… in particular when the next launch window will present itself only on astronomical time scales
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There’s a Black Arrow in the Science Museum in Kensington and it is absolutely tiny - quite amazing that it could deliver anything to the next postcode let alone to orbit.
Genius design though… the UK didn’t really have the money to develop cryogenic rockets, so it went with near-pure hydrogen peroxide and kerosene. Spray peroxide onto a silver catalyst to create steam and pure oxygen - use that exhaust to spin the turbo pumps and then dump it into the engine with the kerosene to produce thrust. The engine was so efficient that its exhaust was practically invisible - which creates some weird photos of Black Arrow/Prospero taking off:
And then we gave up because it was too expensive and handed the leadership of the European space programme to the French.
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Yeah, space celibacy’s a real downer, eh?
(My first draft had ‘bummer’ instead of ‘downer’. Either works, but one was just a tad less elegant than the other, I feel.)
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Notice how many of them have to use a strap-on? Something going on there…
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Actually, for almost this whole thread.
What is wrong with you people? It’s not all about size and thrust, guys!
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No, you are right - sometimes it’s also about finesse. Like during re-entry. (When too much friction can cause failure.)
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Precision, timing, repeatable results, adaptability, variation of parameters in order to improve things overall, constant feedback, creativity…
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Everything’s either concave or 'vex.
So whatever you dream will be something with sex. --Piet Hein
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(cued)
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As far as I know the only nation who has ever done that.
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Milk just shot out of my nose…
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I’m going to regret this, I expect, but …
Are you sure it was milk and are you sure it was your nose?
Too far? If so, apologies. Either way, have a new keyboard on me. 
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Of course it was milk out of my nose…it’s too dang hot around here to be doing anything else.
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Then my work here tonight is complete. G’night. 
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Good thing they included that cat for scale!
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