My actual entry into the challenge, Mun and Back (infinite fuel allowed) in under 10 minutes :) Hopefully someone will beat me. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WIyTs8WV9k
Engineers from Lockheed Martin recently presented a design concept for a giant reusable lunar lander designed to operate from the Lunar Orbiting Platform/Gateway - so I figured I'd simulate this using Kerbal Space Program.
https://www.lockheedmartin.com/content/dam/lockheed-martin/space/documents/ahead/LM-Crewed-Lunar-Lander-from-Gateway-IAC-2018-Rev1.pdf
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0riFCxzI0O8
The CRS 16 launch to the ISS was successful, however during the booster landing phase the hydraulic system controlling the grid fins failed resulting in the booster spinning out of control. The booster still managed to make a soft landing in the water just off the coast of Florida and will be recovered for investigation.
Booster landing footage courtesy of DasValdez
https://www.twitch.tv/dasvaldez
Update: Elon Musk has since posted the landing footage
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1070399755526656000
And another tracking shot all the way to the water
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1070446975642812416
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNpDWSfSd8k
We've been collecting antimatter in kerbin orbit for a couple of weeks, amassing about 50 miligrams of Antimatter. Now this may not seem like much, but it's enough to power an experimental antimatter induced fusion reactor. So, time to send a mission to bring some back to the space center.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3nDXtWkuIg
I was able to land on the mun with this rocket using only 7 pieces, I theorised that a return and landing might be possible, now with Minmus it's actually easier because it's a much less massive body.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWDcgHPB_oo
How exactly do you divert the course of an asteroid which is going to hit Earth? I talked about the gravity tractor concept last week and I felt I needed to go into more detail because a number of people like to point out the problems without thinking about the solutions.
If you want to help 'save the world' from the impact hazard I suggest checking out the B612 Foundation https://b612foundation.org/
Here's my previous video on why 'nuking an asteroid into space dust' is a bad idea:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCjrYPc-4nE
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GoPRCjEhTc
News from the last couple of weeks!
A handful of rocket launches including a historic mission to Jupiter.
NASA names the crew of Artemis II
Starship gets its launch license and could launch as early as Monday
And Relativity gives up on small launchers and skips straight to Terran-R
Follow me on Twitter for more updates:
https://twitter.com/DJSnM
I have a discord server where I regularly turn up:
https://discord.gg/zStmKbM
If you really like what I do you can support me directly through Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/scottmanley
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7ZLrokCMqI
In advance of a presentation on the progress of Starship & Super Heavy workers at SpaceX's Boca Chica facility have been adding wings, engins, plumbing and other features in preparation for stacking the entire structure. Even before the presentation it's clear a number of things in the design have changed.
Thanks to everyone who'd shared images of the construction at Boca Chica - in particular
BocaChicaGal who has provided the bulk of the new and interesting data
https://twitter.com/BocaChicaGal
Also https://twitter.com/austinbarnard45 and of course some guy called https://twitter.com/elonmusk
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRbKZqg5W-I
Yesterday SpaceX released a report on their analysis of the '4/20' Anomaly that destroyed their Crew Dragon spacecraft during a ground tests. It was the result of oxidizer leaking into the wrong part of the plumbing and then being propelled through the system as fast as a bullet.
https://www.spacex.com/news/2019/07/15/update-flight-abort-static-fire-anomaly-investigation
Raptor Engine images by Jack Beyer
https://www.jackbeyer.com/print
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P063KnI5NI