so, Artemis test flight AKA Should Launch Someday, 16-Nov-2022

[CCD-Freak]

Here is a nice photo I saw today......and the moon is not distorted. 

[Peter_D]

Stunning videos of the launch taken by members of the public here:

https://youtu.be/oWR5tFgJKIQ

[maw lod qan]

I have been saying they definitely should have spent more for the cameras!

For heavens sake! THEY WORK ON COST PLUS!

Perhaps some members should offer they imaging and processing services, for a nominal fee of course!

The talk about the new and old computers made me smile.

I have an older friend who more as something to do, took one of the first computer courses at one of the Fla colleges in the late 50's or early 60's.

Turned into a job at the Cape for one of the subcontractors. Had two programs to run during the first 2 or 3 minutes of the launches.

He has a display case on the wall with all the cool badges!

Said for a going to work day for his son at school, he dressed him in black pants, white shirt with pocket protector, pens and even a slide rule.

None of the other kids had any idea what the slide rule was!

[DaveL59]

Well Orion splashed down nicely just now, lets hope all the telemetry and other data bear out so they can try it with people aboard next time 🙂 

Funny it just started snowing here as it splashed down, wonder if it triggered that on its way down 😉 

Edited December 11, 2022 by DaveL59

[Dark Adaptation]

7 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

Funny it just started snowing here as it splashed down, wonder if it triggered that on its way down 😉 

Did the same here, maybe it did...

Orion has splashed down! And now for the thread, So Artemis 2 flight AKA Should launch some day, date pending! 😁

[DaveL59]

On 12/12/2022 at 01:18, Dark Adaptation said:

Did the same here, maybe it did...

Orion has splashed down! And now for the thread, So Artemis 2 flight AKA Should launch some day, date pending! 😁

very much "some day" it seems 😞

 

 

[Dark Adaptation]

7 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

very much "some day" it seems 😞

 

 

I looked at the title of the video, and the "Unacceptable" part caught my eye. I don't think it's unacceptable--they're sending people to the moon! They still have to take the parts off the artemis rocket and put them into a new one and make sure all the gizmos work and ensure a safe environment, and then have to go through all the weather things and so on and so on. So don't get me wrong. I would love for it to launch as early as possible, I'm just thinking...2025 might just be realistic, when you count in all the variables.

Seriously though--should we have a second thread? Or is it too early for that?  

[maw lod qan]

I've been reading online what I can find.

I know there are different opinions on both of the main characters in our push into the great beyond, but I'm still finding it hard to get on this new program whole heartedly. 

I thought the Orion crew cabin was going to be reusable. I was mistaken. Only certain electronics will be salvaged and used again.

Now the Dragon capsule was made in a limited number with no more being made now. Because they are reused except for the heat shield. 

SpaceX is planning on being ready with what ever comes next when the Dragons are finished.

I found it a little confusing that the reason for not reusing Orion was it splashing down! It's too difficult to assure nothing is ruined by the water landing!?

[DaveL59]

I agree MLQ, you'd think if they were serious about this venture they'd have #2 almost ready to go and if they really have to strip and re-use then they can take from #1 to make up #3 or #4 so they can keep the push on the schedule. Be hard to explain the reasoning of someone else gets there first huh but I guess they think there's not much competition unlike in the Apollo era. Could they be wrong? maybe...

As to another thread for #2, if someone wants to kick that off feel free, but if this really will be 2025 it'd be long since buried by then unless Mr Angry keeps us fuelled up with update rants on the tube.

[cajen2]

10 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

I've been reading online what I can find.

I know there are different opinions on both of the main characters in our push into the great beyond, but I'm still finding it hard to get on this new program whole heartedly. 

I thought the Orion crew cabin was going to be reusable. I was mistaken. Only certain electronics will be salvaged and used again.

Now the Dragon capsule was made in a limited number with no more being made now. Because they are reused except for the heat shield. 

SpaceX is planning on being ready with what ever comes next when the Dragons are finished.

I found it a little confusing that the reason for not reusing Orion was it splashing down! It's too difficult to assure nothing is ruined by the water landing!?

A quick squirt of WD40 and it'd be good to go...

 

[Dark Adaptation]

1 hour ago, DaveL59 said:

As to another thread for #2, if someone wants to kick that off feel free, but if this really will be 2025 it'd be long since buried by then unless Mr Angry keeps us fuelled up with update rants on the tube.

Mr Angry 🤣 

One can hope...maybe let's wait for a bit.

