Space

FAA approval has come through. Might not happen tonight as high altitude winds might be too strong. Fingers crossed.

There are lots of different streams available. NSF, SpaceX on X, Nasa live tv and Everyday Astronaut (the only one doing it in full 4k).

Link from space.com. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr8ZaMAa5jw

1 Like

Incorrect. The Earth is held up by four elephants, and they’re standing on the back of the turtle.

Do some reading, man.

2 Likes

That sounds much harsher on the turtle.

Starship | Preparing for Third Flight Test

1 Like

Starship Test flight 3 launch window opens at 7:00am CDT 14.3.24 (10pm AEST 11pm AEDT 14.3.24) but winds may not be favourable so the window may be pushed out.

Significant Changes: Starship Flight 3 Will Not Be The Same

To be fair, the Great A’Tuin is a very large turtle.

1 Like

They should try a Camery motor in there if they want reliability.

1 Like
2 Likes

Delayed due to craft in the exclusion zone in the gulf. Propellant load happening. 41 minutes to lift off :crossed_fingers:

2 Likes

Stage 1 survived re-entry but engines failed to light up during the slow down burn and hit the ocean at great speed.

Starship flew further than its other flights but burned up during re-entry. It was in a slow spin with its heat shielded underbelly not taking the full heat of atmospheric compression. Looked like the hot gas thrusters froze resulting in the slow spin and not being recoverable from the spin with its fins alone. Might need to switch to nitrogen cold gas thrusters. Not sure why they didn’t use it initially.

Great live video of the plasma burn glow though which I believe is a first from onboard a re-entry vehicle.

Overall great viewing and successful but not fully successful to capacity.

Probably another test flight June or July.

2 Likes

It would probably have been cheaper to just get Elon a Kerbal Space Program account

2 Likes

FT3 replay from 8:43:00

2 Likes

Maybe he has been. Why use four or five thrusters when you can have 50!

1 Like

SpaceX Orbit Largest Spacecraft In History also SpaceX Destroy Largest Spacecraft In History

3 Likes

Fraser Cain is so good with his YouTube channel. Lots of interesting interviews with scientists in cutting edge space exploration fields. He also covers a lot in particle physics and dark matter & energy.

Highly recommend for those wanting to know a bit more behind the headlines such as JWST, space exploration and particle physics.

This interview video is with Jessie Christiansen who is the female Aussie that leads NASA on exoplanets and discovering them.

ADD
Here is a presentation by Jessie of you want to know more about the basics and history of exoplanet discovery. More digestible.

3 Likes

Cool photo of Saturn peeking out from behind the Moon. (Pic by Paul Stewart)

10 Likes

Random thought.

Were NASA the original social influencers? The selfie videos while in space or on the space station seems to fit the bill.

1 Like

It’s amazing how much NASA has become (for want of a better term) a “fashion brand” over the last 5 years.

Nerdom has become cooler during the last decade.

And science is cool.

2 Likes

Good summery with further info links of JWST images.

4 Likes