Science Space Exploration megathread - Page 352

**DaFace** · 03:36 PM

Since a number of cool things are happening in space exploration these days, we'll widen the scope of this thread a smidge. Conversation about all things space exploration are welcome, whether it be from NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin, or anyone else. Chances are most of the discussion will still be about SpaceX since they love to make things public and fun, but nothing's off limits. I'll eventually get around to modifying the OP to include resources for other companies too, but in the meantime, feel free to post any cool stuff you run across.

Lists of Upcoming Missions

Spoiler!

How to Watch a Live Launch

Spoiler!

Where to Learn More

Spoiler!

Glossary

Spoiler!

Space discussions tend to get a little bogged down in jargon, so here's a list of terms you might encounter. (Others, please let me know of others that should be added.)

ASDS - Autonomous Spaceport Droneship - The "barges" that they sometimes land rockets on.
Dragon - The cone-shaped capsule that sits at the top of the rocket for ISS-bound launches that holds the cargo (or, in the future, humans).
F9 - Falcon 9, the name of the rocket itself.
FH - Falcon Heavy, the three-booster version.
GTO - Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, a type of orbit that will eventually result in the satellite orbiting the earth as it turns so that it seems to be in the same spot from the ground (such as DirecTV or Dish satellites). These types of launches are particularly challenging because they require a lot of power to get them into the right orbit, leaving very little fuel left for landing.
HIF - Horizontal Integration Facility - the building near the launch pad where they put all of the pieces of the rocket together before rolling it out to the pad.
ISS - The International Space Station
JRTI - Just Read The Instructions, the name of the "barge" that they land on for west-coast launches.
LEO - Low Earth Orbit, a fairly low orbit shared by many satellites and ISS. These launches usually require less power to achieve the proper orbit, so the first stage can often be landed back on land rather than on a drone ship.
LZ1 - Landing Zone 1, basically a big open slab of concrete at Cape Canaveral where the first stage will attempt to land (for some launches).
NET - No Earlier Than, basically the date they're hoping to launch, but rocket launches have a tendency of getting delayed.
OCISLY - Of Course I Still Love You, the name of the "barge" that they land on for east-coast launches.
RTLS - Return to Landing Site, a mission where the first stage comes back and lands at LZ1.
Starship - SpaceX's next-generation rocket (and spacecraft) that will hopefully one day take us to Mars. Starship is the "second stage" that will carry cargo or people, but also refers to the whole system. (It's confusing, but think of it like the Space Shuttle, which was both the shuttle itself and the entire launch system.)
Super Heavy - The giant booster that will carry Starship to space.

**DaFace** · 11-15-2023, 09:03 PM

It’s official! The #Starship launch license is here! You won’t want to miss this launch!!! First attempt is Friday morning at 7:00 am CST [13:00 UTC]!!! Let’s go!!! - here’s a link to our 4K LIVE coverage that will begin at midnight [06:00 UTC] - https://t.co/T6uy2KM5L2 pic.twitter.com/fiBupChkTf
— Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) November 15, 2023

Molitoth · 11-15-2023, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

It’s official! The #Starship launch license is here! You won’t want to miss this launch!!! First attempt is Friday morning at 7:00 am CST [13:00 UTC]!!! Let’s go!!! - here’s a link to our 4K LIVE coverage that will begin at midnight [06:00 UTC] - https://t.co/T6uy2KM5L2 pic.twitter.com/fiBupChkTf
— Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) November 15, 2023

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

Super pumped for this!

MagicHef · 11-15-2023, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaFace

It’s official! The #Starship launch license is here! You won’t want to miss this launch!!! First attempt is Friday morning at 7:00 am CST [13:00 UTC]!!! Let’s go!!! - here’s a link to our 4K LIVE coverage that will begin at midnight [06:00 UTC] - https://t.co/T6uy2KM5L2 pic.twitter.com/fiBupChkTf
— Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) November 15, 2023

I wanted to watch this live, but I’m not sure I want to get up at 5 am for it.

RINGLEADER · 11-15-2023, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagicHef

I wanted to watch this live, but I’m not sure I want to get up at 5 am for it.

Every time I drag my azz out of bed early to see this kind of thing it gets scrubbed.

But then I do it again…

MagicHef · 11-16-2023, 10:41 AM

**DaFace** · 11-16-2023, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagicHef

I wanted to watch this live, but I’m not sure I want to get up at 5 am for it.

