Comments on: Relativity signs deal to launch Impulse Space’s missions to Mars https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/relativity-signs-deal-to-launch-impulse-spaces-missions-to-mars/ Wed, 20 Jul 2022 04:03:56 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Edward https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/relativity-signs-deal-to-launch-impulse-spaces-missions-to-mars/#comment-1343065 Wed, 20 Jul 2022 04:03:56 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=86576#comment-1343065 David Eastman and his reference to laughter reminds me of the track record for successfully reaching Mars. About half the Mars missions have ended in failure (I think someone hypothesized about them being eaten by a space goat, or something). Mars is a challenging first mission for even a national space program, and here are commercial companies trying it for their maiden missions. This is the kind of boldness that we should expect from our commercial companies. Except that failure could be a bad black stain on their reputations. Success, on the other hand, would be impressive. Really, really impressive.

David Ross talking about traveling to Mars reminded me of a video. Last year, Scott Manley talked a bit about travel to Mars, pork chops, and timing of the departure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSEPwokZmRQ#t=243 (4 minutes)

]]> By: David Ross https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/relativity-signs-deal-to-launch-impulse-spaces-missions-to-mars/#comment-1343041 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 19:37:59 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=86576#comment-1343041 *Jan 2025, derp. Sorry M.Z.

]]> By: David Ross https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/relativity-signs-deal-to-launch-impulse-spaces-missions-to-mars/#comment-1343040 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 19:37:15 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=86576#comment-1343040 I read the New York Times piece on it, posted at Drudge. The NYT might not be laughing but I detected several suppressed giggles.
There is, in that piece, a timeline: “two and a half years”. Here are the T/M launch windows. There are no 2023 windows; the 2024 windows are mid-October through November. 2.5 years from now should be January 2024 nu?
I suppose that’s where the [specific] Impulse in the company’s name comes in – they are shaving time off transfer. Interesting if it works. Although, the cargo mass is small.

]]> By: David Eastman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/relativity-signs-deal-to-launch-impulse-spaces-missions-to-mars/#comment-1343031 Tue, 19 Jul 2022 18:00:22 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=86576#comment-1343031 Successfully putting a lander on Mars will definitely put his company on the map. That is quite a goal for a new company. It’s amazing how much things have changed in the last few years, not long ago such a proposal would just get laughed at.

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