/sci/ - Science & Math

>>15757636
I'd miss /sfg/ though.

>>15280335
I think their original goal of "rocket in a box launched from anywhere, with cryogenic propellant and SpaceX grade telemetry" was always out of reach given the cost constraints of commercial launch. If they'd been given a cost-plus contract to develop it for the military AS a military program, then maybe. That's the sort of wacky bleeding edge capability cost-plus was created for. Absent that, I think the lowered-expectations target that Rocket 3.3 became could have been saved with more rocket-to-ground bandwidth and better vacuum testing of the upper stage hardware. Even absent THAT, if Rocket 4 had started serious development the day after LV0007 to reduce inter-generational gaps I think there would have been a chance, since we didn't know the Rocket 3.3 upper stage flaws were fatal until after LV0010. What's killing Astra is the fact that with a new first stage engine and no prior art of an upper stage that lived up to its paper specs, Astra was effectively starting Rocket 4 development from zero, after the public loss of a NASA payload&contract. They were back to tank prototypes and engine-only static fires. That was a hard sell with low interest rates. Now? Forget it.

>>15259126
God when you put it that way

>>15121581
>>15121586
>>15121589
>>15121590
>>15121600
The Chinese space program is aesthetically excellent, I love it. It's the spaceflight equivalent of Civil War reenactment, it's cool to see 60's tech flying and being documented with modern equipment and hardware. I'll probably never see a Titan II launch, but I can watch footage of LM3 fly in beautiful HD.

>>14986913
>Even shitshows like Astra tank without issue
until the QD explodes and then this happens

>>14959979
They're falling for the snowman upper stage meme.

>>14883009
Land the rover in a cargo dragon.

>>14883027
Sorry Euros, we have our own, better rover.

Tropical Edition
Previous: >>14561283

TROPICS-1 launch imminent