6am for me. It'll be frustrating when they inevitably have to recycle like 4 times and end up scrubbing after I watch nothing happen for 2 hours.

But yeah, I'll get up for it.

**Donger** · 11-16-2023, 12:13 PM

Some pre-flight space porn:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...rship-flight-2

**Donger** · 11-16-2023, 02:45 PM

Delayed until Saturday.

Update for 3 pm ET: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says the second Starship launch is postponed to no earlier than Saturday, Nov. 18 to replace a grid fin actuator on the launch stack, according to an update Musk posted on X, formerly Twitter.

GeorgeZimZam · 11-17-2023, 08:42 PM

We saw Musk's jet fly over our house about 40 minutes ago, on descent into BRO.

Wife sent these photos from work earlier this evening.

Sunset over Starship with the MiG-29 and two Alpha Jets pic.twitter.com/Wptpv1vLtF
— Polaris (@PolarisProgram) November 18, 2023

GeorgeZimZam · 11-17-2023, 08:59 PM

Standing below Starship on the night before launch pic.twitter.com/X0as94JqAc
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2023

💫 Ad Astra 💫 pic.twitter.com/aCs85ULQWs
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2023

**Donger** · 11-18-2023, 06:53 AM

T-7:00

**DaFace** · 11-18-2023, 07:01 AM

Holding at T-0:40

**DaFace** · 11-18-2023, 07:02 AM

Hold onto your butts.

**Donger** · 11-18-2023, 07:04 AM

Liftoff!! Looks so much better than the first try.

**Donger** · 11-18-2023, 07:06 AM

HOLY SHIT!!!

06-01-2014, 09:40 AM
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $1626899	Space Exploration megathread Since a number of cool things are happening in space exploration these days, we'll widen the scope of this thread a smidge. Conversation about all things space exploration are welcome, whether it be from NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Blue Origin, or anyone else. Chances are most of the discussion will still be about SpaceX since they love to make things public and fun, but nothing's off limits. I'll eventually get around to modifying the OP to include resources for other companies too, but in the meantime, feel free to post any cool stuff you run across. Lists of Upcoming Missions Spoiler! General lists: https://nextspaceflight.com/ http://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/ SpaceX specific list: https://spacexnow.com/upcoming.php How to Watch a Live Launch Spoiler! SpaceX: https://www.youtube.com/user/spacexchannel ULA: https://www.youtube.com/user/UnitedLaunchAlliance RocketLab: https://www.youtube.com/user/RocketLabNZ NASATV will also cover some launches (primarily ISS resupply missions): https://www.youtube.com/user/NASAtelevision Where to Learn More Spoiler! Some cool pics... https://www.flickr.com/photos/spacex/ https://www.instagram.com/spacex/?hl=en Twitter feed is usually interesing... https://twitter.com/SpaceX https://twitter.com/elonmusk The SpaceX sub is a great source of info... https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/wiki/index And for a more forum-style discussion board... http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php#c17 And there are plenty of YouTube channels with great content... Joe Scott - Lost of "future" discussion. Some about rockets and space. Much that goes beyond. Scott Manley - Super smart dude (engineer) who reviews a lot of major events in space exploration. Frazer Cain (Universe Today) - Podcast-style videos that go in-depth into space topics. Tim Dodd (Everyday Astronaut) - A "random dude" who got really into space (particularly SpaceX). He's a great resource for simple explanations of this stuff, as well as live hosting launches. USLaunchReport - Lost of videos of the more mundane stuff (e.g., booster recovery operations). Not a ton of commentary. NASASpaceFlight - Live hosting of most launches including a ton of video of Starlink operations. Glossary Spoiler! Space discussions tend to get a little bogged down in jargon, so here's a list of terms you might encounter. (Others, please let me know of others that should be added.) ASDS - Autonomous Spaceport Droneship - The "barges" that they sometimes land rockets on. Dragon - The cone-shaped capsule that sits at the top of the rocket for ISS-bound launches that holds the cargo (or, in the future, humans). F9 - Falcon 9, the name of the rocket itself. FH - Falcon Heavy, the three-booster version. GTO - Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit, a type of orbit that will eventually result in the satellite orbiting the earth as it turns so that it seems to be in the same spot from the ground (such as DirecTV or Dish satellites). These types of launches are particularly challenging because they require a lot of power to get them into the right orbit, leaving very little fuel left for landing. HIF - Horizontal Integration Facility - the building near the launch pad where they put all of the pieces of the rocket together before rolling it out to the pad. ISS - The International Space Station JRTI - Just Read The Instructions, the name of the "barge" that they land on for west-coast launches. LEO - Low Earth Orbit, a fairly low orbit shared by many satellites and ISS. These launches usually require less power to achieve the proper orbit, so the first stage can often be landed back on land rather than on a drone ship. LZ1 - Landing Zone 1, basically a big open slab of concrete at Cape Canaveral where the first stage will attempt to land (for some launches). NET - No Earlier Than, basically the date they're hoping to launch, but rocket launches have a tendency of getting delayed. OCISLY - Of Course I Still Love You, the name of the "barge" that they land on for east-coast launches. RTLS - Return to Landing Site, a mission where the first stage comes back and lands at LZ1. Starship - SpaceX's next-generation rocket (and spacecraft) that will hopefully one day take us to Mars. Starship is the "second stage" that will carry cargo or people, but also refers to the whole system. (It's confusing, but think of it like the Space Shuttle, which was both the shuttle itself and the entire launch system.) Super Heavy - The giant booster that will carry Starship to space. Last edited by DaFace; 12-10-2020 at 03:36 PM..
Posts: 52,013

