July 24, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Photos of GalaxySpace’s Starlink copy-cat satellites
As Jay says, “Talk about lazy.”
- A graphic comparison of the different rockets launching in the U.S. vs China
Eric Berger notes the greater variety in China, but fails to note that it is all government-built or controlled. In the U.S. everything is privately owned and built. While the variety in the U.S. is not yet there, give a few more years.
- Details on recently awarded NASA unfunded agreements with seven companies
Jay notes, “Only two of the seven companies have anything physical: SpaceX and Northup-Grumman.” I must add however that Northrop Grumman’s proposal has to do with things it hasn’t built yet. SpaceX as usual has the most compelling idea: reconfiguring Starship as an orbital space station.
Since NASA is providing no funds, I am not sure what the companies are getting from the agency in winning these contracts. Its engineers can provide some technical advice for sure, but in the end all they really can do is provide a second pair of eyes to review the work. Or to put it another way, someone whose only job will be to say “no.”
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
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Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Photos of GalaxySpace’s Starlink copy-cat satellites
As Jay says, “Talk about lazy.”
- A graphic comparison of the different rockets launching in the U.S. vs China
Eric Berger notes the greater variety in China, but fails to note that it is all government-built or controlled. In the U.S. everything is privately owned and built. While the variety in the U.S. is not yet there, give a few more years.
- Details on recently awarded NASA unfunded agreements with seven companies
Jay notes, “Only two of the seven companies have anything physical: SpaceX and Northup-Grumman.” I must add however that Northrop Grumman’s proposal has to do with things it hasn’t built yet. SpaceX as usual has the most compelling idea: reconfiguring Starship as an orbital space station.
Since NASA is providing no funds, I am not sure what the companies are getting from the agency in winning these contracts. Its engineers can provide some technical advice for sure, but in the end all they really can do is provide a second pair of eyes to review the work. Or to put it another way, someone whose only job will be to say “no.”
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
“Since NASA is providing no funds, I am not sure what the companies are getting from the agency in winning these contracts.”
It has to be said that all these companies (including SpaceX) think it has value, or they wouldn’t have bothered to apply for it!
But that said, long duration closed loop life support probably IS one of the few areas where NASA still has more institutional knowledge and data than SpaceX has, so they may well be getting something very tangible in that regard.
But I think the most important takeaway from this story is the one you identified, Bob: that SpaceX now seems to be taking the idea of adapting Starship as a LEO space station much more seriously than they had been before.
China wisely sees overall rocketry development as a good in its own right.
I wish more people here thought that way.
More on the graph
Capitalism vs. Nationalism
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F1vRCoQXwAEurCk?format=jpg&name=large
While part of me is happy for this state of affairs—a monopoly allows better funding for Starship—-China’s graph is healthier. If any one outfit bites the dust, there are plenty of others to take up the slack. China as a nation has a zeal for spaceflight that Elon alone has here. Tory can’t do anything on his own.
. Neutron and Terran WILL launch—-but if our field becomes more diverse….then SpaceX may be less able to fund Starship—-thus his concern for getting it flying.
A lot could be said for this graph, as modern day tea leaves. What could it mean?
Thus–a third LV provider is being looked at:
https://spacenews.com/ula-has-concerns-about-a-third-competitor-in-national-security-space-launch/