Ultimate Steve

Just two tons to give the rocket wings, tps, control surfaces, and landing gear? I doubt it on a rocket big enough to take 8 tons to orbit.

Thank you! Let's see... We've got Fortissimo Block 1, Forte Block 1 which flew like once, Fortissimo and Forte Block II (and all of the various tank stretches, shrinks, and stage configurations thereof) and then Fortissimo +4. I think it will be a while before we see a Block III but it could definitely come! The next launch vehicle development will likely be a larger rocket that will allow me to send probes to more planets and launch bigger things into space. There's only so much you can do with a 3 ton launcher!

Notebook Space Program - 1967 FINALLY SOME APPRECIABLE PROGRESS!!!

Notebook Space Program - 1966 Just Don't Read The Instructions!

Yes, congratulations! Currently at school so can't do a longer message and was very tired last night.

The rest of us will probably keep posting stuff.

Notebook Space Program - 1965 I bet if we try hard enough, we can knock over the KABOOM flag with our impactors.

Wow, you're probably going to get to the moon before I orbit it!

Plus, the moon landing deniers would have a field day if it landed in absolute darkness due to how easy it would be to fake. Not that that's a planning concern, but it is a side effect.

Don't have a link right now but I thought the idea was to land in a light area that is very close by to a dark area so you have the benefit of having light but also ice nearby. By the time that they will seriously be considering isru they will almost certainly have a rover there to take them the distance from the landing area to the ice.

Notebook Space Program - 1964 The Light Lift Launch Vehicle still doesn't work... But at least the lighter one does. Also we almost lost.

I thought that was a pretty good talk. Shows that the two agencies are on good terms, we got some new info (parachutes, NASA further acknowledging Starship, some good Q&A questions, some new schedule targets) etc.

Interesting, a mission extension vehicle launched on this most recent Proton. It will grapple old sats by the engine and provide ~15 years worth of control propellant. Its first mission is to extend the life of Intelsat 901 by 5 years.

Or it could be a Falcon sized droneship, so they can have 2 on the east coast if they want to do a center core expended, dual side core droneship falcon heavy Launch (might come in handy for Artemis if that happens) and one on the west coast. I don't see why they would want a starship droneship except for maybe some testing. I would guess that Point to point requires more of an oil rig than a droneship. It would increase payload by a bit, but what needs more than 100 tons in one launch but doesn't need refueling (refueling requires rapid turnaround and drone ship landings do not offer that)?

That engine looks so much like the LV-T45.

Ah, silly me. Yup, 108!

Notebook Space Program - 1962-63 Finally, a Light Lift Launch Vehicle... THAT DOESN'T FREAKING WORK!!!!!

And there's no way they are doing P2P with SpaceShipTwo. Even just refueling times are unworkable compared to literally any other plane, and refurbishment is probably still extreme at this point. In order to have a fast turnaround P2P the hybrid fuel will need to be ditched for liquids. Then there's the issue of remating with White Knight and climbing... I would guess a single stage solution would be preferred.

Notebook Space Program - 1961 Farewell

Notebook Space Program - 1960 Like SpaceX but in 1960 EDIT: Almost forgot, here is a tech tree pic:

Hmm, I might have to get that.

Ethan's origami corsage was inspired by someone I know in real life who made origami flowers. This corsage was inspired by Ethan's. Homecoming was pretty fun

If they do add those methalox thrusters for flipping when landing on Earth, if they are if the right power and placement then it should work on the moon. Would have to be like a lot of thrust though

I'd tend to say Pol. Cool mountains, views of the Joolian system (albeit from far away), interesting if sometimes ugly colors, the right gravity for acrobatics...

Technically New Shepard.