May 17, 2023 Quick space links
Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Tori Bruno outlines his thinking about the problems of future Mars exploration
A lot of blather, but his discussion of the radiation problem was interesting. I also found it most amusing that his NASA slide showing how NASA intends to return to the Moon very specifically did not include Starship as the manned lunar lander.
- Virgin Orbit is in negotiations to sell off its aircraft assets, including its 747 carrier
If true, this indicates that the company is dead, since no one has stepped forward to buy it whole and take it out of bankruptcy.
- An outline describing Ariane-6’s future from ArianeGroup suggests the company is moving fast to replace it with Prometheus, a proposed reusable first stage
The PowerPoint slide at the link however provides no timeline at all.
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Courtesy of BtB’s stringer Jay.
- Tori Bruno outlines his thinking about the problems of future Mars exploration
A lot of blather, but his discussion of the radiation problem was interesting. I also found it most amusing that his NASA slide showing how NASA intends to return to the Moon very specifically did not include Starship as the manned lunar lander.
- Virgin Orbit is in negotiations to sell off its aircraft assets, including its 747 carrier
If true, this indicates that the company is dead, since no one has stepped forward to buy it whole and take it out of bankruptcy.
- An outline describing Ariane-6’s future from ArianeGroup suggests the company is moving fast to replace it with Prometheus, a proposed reusable first stage
The PowerPoint slide at the link however provides no timeline at all.
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.
On topic of NASA Mars exploration: make way for the next SLS mission-devouring boondoogle. The “Sample Return” mission –
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasas-interplanetary-plans-may-be-lurching-toward-disaster/
Tori Bruno speaks as if he is an expert on the subject of reusability. Considering his proposed concept is un-implemented technically, unproven economically, and not even planned for deployment on the initial Vulcan missions, he certainly demonstrates chutzpah!
The chapter 11 term of art used was Stalking Horse Bid. Not to worry too much, it is still common enough to see an operational asset sale after the horse stimulates the other bidders.
On the other hand laying off everybody is not helpful.
ULA engineers have determined that the hydrogen leak that caused the explosion of the Centaur V test came from the test article, not the test rig.
Next question is, will this require additional tests / mods to the Centaur flight article at the Cape?
https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1659181267236057090?s=20
NASA also has a very tough time finding jpgs of Starship for its Artemis PowerPoint presentations. I wonder why…
SLS would have simplified MSR
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/05/mars-msr-gains-traction-sls-had-eye-involvement/
The current plan is too Rube Goldberg.
Jeff Wright wrote: “SLS would have simplified MSR”
It is too bad that they are made at such a slow rate that NASA has to choose between using them for manned or unmanned missions. If they could be built fast enough (probably cheeper, too) then NASA could use SLS for both kinds of missions without missing a beat.