Rhamphorhynchan

Recent Actions

• Commented on The impotence of the long-distance trillionaire
  I think it's interesting that when El*n did his two big, and at least arguably good, things; that is investing in AC Propulsion and founding SpaceX, he wasn't a billionaire. Perhaps that supports OGH's point....
• Commented on Bad news day
  They built a pontoon bridge across the Pripyat River about ten days ago. Planet Labs' Snapshot email today has a nice gif of it....
• Commented on Fossil fuels are dead (and here's why)
  Aye, SpaceX deciding not to go above 550km makes them pretty safe as far as Kessler syndrome goes. OneWeb and China's constellations, both a little over 1000km, would be more of a problem for that. ESA have an (unflown) air-breathing...
• Commented on Fossil fuels are dead (and here's why)
  Musk was reading the same Scottish lefty scifi we all were in the 90s at least. I'd like to think I understood it better, or at least got more of Banks' jokes! I still don't think solar satellites are going...
• Commented on Bread and Circuses (circumlunar version)
  I largely agree with this assessment. Falcon 9 block 5 is yet to fly, but I think its level of success will be strongly predictive of how SpaceX will do with BFR. If block 5's first stage really is 'kick...
• Commented on Bread and Circuses (circumlunar version)
  Thomas Kelly, Grumman's chief engineer on the LEM project wrote a book about his experiences building the thing that's well worth a read (Moon Lander: How We Developed the Apollo Lunar Module). He devotes a lot of time to the...
• Commented on Bread and Circuses (circumlunar version)
  Yeah, it's not really possible to launch the D2 with the SLS. D2's crew escape systems have been designed around escaping from a deflagrating liquid fueled booster. The solids on the SLS make for a much harsher environment if they...
• Commented on Bread and Circuses (circumlunar version)
  I'll be interested to see what Elon says at the IAC this week. If we're going out on limbs, then I'll predict that the free-return lunar mission won't be done on a falcon heavy, but on the scaled down version...