ThatGuyWithALongUsername

Digging around on Wikipedia a bit shows that this concept has evolved into one of two possible designs being evaluated as LUVOIR (LUVOIR-B, specifically). Direct imaging of Earth-like exoplanets is mentioned as one of its capabilities. Apparently LUVOIR-B is only being evaluated as an 8 meter telescope, but the other design, LUVOIR-A, is 15 meters. LUVOIR-B would have to use a Starshade while LUVPIR-A can just use a Corona graph thingy like those used to detect larger exoplanets so far. Really interesting and hopefully promising, but the cost is worrying, of course. Hopefully that $10 billion figure can be reduced with new technologies (and lower launch costs thanks to Starship or something like it) to make NASA more willing/able to fund it. And, apparently, though I haven't seen any neat visualizations of it, LUVOIR-A can "just barely" fit in Starship dooded up also, although they could apparently optimize it a bit to make it fit better.

As I said in the OP, I'm ignoring that orange banner thingy and reviving this thread. There's only like a page of old discussion to go through, right? Anyway, I decided to clarify what I mean by direct imaging. Surface features would be amazing, but obviously we need to get to resolving even smaller planets as points, and then a few pixels, first. I was gonna make a new poll but the forums didn't like that. New concept with mentioning here: the Terrascope! (Mods, if this should have been a new thread, I'm sorry. I'll start a new thread if I have to.)

You're not gonna like this Wikipedia article then... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_gas_compound?wprov=sfla1 Helium's not alone here

Can't wait until we actually get a Vandenberg RTLS that, y'know, we can actually see...

Good point actually, windows are important for a crew's psychological health. If they're going to be stuck on the moon for a couple months or so at minimum, they should at least be able to see the beautiful view that comes with it.

Looks almost more awesome than that idea, actually...

That nozzle doesn't look... uh... nominal.

Someone on Twitter had an interesting thought that is quite relevant here- could this satellite constellation bring the next generation of Iridium flares (Starlink flares, I guess)? I mean, I guess we don't really know the reflective qualities of these spacecraft, do we?

Acronyms could be helpful, or serial numbers even. We already use OCISLY and JRTI, and all the Falcon boosters are B10xx. That sounds serious enough, then you can name them whatever.

"Just Read The Instructions," "Of Course I still Love You," and, eventually, "A Shortfall of Gravitas" were not, though. And those names, even though they come from a sci-fi novel series, definitely have, well, a shortfall of gravitas.

RISAT-2B deployed! Mission success!

Might damage it, but it COULD work. Alternatively:

Aw dang... so close!

Just for the record, I made this joke first lol:

I think CNSA has done a few of these before, but I could be wrong. I think there was at least one like this last year.

1 and 4... hmm...

I'm not an expert at this at all, so don't take my word for this, but... I don't think you get the idea. Behind that monitor would have to be a normal computer to calculate what to put on the screen, so it would be no faster than a regular computer at solving these. In fact, it would be slower, since it would have to then analyze the data from the screen on top of that. Also, why do you need a screen? Would regular wiring not work? Just hook it directly to the lower computer, directly send the binary code that would have corresponded with the color depth to begin with, and... well, you have a completely normal computer, and again with extra stuff on it. It's not that quantum computers can technically do much more than regular computers (besides, say, intrinsic randomness), it's that, due to their both-1-and-0 nature, they should be able to perform certain tasks much quicker and more efficiently than normal computers. ...as far as I understand, anyway. Again, not the person to ask.

Sounds like some details on Blue Moon to me.

YES!!! MARTIN IS PERFECT AAAAAAAAAA This vid came out last year though, on second thought I should have posted it when it came out... (In all seriousness, no really, Martin is perfect for this. He would be my #1 choice for this project. Tagging @Ultimate Steve here, just to get all the Wintergatan fans together here lol

I would love to have the persistence of the OP to go back and change the version number after every release for over 1 and a half years...

So... if politics allowed (I'm well aware they don't), could they technically dock with the ISS?

Flung out 'nothin... look a bit closer at some of those encounters. I don't think Vall would have made it...

"Untitled Space Craft" (Never been good with names... I mean, just look at my username here...)

0.21 veteran here... well, technically I had the 0.18 demo before then. I remember when the science parts didn't really do anything, and there were only the few of them that actually gave measurements (like the thermometer, the negative gravioli detector, etc...). I remember science being added to begin with. I also downloaded mods from Kerbal Spaceport, which was so long ago someone correct me if it was actually called something else. Still don't really use curse. (I also lurked on these forums for, like, forever before actually making an account for some reason)