Also, they couldn't make the parts on the Orion capsule waterproof enough to use?? What?

[DaveL59]

 

[DaveS]

Yep, saw that vider.

He's definitely not happy!

[DaveS]

And still not happy

 

[DaveL59]

In case you've not seen this yet, Artemis re-entry video

 

[tomato]

Awesome, thanks for posting. Excuse my ignorance but what are the frequent clunking sounds?

[DaveL59]

3 minutes ago, tomato said:

Awesome, thanks for posting. Excuse my ignorance but what are the frequent clunking sounds?

No idea, bits burning/falling off? 😉

[Marvin Jenkins]

1 hour ago, tomato said:

Awesome, thanks for posting. Excuse my ignorance but what are the frequent clunking sounds?

It's so much better if you stick Radiohead, the bends on headphones really loud. 

 

[maw lod qan]

I really hope it gets going.

Do you think I could suggest a launch on, Wed, Thur, Fri or Sat so I'm off and can go see history made again? 🤔

[Stu]

17 hours ago, tomato said:

Awesome, thanks for posting. Excuse my ignorance but what are the frequent clunking sounds?

Pretty sure that is the thrusters firing to adjust orientation.

[malc-c]

So a year ago we saw the first test flight... and since all we've seen is a CGI video... meanwhile SpaceX have had two launches of Starship, and things at the launch site are moving at an incredible pace whilst they improve the launch pad and surrounding infrastructure...  The only thing that really held SpaceX back was the red tape whilst they answered all the silly points raised by government agencies (such as a risk assessment for starship splashing down on top of a rare whale in the middle of the sea !).  If it wasn't for the FAA dragging out the inspection post first launch I believe that SpaceX would have a starship in orbit by now.

 

[DaveL59]

7 minutes ago, malc-c said:

So a year ago we saw the first test flight... and since all we've seen is a CGI video... meanwhile SpaceX have had two launches of Starship, and things at the launch site are moving at an incredible pace whilst they improve the launch pad and surrounding infrastructure...  The only thing that really held SpaceX back was the red tape whilst they answered all the silly points raised by government agencies (such as a risk assessment for starship splashing down on top of a rare whale in the middle of the sea !).  If it wasn't for the FAA dragging out the inspection post first launch I believe that SpaceX would have a starship in orbit by now.

 

I'm sure there were many valid reasons for the agencies to look deeper given Space-X have pretty much disregarded safety and environmental issues in their quest for the spotlight. Much as NASA have had their hands tied by political interference in how to go about their current trip to the moon, leaving them using time limited relics rather than developing something new.

Whether we get to see another person on the moon remains to be seen, its certainly taking a long time that's for sure.

[Louis D]

Legacy space operators are under the gun to have flawless flights.  This necessitates really long review processes and long inter-launch periods as more reviews are conducted.

SpaceX by comparison, being a commercial space operator, can pretty much make their own rules, at least until the money runs out.

I've worked in both realms, and generally, commercial operators get things done faster, but with more failures along the way.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Louis D

[malc-c]

SpaceX have never said that any of the flights that have resulted in RUDs are bad flights as they gather so much data it helps them fix the bits that go wrong and move on.  Granted they probably have less budgetary constraints than NASA, and less 3rd party involvement than the Artemis launcher, but the suck it and see method of development will probably see Space X get man back on the moon in this decade before  NASA has got a reliable launcher for the tax payers money.

Does anyone remember the early days when SpaceX were developing the Falcon launcher, with all the nay Sayers claiming it will never work, and the whole idea of relaunching a used rocket would never work because it was too technical to have successful recovery as a cheap price... We're now seeing almost weekly launches and boosters flown for 14, 15 or more times.  In fact they have nailed the process of launch, land, rinse and repeat that there is little excitement watching a launch stream.

I'm not a fan of Elon, but I do feel that now is an exciting time to be alive to watch SpaceX's push to see man land on Mars, which I'm sure will happen within the next 10-15 years given his drive and passion to achieve this.

[Louis D]

Artemis is also not a long term, viable option.  Congress mandated they use the leftover, reusable Space Shuttle main engines that were sitting on the shelf since the end of that program.  However, they're being thrown away with each flight.  There are enough engines for 4 or 5 flights.  After that, they'll either have to restart production of a very expensive engine, find an alternative engine and flight certify it, or redesign Artemis as a whole.  Yet one more way that legacy defense contractors have one hand tied behind their backs when trying to design something "new".