Re:SpaceX Iridium-3 Mission Launching Streaming
by kharms on Monday October 09, 2017 @09:14AM
(#15433476)
Trips to Mars have a launch window every two years, so the inter-planatary BFR launches will remain a BFD indefinitely. :)
Edit: citation http://athena.cornell.edu/mars_facts/sb_launch_window.html
Re:SpaceX Iridium-3 Mission Launching Streaming
by krisroadruck on Monday October 09, 2017 @10:33AM
(#15434097)
This depends largely on advances in propulsion. It's convenient to launch to mars every 2 years from a fuel efficiency standpoint, but there is no reason why we can't go there at any other time, other than current propulsion limits. At a constant 1G acceleration (including a flip over at the halfway mark for equal 1G deceleration), even at its farthest distance from earth, we could reach it in under 5 days. You even get artificial gravity as a bonus.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_travel_using_constant_ac...
Re:SpaceX Iridium-3 Mission Launching Streaming
by olegkikin on Monday October 09, 2017 @11:01AM
(#15434330)
Only problem is, 1G acceleration for 5 days straight is pure fiction at this point.
Re:SpaceX Iridium-3 Mission Launching Streaming
by Narretz on Monday October 09, 2017 @09:18AM
(#15433504)
Overall, this is a good thing. What's bad is that the next time a rocket doesn't make the landing (or worse, cannot submit the payload), this will be all over the news as a failure. At least in Germany, a failure would get a mention on the frontpage of tagesschau.de (portal of the state-sponsored media channel), while a success doesn't.
Re:SpaceX Iridium-3 Mission Launching Streaming
by avar on Monday October 09, 2017 @09:31AM
(#15433601)
If Lufthansa crashes a plane tomorrow in Berlin that'll also make the German news, while them flying hundreds of flights a day doesn't make it because it's not noteworthy.
It's the news because it's notable or out of the ordinary.
Re:SpaceX Iridium-3 Mission Launching Streaming
by grecy on Monday October 09, 2017 @09:52AM
(#15433756)
> It's the news because it's notable or out of the ordinary.
While that may once have been true, what consists of "news" today is simply whatever will grab people's attention. It's all about ratings.
It certainly does not have to be notable or out of the ordinary.
Makes me wonder if one-day lunches to Mars and intra-planetary travel via BFR will also become so routine :)