JoeSchmuckatelli

Remember that SpaceX rocket that was probably, actually a Chinese rocket that was going to hit the moon - but the Chinese denied it was theirs? Well... It left an odd double crater. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/moon-double-crater-scientists-puzzled_n_62bd05c0e4b0f6125722805d Anyone want to help NASA figure out what it was?

Is visiting Marshall worth diverting an otherwise long drive past (I-65)? Years ago I tacked a visit to Kennedy SC onto a nearby Florida vacation and it was totally worth it. Family had a great time. I'm taking a trip that won't stop anywhere near Marshall - but the path gets close. Is it worth it to add an hour or two (or four) to the trip to swing by and take a tour? (intentionally ignoring forum etiquette because I have a short window of opportunity to make a decision - this sub gets a lot more and focused traffic - mods, please indulge me today and then merge with my 'Lounge' thread tomorrow?)

Years ago I took my kids on a tour of Kennedy SC and it was fantastic. Wondering if it's worth the time to go a bit out of the way to see Marshall. We are otherwise through-driving past on 65... So it's not all that out of the way, but just enough inconvenience that it needs to be worth it for someone less into space than I* Can you spend 1-2 hours there and have fun? *She who tolerates having a nerd husband.

How much lateral conduction would actually occur through regolith without atmosphere / water? Simple shading should be generally sufficient I'd think.

IKR? What did I start? ... Of course, when I quip about paint drying on the KSP2 sub, bad things happen

I think they need to keep Just_Jim and his crew of writers employed after release to create the Kerbilopedia thing I suggested. Both for the community and the fact that writers need to eat, too

I really appreciate your efforts so far... But once the game drops, we can discover by playing n'est ce pas? (And won't YOU be playing?)

All excellent points - and I agree with you about this... (inevitable butt) However - you would be surprised what the power of legislation can do to reign in one big money maker for the Plaintiff's Bar: simple negligence. Ordinary or simple negligence is a failure to use that degree of care which an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under the circumstances to avoid injury to another. It is simple negligence that governs the vast majority of automotive accidents. I don't think it likely in the short-term... But if the economy gets sorely bogged down by the inability to move goods from the ports, factories, warehouses and distribution centers efficiently and there is an economical solution via automated trucking at risk from the general rules of simple negligence... Congress might act. Even something as simple (and offensive? ) as a rebuttable presumption that AI is not at fault for accidents occurring on certain designated and improved Interstate Highways would preserve the profits of investors and influence growth in the sector, chilling tort liability for most cases.

I'm assuming for a purpose and not just looks? Depending on type, a gallon of paint weighs 6-12 pounds. I thought part of the reason for stainless was to not have to paint it

That's one of the things I'm pondering - because in the context of the question I originally asked the technology cannot replace people, but instead, The concept of 'cycles' or game-changing technological inventions that effectively brings on a new age of development and prosperity (although and albeit via massive disruptions and disenfranchisement of the prior beneficiaries) Note that disenfranchisement of the prior beneficiaries is analogous to the number of farriers and blacksmiths and wainwrights prior to the automobile becoming common. Their specialty may have become anachronistic - but they could still work. (And it was far from a flick of the switch transition) Fundamentally people must still be able to work for there to be an economy in the first place. This is one of the things contributing to my current belief. Especially, trucking. The covid crisis laid bare the flaws and risks inherent in our logistics systems. One of the most important things within the US is trucking... And yet we have a trucking shortage. Or rather a driver shortage and an inflexible system w/r/t where drivers are needed and where they can afford to live. Someone will solve the problem and one solution is legislation that says 'only authorized autonomous vehicles are allowed on the interstates'. Musk has even said that if the only vehicles on the road are automated and in the same system... Accidents are unlikely. The US has a precident for 'making this work' and it is the advent of rail. Legislation that absolves any corporation involved with transportation from liability (simple negligence) can make this happen in a decade, especially if it's profitable

Atmospheric pressure or merely elastic (mechanical counterpressure)?

If you think about it, AI, automation and robotics are decades away from ubiquity and yet have some of the highest potential for being the game changing tech that both enhances productivity and disrupts the current norm. Self driving vehicles are in the infancy. Drone and robotic logistic warehouse workers are being fleeted with massive upgrades in performance every year. Home use robots are hardly present (roomba) but growing in popularity. 3D printing of houses have started. The aspects of daily life that might not see innovation in this area are few.

