CatastrophicFailure

The circle is now complete. (SpaceX’s original business model was based largely on smallsats.)

It’s no fun, that’s for sure. We had a similar thing last fall, nasty windstorm took out the main transmission lines up north, and the whole island was in the dark for a time. We were without juice for a couple of days, and some places were out for over a week. Always keep a cache of emergency supplies— water, nonperishable food, basic clothes— and if you possibly can, a generator. Even a small gennie can make an outage much much more tolerable.

Well, they are actually going to put Falcon 9 thrusters on the new Roadster as part of the SpaceX package... It’ll also cost as much as a small house, so...

@YNM Any word on a cause? Yeesh. Glad it’s back up. Strange thing to think, right? But it wasn’t all, like... stuffy and such. It felt kinda like an Apple on wheels... simple, functional... and really expensive.

Getting closer to dropping the hammer, here, so went to a Tesla store today to ask some questions— and sit the other models there’s no way we’ll ever afford. Wife and I were both shocked to discover we don’t like the Model S at all. It’s a gorgeous car, but the roof line is just way too low, even she had trouble getting in and out and finally understands why I have so much trouble getting in and out of cars. Then once inside the whole thing just felt cramped, not at all like the Model 3. Better door handles tho. The Model X, now, that I could get used to. And once you realize there’s no roof it’s ridiculously easy to get into the back seats with those funky doors. Never been in a $100,000 car before, but it didn’t really feel like one. But not in a bad way, just in a “not a Rolls Royce” kinda way. ...wonder how much overtime I’d have to work... I’ve got a spare kidney I could maybe part with too...

Probably has all sorts of books & crannies for smuggling absolutely legitimate freight transit, too... Now to invent the hyperdrive.... I suggest starting with a sugared-up toddler...

The old Dragon is already obsolete.

Maybe they’re gonna bolt together OCISLY with the soon-to-arrive JRTI. A mega drone called Just Course Of The Love Read You Instructions, I.

From what I’ve seen, the bottom “fins” of the booster will still be pretty small, and also (probably) non-movable. And close to the COM, while the upper grid fins are far (really) far, and move for control authority. I think the fixed fins will be more analogous to the wings on an airplane, with the grid fins like the “tail.” Superheavy should be able to “glide” better that way. BO is doing something similar with NG. Even the Falcon 9 booster glides, tho not very well. You can see it very plainly in the most recent launch footage. More gliding=less fuel used for boostback.

It’s raining outside.... in August... and the rain goes clickety-click, clickety-click....

Great googamooga! Plus 24 Starship launches... that’s more than a launch every four days! No wonder they’re relocating the other drone ship...

More like as many pockets as possible need to be greased during the multi-decade building of said intersection...

Curiouser and curiouser... Guess there’s no SSO flights that can’t RTLS planned at Vandy any time soon, but... weren’t they already working on a second barge at Florida? Orrrrrrrr.... could it perhaps be heading for Boca? Also, disagreeable valve:

Hmm, this is interesting... Must've gotten some deep data they didn’t like from the first one.

Quick... someone put his hand in a glass of warm water... and the other on a mouse...

Don’t dead, open inside.

Somebody get this man a malt beverage and a haggis, yeesh.

Finished writing one of my darkest sequences ever. Need some happy little trees now or something....

Sure, sure, start digging big holes in the moon then blowing stuff out of them and pretty soon this happens: Unintended consequences, people!

We already have two, one just happens to be on Mars and the other is leaving for there shortly. Just scavenge a spare chassis, which almost certainly exists, strap a blade to the front, and send it off. The first Starship to the Moon could carry dozens, even. Might not be very fast but they can run nearly constantly and it’s a proven, in-situ tested design. Or this. Just be sure someone double-taps the stalk first to turn on Autopilot.

Well of course he’s in it, it’s about him.* *some events may have been factionalized for dramatic effect.

Au conter counter contry I disagree. While Dave Scott certainly did thump it down, the nozzle didn’t actually contact the surface, it buckled due to (relevant subject!) firing so close to the lunar surface, as mentioned here (about 10:00 in): Hence why the whole subject needs further study. Either way, still wouldn’t wanna take off with it.

Apollo didn’t have to take off again with the same engine. Which, IIRC, would sustain considerable damage as it was, just from the interaction of the plume with the surface. Sadly, the real world is not the Kerbalverse where you can just land on your engines. And maybe pickup a sports almanac while you’re there... place a couple of bets... y’know, no big deal...

Man, it’s like a funeral in here. In happier news: We have a thrust structure in the pipe! ...soon to be literally so...