Spaaaaace (Infinite Space: Part 2)

general topics
61

So they got the test item to a velocity of about 425 m/s. Orbital velocity at space station altitude is about 20x that. Yup, got a ways to go.

Also kinda curious how loud an item moving at Mach 20 at sea level would be.

3 Likes
62

The most elegant method to get out of that damned gravity well would be some sort of time machine or force field or whatever that puts the spacecraft somewhere else for, say 10 minutes to be on the safe side, just long enough for the Earth to move along for a bit farther than its own diameter, and then put it back exactly where it was.
I have a feeling though that this would take at least the same amount of energy because real life physics has a “everything must be paid in full eventually” policy.

2 Likes
63

Relativity doesn’t really allow a concept of “exactly where it was” though. Any point within a light cone could be considered a future version of the start point depending on the frame of reference, i.e. how it was moving. But yeah, if you want to take something out of a well of potential energy, expect to need a minimum of that much energy to do it.

1 Like
64

I reject your relativity and substitute my own.

4 Likes
65

A giant meteorite boiled the oceans 3.2 billion years ago. Scientists say it was a ‘fertilizer bomb’ for life

3 Likes
66

nice deepcut. love it.

67
1 Like
68
2 Likes
69

tmrkt241024
tmrkt241024900×280 123 KB

8 Likes
70

Low Earth orbit is home to a hell of a lot of communication satellites, and the chain-reaction nature of this thing could have already begun. Not only does this threaten our ability to get into space, it threatens cell phones, GPS, and a whole hell of a lot of stuff we have come to depend on. File this under “Another Thing We Could Fix, But Choose Not To.” Our kids will not judge us kindly.

4 Likes
71

Someone find that kid who developed the way to clean up the great garbage patch in the Pacific and get him to start cleaning up low-earth orbit next.

3 Likes
72

Maybe more realistic?

4 Likes
73

That or run a dope ass blog about accounts receivable…

5 Likes
74

Misread as “Snag Whale” and am now a little disappointed.

3 Likes
75

and another concept right out of seveneves; rotating tethers are exactly the way humans get into orbit in the second half of the book.

1 Like
76

IMG_20241025_104516
IMG_20241025_1045161920×864 121 KB

4 Likes
77
1 Like
78

Scientists demand FCC test environmental impacts of satellites

One hundred and twenty astronomy researchers on Thursday sent a letter asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to end the “absurd” environmental review exemption given to SpaceX’s Starlink and other firms launching large constellations of satellites.

The letter [PDF] notes that the FCC was advised in November 2022 by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) to rethink its environmental review process for satellite swarms. The comms watchdog has been approving applications to launch satellite mega-constellations without considering requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act, the GAO found.

“The environmental harms of launching and burning up so many satellites aren’t clear,” the astronomy researchers argue. “That’s because the federal government hasn’t conducted an environmental review to understand the impacts.”

The FCC, which has excluded satellite licenses from environmental reviews since 1986, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

[…]

4 Likes
79

richard dreyfuss jaws GIF

1 Like
80

No details yet, but NASA said the step had been taken “out of an abundance of caution”.

2 Likes