Given that you only need breathable atmosphere in the helmet, what is the minimum pressure needed in the body of the suit? A combination of mechanical counterpressure in the limbs and scalloped joints could make for a functional vacuum suit for use in an unpressurized part of a ship and be smaller and more nimble /less exhausting for the wearer. Maybe combine this with an oversuit for a true spacewalk? The oversuit then only really needs to provide the electromagnetic radiation shielding particle radiation shielding micrometeoroid protection

I've had a bit of time to ponder this and I'm starting to think that the major disrupter and source of increase in productivity is going to be in AI / Robotics and Automation. Sure, these things all exist currently - but the potential is only just now being scratched. Drones in warfare are likely already driving innovation in this space that was previously the realm of hobbyists and logisticians (warehousing has been a leading innovative sector for robots, AI and automation). The military use will likely lead to far more robust AI, anti-jamming / hacking tech and proof the 'delivery swarm' idea Amazon started working on a few years ago Of course - while in some ways this is going to increase productivity... There are whole lot of people who will be displaced (economically) by this.

I often dither with myself about whether we're on the cusp of an explosion of space exploitation or just a moderate shift from government run to privatized space with no real other change than the associated efficiency.

What a find! Thanks for the link

Edit - the wiki 'confirms' that the tubes are Afghanit hard-kill launchers are the long tubes mounted in groups of five between the turret's front sides and the chassis.[44] These send out an electronically activated charge that fires an unknown type of warhead towards the target. Many analysts currently assume it is some form of high-explosive fragmentation charge, but the possibility has been raised by other sources of the usage of a more solid warhead (possibly similar to an explosively formed penetrator)

I think the cylindrical projections you are seeing along the bottom of the turret are for missile defense. While the image @DDE showed only the one side - other views I've seen show them on both sides of the turret, and exposed even with the (not fluff or cosmetic) spaced armor removed for the graphic, being in place. The rounds would be loaded within the narrow confines of the armored central part of the turret itself (shown) - and unlikely to carousel outside (as they'd have to be if the cylindrical structures were part of the autoloader system). The likelihood is that the ready-use rounds are carried in the armored compartment behind the gun show here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-14_Armata#/media/File%3AAlabino110416-18.jpg (compare the location of the CIWS carousel in DDE's graphic to the side view - the portion behind the main turret is the 'ready-rack) This is a common solution in modern tanks.

I wasn't aware of all those science mods. OTOH, I'm guessing that someone on the Dev team has looked at all the community modding stuff for 'good ideas' - way back when. I know we're less than a year out from the currently anticipated ship date; so I'd also have to assume that how they're doing science in KSP2 is already baked in. That said - I can hope they've done something interesting like the Kerbilopedia idea. (That kind of thing would give writers like Just Jim a bit of longevity, too, I'd think!)

LOL!

If anyone stumbles on a report of new craters discovered via this mission, I'd be interested in a link to the paper.

/meme

But does it need all 33? (which - btw - I cannot escape the sense of absurdity whenever I think about a ship having a 33-rocket cluster. It's bonkers)

True - but information is power. Allowing the people to gain information, they may start asking questions and advocating for change. You don't need a full blown revolution to shift your government... Or even change it. But yes - Starlink is an easily interdicted terminal; all the military has to do is fly drones over the city and map the location and frequency of the emissions... Knock knock bang.

There's a high probability that, should SS be used for Relief missions, that a 'secured area' could (or would have to be) established for it. Fairly simple to do with infantry - which is who most often gets sent in as the 'grunt labor' in bad situations (professional, disciplined and trained force, used to hardship living and capable of rapid deployment - with an inherent security ability). Designate a sufficiently large enough area, clear it, secure it and then use it as a Log Hub. Later on, Elon and Crew can come in with just enough juice to get a hop for a water landing/recovery... or just harvest the engines & electronics and leave the shell as a monument. The military use situation? Yeah; unlikely to get the right mix of fuel at a FARP to reuse; again, a special team can come in and do as mentioned above. The caveat here, being, no Military Commander is going to want that big silver 'SHOOT ME HERE' sign sticking around for long - or blocking flight paths/landing areas/ etc. In this case, SF is probably going to have to develop a forward deployable ISRU to send it home.