AckSed Posted July 9 Share Posted July 9 To adapt an old Sega advert: "Once you've played Sonic The Hedgehog SpaceX, everything else... seems a bit slow." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted July 30 Author Share Posted July 30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted August 12 Author Share Posted August 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceception Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 I'll be honest, I like this a lot better than Blue Origin as a buyer. Blue has a rocket, Sierra doesn't, and Blue is more incentivised to use ULA's technology and contracts to improve and build on New Glenn instead of keeping up with two production lines. Vulcan has a future (however tenuous) if Sierra buys them, it doesn't if Blue does. I also think it holds certain advantages and an appeal to Sierra if they had their own launch vehicle, since they're going into space stations, cargo/crew access and satellite production, which benefits greatly from only having to pay internal costs, instead of purchasing externally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthgently Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 (edited) 1 hour ago, Spaceception said: I'll be honest, I like this a lot better than Blue Origin as a buyer. Blue has a rocket, Sierra doesn't, and Blue is more incentivised to use ULA's technology and contracts to improve and build on New Glenn instead of keeping up with two production lines. Vulcan has a future (however tenuous) if Sierra buys them, it doesn't if Blue does. I also think it holds certain advantages and an appeal to Sierra if they had their own launch vehicle, since they're going into space stations, cargo/crew access and satellite production, which benefits greatly from only having to pay internal costs, instead of purchasing externally. I think all the astronauts that have puked from sea sickness after splashdown would welcome a runway landing in Dreamchaser. I realize the money likely isn't there from NASA at this point in time to shove it through crew rating after Starliner and Dragon funding, but it sure would be nice. We still need a second crew option. The wrong horse got picked in my view Edited August 17 by darthgently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PakledHostage Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 1 hour ago, darthgently said: The wrong horse got picked in my view I agree. Capsules are so 1960's... Like Neil deGrasse Tyson once said: If an alien were to land on Earth in a capsule he'd be like "meh..." It's just not cool. Dreamchaser landing on a runway is a significant step in the right direction. Starship too. Capsules? Lame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted August 17 Author Share Posted August 17 Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuessingEveryDay Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 According to this neat document from 2014 about Dream Chaser, it said that it can land on any runway that's longer than 8,000 feet. https://www.icao.int/Meetings/SPACE2015/Presentations/5 - C. Lee - Sierra Nevada Corp.pdf Darn, the closest airport to me only have runways that are 4,158 and 7,505 feet long... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthgently Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 3 hours ago, tater said: Wow. Do you have reservations about Dreamchaser being a viable 2nd crew option? Not sure what you are responding to. Financially I can't see it happening easily, but the ULA sale and Sierra's interest made me wonder about it as they are clearly wanting to secure a launch vehicle. It could launch with SpaceX with some engineering but a second launch option seems to indicate Sierra wants a fully separate and redundant system. Like maybe they think it is still possible to get that NASA crew backup slot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthgently Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 3 hours ago, PakledHostage said: I agree. Capsules are so 1960's... Like Neil deGrasse Tyson once said: If an alien were to land on Earth in a capsule he'd be like "meh..." It's just not cool. Dreamchaser landing on a runway is a significant step in the right direction. Starship too. Capsules? Lame. Tyson's view as expressed seems a bit shallow. Better arguments are Dreamchaser allows for a lot more options on entry, doesn't involve a lengthy ocean retrieval foray, saltwater mitigation, or subjecting astronauts to a return to 1G swirled with bobbing and pitching on ocean swells for an hour or more in their favorite suit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCgothic Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 12 minutes ago, darthgently said: Do you have reservations about Dreamchaser being a viable 2nd crew option? Not sure what you are responding to. Financially I can't see it happening easily, but the ULA sale and Sierra's interest made me wonder about it as they are clearly wanting to secure a launch vehicle. It could launch with SpaceX with some engineering but a second launch option seems to indicate Sierra wants a fully separate and redundant system. Like maybe they think it is still possible to get that NASA crew backup slot Probably "Wow, wasn't expecting Sierra Space to be the buyer" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthgently Posted August 17 Share Posted August 17 (edited) 53 minutes ago, RCgothic said: Probably "Wow, wasn't expecting Sierra Space to be the buyer" I was at first, but imagine the Sierra board and investors considering their options having so much invested in DC and watching their launch vehicle deal going Jenga. If they have the leverage/cash how could they not make an offer. They may see it as the only serious option Edit: Found this good rundown on current situation with Sierra and ULA Edited August 17 by darthgently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted August 17 Author Share Posted August 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PakledHostage Posted August 18 Share Posted August 18 (edited) 19 hours ago, darthgently said: Tyson's view as expressed seems a bit shallow. He was being a bit flippant when he said that. It was more a comment on the incromulent nature of capsules, rather than about any aliens that might land here in one. Edited August 18 by PakledHostage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthgently Posted August 18 Share Posted August 18 25 minutes ago, PakledHostage said: He was being a bit flippant when he said that. It was more a comment on the incromulent nature of capsules, rather than about any aliens that might land here in one. I just think he could have embiggened the gravity of the topic had he delved more cromulently with rensible intelligence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted August 18 Author Share Posted August 18 22 hours ago, darthgently said: Do you have reservations about Dreamchaser being a viable 2nd crew option? Not sure what you are responding to. Wow that Sierra Space might actually buy ULA. It's a bold strategy. Let's see if it pays off for 'em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tater Posted August 18 Author Share Posted August 18 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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