Space Discussion Thread

[Andrew124C41]

That was great, Jeff. It reminded me of all the NASA flights in the 1960s through the 1980s. I missed this today, so :thanks:

My father had an office on 5th avenue so he was able to take me to the ticker tape parade for John Glenn after his flight. I remember everything about that flight including the heat shield scare. The steps for the moon shot were worked out long before it actually occurred. As a kid, I memorized as much as I could and actually used to have dreams that I was going to the moon!

When you think about those early flights and compare them to this one as well as the challenges to returning three boosters in one piece.... it is incredible. So many different moving parts all having to function with a zero percent failure rate. I remember reading something that I have never forgotten. If cars were built with the same reliability that was required of the parts that comprised the Saturn V, that it would not require a maintenance check for 100 years.

While perhaps that might not be literally true, there is certainly some truth to it. This brings us of course to the understanding that although it might be possible, built in obsolescence dictates that such a car will never be built....unless you make it yourself.

 

[RedCowboy]

Space X just launched a Falcon ( IRIDIUM-5 ) 3 minutes ago.

 

[ArcticDude]

But where is CE5?
Did he go for an space travel or what?! :thinking:

Hope he is doing well..

 

[Benm]

Some day millions of years in the future, long after humans have gone extinct and remnants of our civilization are mostly eroded away, some aliens exploring the galaxy will find that car floating in space and just be like "WTF was going on here" lol.

As far is i understand the orbit of the car is such that is keeps flying around the solar system and regularly will be fairly close to earth, to the point where it is likely that it will re-enter at some point in the future.

I'm not sure why they chose to do this, perhaps there wasn't enough energy budget to launch it on a trajectory leaving the solar system, perhaps it's just because it's nice to keep track of it and perhaps even take an image when it's back near earth.

But in case it does survive for a long time and humanity and it's recorded history are completely lost it will probably be quite a curiousity... a not so functional spacesuit without bodily remains in it, flying in space in a vehicle that is obviously by no means spaceworthy.

Then again, another advanced civilization will probably realize it's just a gimmick, and they have have done the exact same things when at our state of technology.

Also do i wonder how long it would take for virtually all signs of humanity vanish, even if everyone suddenly just died right now. We know things like pyramids and temples will last at least 5000 years in an environment like egypt, which is prettry dry but also prone to erosion from sandstorms. I think there are things that will still be sort of identifiable in a million years. Obviously not your average building, but purpose built underground structures like nuclear fa ll out shelters? Those might just survive an ice age, just end up at a different location

 

[Encap]

As far is i understand the orbit of the car is such that is keeps flying around the solar system and regularly will be fairly close to earth, to the point where it is likely that it will re-enter at some point in the future.

I'm not sure why they chose to do this, perhaps there wasn't enough energy budget to launch it on a trajectory leaving the solar system, perhaps it's just because it's nice to keep track of it and perhaps even take an image when it's back near earth.

But in case it does survive for a long time and humanity and it's recorded history are completely lost it will probably be quite a curiousity... a not so functional spacesuit without bodily remains in it, flying in space in a vehicle that is obviously by no means spaceworthy.

Then again, another advanced civilization will probably realize it's just a gimmick, and they have have done the exact same things when at our state of technology.

Also do i wonder how long it would take for virtually all signs of humanity vanish, even if everyone suddenly just died right now. We know things like pyramids and temples will last at least 5000 years in an environment like egypt, which is prettry dry but also prone to erosion from sandstorms. I think there are things that will still be sort of identifiable in a million years. Obviously not your average building, but purpose built underground structures like nuclear fa ll out shelters? Those might just survive an ice age, just end up at a different location

So much for Space Spam from greedy entrepreneurs for marketing purposes.
No end to how much money they waste/dump irresponsibility into meaningless nonsense ego driven daydream promotions :crackup:

 

[Nutball]

Now if you point your telescope just below the dimmest star in the Tesla constellation, you'll see a car, the only known one in space so far...:huh:

 

[Radim]

Other than catastrophic nuclear self annihilation on
Earth... I can see the human race sprinkled across
our Galaxy and exploring it in millions of years...

Jerry

^^^ This

 

[paul1598419]

Possibly. But, there have been several extinction events during earth's history and to expect there won't be anymore might be too optimistic. One large asteroid away from the end of humanity.

 

[Radim]

Paul, we need to unite as a mankind for reaching stars. No other way exists AFAIK.

 

[paul1598419]

The stars are very far away. Hopefully, we won't destroy our world before we become able to make a long journey. Things could get pretty nasty around here in the next 50 years. It's too bad that the powers that be are more concerned about immediate profits over our long term existence here.

 

[Radim]

The stars are very far away. Hopefully, we won't destroy our world before we become able to make a long journey. Things could get pretty nasty around here in the next 50 years. It's too bad that the powers that be are more concerned about immediate profits over our long term existence here.

Maybe it would be better to discuss this topic via PM. As there happened a lot in my life recently... I like discussions with you, Paul. You have great and reasonable scepticism along with experience and knowledge. :thanks:

 

[paul1598419]

I need to get finished with my projects before starting a long discussion about anything else, but I'm game. :thanks:

 

[RedCowboy]

It is very sad how we have let human greed cheat us out of so much, in my lifetime we had the potential to do so much more, but our leaders are bogged down in greed and now many technological innovations are being made overseas, by people who have a better school system than we do, a better set of family values, and long term goals, many Americans have become extremely short sighted.

 

[paul1598419]

Can't argue with that.

 

[RedCowboy]

I think the area where we disagree is upon which rich people we lay the blame.

The wealthy citizen who opens a factory, after getting all the permits and paying all the fees, and gives us a job is not the problem, if we are unhappy with ABC factory we form a union and demand better benefits and pay.

The rich people who are at blame in my opinion are the Harry Reid's and Criminal Clintons who sell influence and betray the people who elected them to represent us.

We have recourse against the businessman, but " government accountability " is an oxymoron.

I am happy to see wealthy businessmen investing in the space industry, I had expected by 2018 that NASA would have done so much more.

 

[Benm]

Possibly. But, there have been several extinction events during earth's history and to expect there won't be anymore might be too optimistic. One large asteroid away from the end of humanity.

I doubt any of them would kill every single human on earth right now of one happened, unless it's something insanely severe that actually kills all life. This has never happened since the first life developed on earth as far was we can tell however.

Something like an event that lead to the end of the dinosaurs would certainly not wipe any evidence of our (or their) existence: people have dug up enormous numbers of fossils from dinosaurs. We've also found much older fossils of simpler organisms as old as 3 billion years which have survived several extinction events (the fossils, obviously not the organisms).

And all those events were long before humans came along and were able to build anything reasonably solid, let alone something -designed- to survive such an extreme event.

Also there is the evidence we have already left in space, which would still be there even if everything on earth was killed for some reason. Geostationary satellites for example, are pushed into a slightly higher orbit at the end of their lifetime whenever possible. This orbit is so high they will remain there and not re-enter for billions of years, basically until the sun gobbles up the earth.

There is very little drag up 36.000 kilometers, unlike in lower orbits where we tend to put space stations, and those do fall back to earth very quickly when not periodically boosted... like the chinese one that's about to come down.