Comments on: May 20, 2024 Quick space links

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Tue, 21 May 2024 04:31:37 +0000

In reply to DJ. DJ: If you do a search on this website for "Kuiper" "ULA" you will find that Amazon has launch contracts with ULA, Blue Origin, and Arianespace. It also signed a deal for I think two launches with SpaceX, just to discount a shareholder lawsuit for not doing so.

By: Jeff Wright

Jeff Wright — Tue, 21 May 2024 04:30:15 +0000

To David Cook,

It was precisely the backwardness of Soviet atomics and electronics that allowed the (then) mammoth R-7 to begin the space race in earnest.

They had no fear of size and didn’t have profit-seeking Boeing suits slowing them down.

It must also be allowed that early Soviets were Cosmists/futurists…wishing to expand the noosphere, unlike today’s Greens who want us all in caves.

Libertarian theology is self contradictory in teaching fear of an all pervasive government that is also supposed to be incompetent

By: DJ

DJ — Tue, 21 May 2024 04:20:18 +0000

What will it take to launch the 3,236 satellites required for the Kuiper project? Can Blue Origin launch all of them on their own in the time frame per the licensing?

By: David M. Cook

David M. Cook — Tue, 21 May 2024 02:44:41 +0000

Re: LM 2D grid fins. China, being a socialist state, does not need to save money on launches. Nor do they need to provide a lower price to their customers, because they have no customers. Socialism does not lend itself to advancing technology, unless they can steal from a nearby capitalist state as the Soviet Union did for many years.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Tue, 21 May 2024 02:06:53 +0000

In reply to mkent. mkent: As much as I have criticized Blue Origin over the past five years, I am increasingly encouraged by the positive change that seems to have come over the company since Bob Smith left last fall. I truly hope it is able to deliver on the 100+ engines that both ULA and itself need in the next few years.

By: mkent

mkent — Tue, 21 May 2024 01:13:41 +0000

As long as this is an open thread for space-related topics, I urge everyone to check out Tory Bruno’s Twitter feed. He has photos of stacks of Atlas V first stages, Centaur III upper stages (for Atlas V), and Centaur V upper stages (for Vulcan). In addition, he has a photo of both BE-4s integrated on the next Vulcan (for the Cert-2 mission) and has stated that the first engine for the next Vulcan (for USSF-106) has been installed and the second engine has passed ATP and is being boxed up for shipment.

It sounds like they really are just waiting for payloads right now.