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SpaceX and other space stuff
- Thread starter bholder
- Start date
AX-2 launch today at 5:37 EDT. SpaceX broadcast goes live at 2 PM.
Jon, was this held in Virginia? I may have gone to one of these many years ago somewhere below Charlottesville or Orange. It was great.
Anyone want to throw the ball around regarding the second Lunar Lander contract?
Have to walk out, but in a few words - I'm not a fan of what they did.
Have to walk out, but in a few words - I'm not a fan of what they did.
I read the Ars article on the contract. (I think Eric Berger does a nice job writing about space there.)
No doubt Bezos & Co did a lot of lobbying. There was probably lots of help from several congress critters, too. (That alone would be an interesting sidebar.) Now Blue will sink or swim for all the world to see.
I wonder if there is enough left in the kitty for a third award. I'm guessing not at this time.
Still, whether Blue can get it done or not, Spacex has to view this as much more real competition now. So they will be more focused (as if they weren't already).
And, go Spacex/Axiom today!
No doubt Bezos & Co did a lot of lobbying. There was probably lots of help from several congress critters, too. (That alone would be an interesting sidebar.) Now Blue will sink or swim for all the world to see.
I wonder if there is enough left in the kitty for a third award. I'm guessing not at this time.
Still, whether Blue can get it done or not, Spacex has to view this as much more real competition now. So they will be more focused (as if they weren't already).
And, go Spacex/Axiom today!
So my summary is - NASA has now awarded it incorrectly - twice.
Very disappointed. We are not going to put new people on the moon for a Long time now.
Very disappointed. We are not going to put new people on the moon for a Long time now.
I don't disagree. What firms or cabals have better designs, that should get the awards instead?
Bonus points for hardware (or test articles at least) already created. Designs are great but proofs of concepts are worth their weight in gold pressed latinum.
Bonus points for hardware (or test articles at least) already created. Designs are great but proofs of concepts are worth their weight in gold pressed latinum.
I've said it before in this very thread, Andy Griffith has got it covered :
Every action packed episode :
Salvage 1 Complete Series (AI Enhanced and Upscaled) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Yeah, out in The Plains, VA. They do this every year. 4500 kids from 45 states. Had a great chat with a young lady from Huntsville who was on one of the teams.
So just to embellish a bit more on the Lunar Lander situation.
While I am certainly rooting for Starship progress, um, that just ain't a Lunar Lander, and I found the choice unbelievable. [An elevator design to actually bring people to the surface - cmon.]
Then, going forward with a second contract, I found the choice of the super underachieving Blue Origin crew just unfathomable. [This one Has to be all about the influence that Money brings, not - merit.]
The first lunar lander to bring us back should have been:
- A derivative of Dragon+Falcon, or
- A derivative of the Grumman LEM.
These 2 contract choices pretty much guarantee that we don't return to the moon for a very long time.
Perhaps we catch our next lunar thrill watching another country return first.
While I am certainly rooting for Starship progress, um, that just ain't a Lunar Lander, and I found the choice unbelievable. [An elevator design to actually bring people to the surface - cmon.]
Then, going forward with a second contract, I found the choice of the super underachieving Blue Origin crew just unfathomable. [This one Has to be all about the influence that Money brings, not - merit.]
The first lunar lander to bring us back should have been:
- A derivative of Dragon+Falcon, or
- A derivative of the Grumman LEM.
These 2 contract choices pretty much guarantee that we don't return to the moon for a very long time.
Perhaps we catch our next lunar thrill watching another country return first.
It means NASA gets free Prime delivery, for all supplies to the Moon, for the duration of the contract.
