Space Exploration

Are NASA's future missions and budget justified?

  • It's worth the time and expenditures

    Votes: 222 65.9%

  • Complete waste of money

    Votes: 41 12.2%

  • We need to explore, but not at the current cost

    Votes: 74 22.0%
  • Total voters
    337
#3,817
#3,817
Grand Vol said:
I still like your idea of a Superheavy Heavy.

I have no idea what it would be used for, but the payload potential would be absurd.
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I’m thinking they could possibly use it to send up a fairly large fuel tank that could act as a refueling depot where multiple starships could dock and refuel in orbit.

They are already planning on having a dedicated tanker variant of starship so they could use that to keep the depot topped off.

Also, they could keep starships docked to it and use it as a space station where crew can egress from the one starship to another, or sort of a mini “airport” in space.

Pure conjecture on my part of course, but still, it’s fun to fantasize over what could possibly become reality in the near future.
 
#3,818
#3,818
Matt2496 said:
I’m thinking they could possibly use it to send up a fairly large fuel tank that could act as a refueling depot where multiple starships could dock and refuel in orbit.

They are already planning on having a dedicated tanker variant of starship so they could use that to keep the depot topped off.

Also, they could keep starships docked to it and use it as a space station where crew can egress from the one starship to another, or sort of a mini “airport” in space.

Pure conjecture on my part of course, but still, it’s fun to fantasize over what could possibly become reality in the near future.
Click to expand...

I've often thought the Starship, modified of course, could be the starting basis for a new "Skylab" type of system if they wanted to get into the LEO station business (or lunar orbit replacing/expanding the Gateway). The External Tank on the STS was looked at a few times as a "wet lab" system and there really isn't a reason why Starship couldn't be modified for the same application in some way. I just think it's going to be funny for future lunar explorers to go from a "mansion" of a Lunar Lander to the "Outhouse" confines of the Lunar Gateway.

Also, I know SpaceX has a lot riding on the Starship and Lunar Lander success, but if anything Bezos and Branson have showed us, space tourism will grow in the future. I'd almost say Musk should be quietly talking with Robert Bigelow and Bigelow Aerospace on a buyout and looking towards the commercial side of things. That technology is proven and a cargo only version of the Starship could easily lift a BA330 or possibly even a BA2100 into LEO. Too bad Bigelow probably isn't going to come back since it really is a great concept.

Regardless, there really is a "sky is the limit" on the applications of a modified Starship.
 
#3,819
#3,819
Matt2496 said:
I’m thinking they could possibly use it to send up a fairly large fuel tank that could act as a refueling depot where multiple starships could dock and refuel in orbit.

They are already planning on having a dedicated tanker variant of starship so they could use that to keep the depot topped off.

Also, they could keep starships docked to it and use it as a space station where crew can egress from the one starship to another, or sort of a mini “airport” in space.

Pure conjecture on my part of course, but still, it’s fun to fantasize over what could possibly become reality in the near future.
Click to expand...

Also, and I know there isn't a direct correlation as well as a whole lot of complicated math that I will never understand involved, but if the F9 and F9H are any indication of the increased payload capacity of "Superheavy Heavy" the math works out to almost four times the weight to LEO. All figures are metric.

Falcon 9 in a recoverable config can lift 15.6 tons to LEO.
Falcon 9 Heavy is estimated at 57 tons to LEO in a side booster recovery mode.

Difference of 41.4 extra tons (365% increase) to LEO in an recoverable config for the F9H vs the F9.

Numbers go up to 400% (63.8 tons) increase for an expended config on the F9H.

Even the low end of Starship is estimated at 100 tons to LEO and (being conservative here) a 250% increase in LEO weight capacity, a Superheavy Heavy Starship could lift over half the ISS (450 tons) in one trip.

I figure my math is way off, but holy orbital velocities, Batman. 250 tons to LEO on a single craft?
 
#3,820
#3,820
CagleMtnVol said:
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Boeing used to be the premier builder of aircraft and aerospace engineering in the world. Since they decided to become a bean counter led company and moved their headquarters to Chicago they have done nothing more than flounder with one failed project after another. They always overpromise and under deliver and go way way over budget. Maybe they need some more Harvard grads in the executive suite.
 
#3,822
#3,822
VolnJC said:
Hoping that my Dishy McFlatface will be arriving soon...heard there are lots of pre-orders...wonder is there is a chance that so many ppl leave Viasat and HughesNet that their speeds might actually be better than Starlink? I have one more week before our reset and already getting throttled...we don't even use it for anything other than work...we stream using our phone hotspots...View attachment 384084
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Pre-ordered in January. Still haven't heard anything. I was told to expect August. It's August.
 
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#3,823
#3,823
Matt2496 said:
I’m thinking they could possibly use it to send up a fairly large fuel tank that could act as a refueling depot where multiple starships could dock and refuel in orbit.

They are already planning on having a dedicated tanker variant of starship so they could use that to keep the depot topped off.

Also, they could keep starships docked to it and use it as a space station where crew can egress from the one starship to another, or sort of a mini “airport” in space.

Pure conjecture on my part of course, but still, it’s fun to fantasize over what could possibly become reality in the near future.
Click to expand...
Would space fueling depot be self serve and will it have clean restrooms and fountain drinks?
 
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