June 13, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Some cumulative statistics for SpaceX’s various smallsat Transporter and rideshare launches
The total launches is 17, which have put up 676 satellites in total. To get a sense of the increasing pace of SpaceX launches, see this animation.
- ULA CEO Tori Bruno claims the root cause of the Centaur test explosion has finally been identified
He says in a followup tweet that “the super thin, high performance steel skin needs to be a little thicker near the top of the dome.” They plan to retest, which I suspect is going to impact the first Vulcan launch date.
- China breaks ground on third launchpad at its Wenchang coastal spaceport for its pseudo-companies
This pad is aimed at servicing “small solid rockets”, essentially former missiles that China has allowed its pseudo-companies to adapt for satellite launches.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID 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. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
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:
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Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Some cumulative statistics for SpaceX’s various smallsat Transporter and rideshare launches
The total launches is 17, which have put up 676 satellites in total. To get a sense of the increasing pace of SpaceX launches, see this animation.
- ULA CEO Tori Bruno claims the root cause of the Centaur test explosion has finally been identified
He says in a followup tweet that “the super thin, high performance steel skin needs to be a little thicker near the top of the dome.” They plan to retest, which I suspect is going to impact the first Vulcan launch date.
- China breaks ground on third launchpad at its Wenchang coastal spaceport for its pseudo-companies
This pad is aimed at servicing “small solid rockets”, essentially former missiles that China has allowed its pseudo-companies to adapt for satellite launches.
Readers!
My annual February birthday fund-raising drive for Behind the Black is now over. Thank you to everyone who donated or subscribed. While not a record-setter, the donations were more than sufficient and slightly above average.
As I have said many times before, I can’t express what it means to me to get such support, especially as no one is required to pay anything to read my work. Thank you all again!
For those readers who like my work here at Behind the Black and haven't contributed so far, please consider donating or subscribing. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID 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. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
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.
Down right inexcusable having too thin a skin on the Centaur tank.
How the heck did that happen?
That’s the real root cause.
Some good news for your “cancelled” series.
White Starbucks manager fired after arrest of two black men wins $25M lawsuit
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/white-starbucks-manager-fired-after-arrest-of-two-black-men-wins-25m-lawsuit/ar-AA1cypJG
Pawn–the Centaur–like the (original) Atlas–uses balloon tanks:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_tank
These things cannot even support their own weight unless pressurized:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imkdz63agHY
SLS doesn’t. It has to be very strong to withstand SRBs. The tank itself–like the shuttle ET, is load bearing. It is why I want a wet workshop out of it.
Starship is sort of half-and half.