From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: from mail.lang.hm (unknown [66.167.227.145]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher ADH-AES256-GCM-SHA384 (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by lists.bufferbloat.net (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 7E8C03B29E for ; Sat, 12 Feb 2022 16:49:36 -0500 (EST) Received: from dlang-mobile (unknown [10.2.2.69]) by mail.lang.hm (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5B2711216A8; Sat, 12 Feb 2022 13:49:35 -0800 (PST) Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2022 13:49:35 -0800 (PST) From: David Lang To: Dave Taht cc: starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net In-Reply-To: Message-ID: References: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed Subject: Re: [Starlink] saving ship 20 X-BeenThere: starlink@lists.bufferbloat.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.20 Precedence: list List-Id: "Starlink has bufferbloat. Bad." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2022 21:49:36 -0000 On Sat, 12 Feb 2022, Dave Taht wrote: > (is there a good email list for spacex, rather than starlink stuff? > I'm really not into twitter, reddit, etc) > > After watching elon musk's presentation thursday night I was struck by > the symbolism of ship 20 behind him and wondering why the planned > flight was to attempt a splashdown at the end. they need to test reentry and the heat shield. > https://starshipcampaign.com/starship/ship-20/ > > I could think of a more leapfrog-like approach where they left it in > orbit, to analyze the effects of a longer term stay there, testing > restarts, or vacuum welding problems on the engines, using as a > agena-like target for rendezvous maneuvers, trying out repairing or > replacing various parts... > > Do they not have enough thrust, even with an empty payload bay, to > stay up there? 'space junk', the powers that be frown on putting stuff in orbit. many shuttle flights had the delta-v to take the external tanks to orbit, but they deliberatly had them burn up instead. hopefully, once commercial stations become a thing, they will be interested in accumulating 2nd stages and other things that we currently are deliberatly deorbiting. > Is there a dummy payload planned? I was thinking of one of bigalow's > demo inflatable habs, and along that rathole was, why not just cut a > hole in the side and spray in insulation... > > Not even sure if there is a working door... No door at all on ship 20-24. there is a barrel section that has a door cut in it, but that's it so far. David Lang