Not as exciting for the membership as an Electric Beaver...but here's the Electric Caravan anyway...)

[IBob]

https://play.stuff.co.nz/details/_6160221277001

[IBob]

And in other news, here's a reusable launch system that they won't be reusing:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/may/29/spacex-starship-rocket-prototype-explodes-test

Not the spacex rocket due to set off shortly for the ISS...but would you want to be sitting in it anyway???

[onetrack]

I'm old enough to remember the regular and disastrous rocket failures on NASA's part, in the late 1950's and early 1960's, as they raced to get to the Moon first.

 

I'm surprised that Musks team haven't used the lessons learnt from the early NASA rocket failures.

 

[kgwilson]

Russian rocket technology has always been superior to that of the US. Although it is popularly thought that the Russians used captured German scientists as did the US after WW2, they were well advanced before WW2 in rocket technology. Stalins purges stalled the progress but they made up for it by being first with Sputnik, then Yuri Gagaran & for the last 20 years having the only viable rockets able to get to and from the international Space Station.

[onetrack]

Tim the everyday astronaut gives us an hour long talk (link below) on how rocket engines actually work. I learnt quite a bit from his very educational talk.

I never thought much before, about how rocket engines actually work, but he's very clear in his explanations of the principles behind the designs of the bell nozzles and aerospikes.

 

It appears Space X are going for combustion chamber pressures substantially higher than anyone has tried before.

Could be a reason for the disastrous explosion, someone miscalculated the strength required in the chamber, for the much higher pressures.

 

[octave]

"If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough."

 

Elon musk

[IBob]

"If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough."

 

Elon musk

But would he sing the same tune if his ass was in the passenger seat???

[octave]

But would he sing the same tune if his ass was in the passenger seat???

 

I would imagine every rocket that has ever carried humans has exploded in it's testing phase.

[Old Koreelah]

... they made up for it by being first with Sputnik, then Yuri Gagaran...

That's what we were led to believe. It's likely that even Yuri knew different, and he was forced to keep silent.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Ilyushin

[onetrack]

But the Wiki page categorically denies the story that Ilyushin was the first man in space - and backs its view with experts evidence.

[Old Koreelah]

But the Wiki page categorically denies the story that Ilyushin was the first man in space - and backs its view with experts evidence.

As a long-time supporter and contributor to Wikipedia, i know it's limitations. Conventional thinking will always prevail.