11-15-2023, 09:03 PM	#5266
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $1626899	It’s official! The #Starship launch license is here! You won’t want to miss this launch!!! First attempt is Friday morning at 7:00 am CST [13:00 UTC]!!! Let’s go!!! - here’s a link to our 4K LIVE coverage that will begin at midnight [06:00 UTC] - https://t.co/T6uy2KM5L2 pic.twitter.com/fiBupChkTf — Everyday Astronaut (@Erdayastronaut) November 15, 2023
Posts: 52,013	1 0

11-16-2023, 10:41 AM	#5270
MagicHef The Seated Villain Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Seattle Casino cash: $2170247	__________________ With a sack in 61% of his games, SB MVP Von Miller is the most consistent pass rusher in NFL history.
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11-16-2023, 12:13 PM	#5272
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $9969900 VARSITY	Some pre-flight space porn: https://www.spacex.com/launches/miss...rship-flight-2 __________________ I think the young people enjoy it when I "get down," verbally, don't you?
Posts: 181,842

11-16-2023, 02:45 PM	#5273
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $9969900 VARSITY	Delayed until Saturday. Update for 3 pm ET: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says the second Starship launch is postponed to no earlier than Saturday, Nov. 18 to replace a grid fin actuator on the launch stack, according to an update Musk posted on X, formerly Twitter. __________________ I think the young people enjoy it when I "get down," verbally, don't you?
Posts: 181,842

11-17-2023, 08:42 PM	#5274
GeorgeZimZam Repeal the 19th Amendment Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: RGV TX (via KC & ATX) Casino cash: $4770400	We saw Musk's jet fly over our house about 40 minutes ago, on descent into BRO. Wife sent these photos from work earlier this evening. Sunset over Starship with the MiG-29 and two Alpha Jets pic.twitter.com/Wptpv1vLtF — Polaris (@PolarisProgram) November 18, 2023
Posts: 486	1 0

11-17-2023, 08:59 PM	#5275
GeorgeZimZam Repeal the 19th Amendment Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: RGV TX (via KC & ATX) Casino cash: $4770400	Standing below Starship on the night before launch pic.twitter.com/X0as94JqAc — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2023 💫 Ad Astra 💫 pic.twitter.com/aCs85ULQWs — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 18, 2023
Posts: 486

11-18-2023, 06:53 AM	#5276
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $9969900 VARSITY	T-7:00 __________________ I think the young people enjoy it when I "get down," verbally, don't you?
Posts: 181,842

11-18-2023, 07:01 AM	#5277
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $1626899	Holding at T-0:40
Posts: 52,013

11-18-2023, 07:02 AM	#5278
DaFace Kind of a mod Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Donkey Land Casino cash: $1626899	Hold onto your butts.
Posts: 52,013	1 0

11-18-2023, 07:04 AM	#5279
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $9969900 VARSITY	Liftoff!! Looks so much better than the first try. __________________ I think the young people enjoy it when I "get down," verbally, don't you?
Posts: 181,842	1 0

11-18-2023, 07:06 AM	#5280
Donger "Think BOOM!" Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: 33.675° N 106.475° W Casino cash: $9969900 VARSITY	HOLY SHIT!!! __________________ I think the young people enjoy it when I "get down," verbally, don't you?
Posts: 181,842	1 0