargo to ISS, its main design is to reach the moon. I've been doing some work with NASA and MCC21 the past couple of months and got the opportunity to fly the Orion sim. Part of that was docking with ISS, so it is capable. Even so, SpaceX will be a more cost effective solution, since it is purpose built to be supply vessel for ISS.
What worse though is that ISS is due for a reentry burn in 2020 - an extension from the original 2013 date. It isn't actually "in orbit", its on the upper edge of the atmosphere and requires periodic altitude boosts. The last one keeps it aloft until 2020. So the net of this is its all just a temporary solution to a short term problem.
Hopefully an ISS replacement will be assembled at one of the earth/moon l-points so that it can become a permanent base for earth and lunar ops. Eventually, it could become the anchor point for a space elevator between both.
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