SpaceX and other space stuff

[Volker Kirstein]

 

[fig]

Space is so vast, it's unimaginable. I've always enjoyed articles, videos, etc, that scales things down to more imaginable levels.

Here's one I found regarding of the scale of our galaxy. Short article, scroll down for a couple of more scalings of things.

The Scale of Things: The Milky Way Galaxy

To try to imagine the size and scale of the Milky Way, let’s begin with imaging our Sun as a penny. If the Sun was that size, the nearest star, Alpha Centauri, would be 350 miles away! So on this scale, the Milky Way is about 8 million miles across, or about 30 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon!

Let’s try a different scale: if the Sun was a grain of sand, the Earth would be a microscope speck one inch away, Pluto would be 40 inches away, Alpha Centauri would be about 4 miles away, and the diameter of the Milky Way would be still be an incredibly large 100,000 miles!

Just crazy cool.

 

[fig]

Ingenuity helo on Mars took its 24th flight this past weekend. Very short flight, but there were considerations in that choice. Wouldn't have been my choice...still wanna talk to that pilot...

If anyone's interested in the considerations, and 1 of 3 choices they had, here's the article:
Balancing Risks in the 'Séítah' Region - Flight 24

And it also won an award:
NASA's Pioneering Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Awarded Collier Trophy – NASA Mars Exploration

Doin' it on the new frontier (cue Steely Dan).

 

[fig]

Back again...

Just found this about a mid-air capture of the first stage of a rocket from Rocket Lab. With a helicopter.
14 day launch-window starting 19 Apr.

Outta be an anal-clenching operation to watch (I hope).

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[ahc]

[This invalid link has been removed]

 

[Volker Kirstein]

 

[bobba66]

Snagging a falling rocket with a helicopter sounds a wee bit risky to me.

 

[fhm555]

Snagging a falling rocket with a helicopter sounds a wee bit risky to me.

Hopefully they will try it 3 mistakes high.

 

[Winslow]

 

[fig]

While Ingenuity, the Mars helo, flies across the region called Seitah, the rover Perseverance is hauling butt around Seitah, and is close to where the helo and rover plan to meet.

Seems the rover spotted its' parachute and backshell. Looks to me like the red and white parachute markings on the left, the backshell being the white protrusion on the right. (All just below center of pic)

 

[Winslow]

Seems the rover spotted its' parachute and backshell.

"Everybody remember where we parked..."
- Capt. Kirk

 

[fig]

Neat close-ups of the parachute/backshell and the descent lander from orbit.

Close-Up of Perseverance Parachute on the Martian Surface – NASA Mars Exploration

Link Removed

Geekin' a bit today. Now I gotta go do adulting stuff... Frakin' adulting stuff...LOL

 

[StereoPlayer]

 

[Volker Kirstein]

I tuned in, saw the T-, and thought Cool! 2 and a half minutes to go! I guess I can go run my errands.

EDIT - ...aaaaand, I'm back. I just hadda scoot over to the pharmacy "around the corner" and pick up some stuff.

 

[fig]

If anyone's near a TV, launch coverage is on the NASA channel and the Science channel.

 

[ahc]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Volker Kirstein]

 

[Winslow]

I've had such fun with that fact over the years.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

 

[fig]

Mars helo took it's 25th flight. It's out of the Seitah region. Set two new flight records.
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter sets new flight records on Mars | Digital Trends

New positioning for both. The rover is still is still in high speed.
Location Map for Perseverance Rover