DAL59

How much does it cost to run the forum per month? Could we crowdfun it?

Even in KSP I'm lucky to get within 0.1 m/s

Is launch in 11 minutes? Odd choice to not have a countdown onscreen.

Apparently they still haven't actually come to a decision, and are stuck between asking an unspecified commercial partner to develop a new lander and using their own skycrane. The ascent vehicle will use an RTG instead of solar panels. Thankfully, they are still planning on returning all thirty samples.

I mean, they said 2024...

https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/12/27/nelson-decision-on-mars-sample-return-expected-before-new-administration-takes-office/

https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/12/27/faa-grants-commercial-launch-license-to-blue-origins-new-glenn-rocket/ Launch license granted! What is Blue Origin's hardware situation? Do they already have both stages for the second launch?

I think its fair to say after the recent delay the moon race is tied. LM10 development is currently behind SLS, but it is a smaller rocket who's development has been proceding very quickly and smoothly, with dates actually moving up instead of down. Lanyue is also ahead of Lunar LHS if they are already conducting hardware tests, and they plan to have a rover on the first mission instead of waiting to Artemis V.

https://english.news.cn/20241029/f3b00a0da3f842319b90e5606825d1b6/c.html The production and ground tests of prototypes of the Long March-10 carrier rocket, the manned spacecraft Mengzhou, the lunar lander Lanyue, the space suit and the manned lunar rover are underway as planned, said Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for the CMSA. A series of major tests have been completed, including the integrated airdrop test for the spacecraft, the separation test for the two modules of the lander, the test firing of the three-engine power system for the rocket's first stage, and the high-altitude simulation test for the hydrogen-oxygen engine. Ground systems including the launch site, telemetry and control communications, and the landing site are being developed and constructed,

Why not use a bladder/piston/diaphragm inside the Starship fuel tanks instead of using gas?

Artemis II Delayed to April 2026 This is JWST all over again

LMX fairing test: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/17a3CpFGhFGNrygkeDXHZw The GIF doesn't imbed for some reason (great firewall?)

https://i.imgur.com/Q76EmF2.mp4

I love the wood paneling

Starship landing trajectory

And near total darkness

Final 9 Artemis III landing sites

LOL they've already started

https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-completes-second-stage-hotfire

Since the blackout: -China says crewed landing could occur as early as 2027 -China has planned out their space exploration to 2050 -Highlights include Xray and gravitational wave astronomy, studying the effects of climate change, tidal forces, and the sun on Earth, more missions to Mars and outer planets, and a Venus sample return (!)

No welding torch this time!

HLS thruster test?

Chinese moon rover