The Space Thread - Launches, Events, Live Streams, Governments, Corporations, drama in Spaaaaaaaaaaaace

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Kwisatz00 said:
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
Told people I knew about this, obviously.
Responses:
[...]
"Why didn't they use spaceX?"
[...]
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The SpaceX question is the only one that's actually somewhat interesting but at least all of the questions you're being asked seem reasonable. How do you respond to the SpaceX one?

MerelyAPlateOfSpaghetti said:
[...]
Edit: when the spacecraft is rockin, don't come knockin (first time I've seen how drastic the astros working out actually moves the capsule, looks like it could easily whip the solar panels and damage them if they didn't lock them in place for exercise)
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This actually really surprised me, too. I naively assumed they could more or less do whatever the fuck they wanted in that capsule but clearly they cannot.
 
After the press Q&A tonight they showed off that they took the flag that had been slated to be on the moon during Apollo 18 and had it along. Silly little thing, but still kind of cool.
 
mindlessobserver said:
That character was such a low key cultural misunderstanding by the Japs too. The cat was male, but Artemis was a female goddess.
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The name Artemis is historically a gender neutral name. It also has abrahamic origins so it is moreso a matter of syncretistic elements likely from the Hellenistic period.
 
Here's the return to Earth schedule for tomorrow, 04/10/2026. All times are E.S.T.-

1:50 p.m.: Orion cabin configuration for re-entry begins
2:53 p.m.: Return trajectory correction burn
6:30 p.m.: NASA+ coverage begins
7:33 p.m.: Crew module and service module separation
7:37 p.m.: Crew module raise burn
7:53 p.m.: Entry interface
8:07 p.m.: Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean
10:30 p.m.: Post-splashdown news conference at NASA Johnson Space Center

I've had this set sitting in the closet unbuilt for a while now. I think it's time to get it out and build it.
3600 pieces and 30" tall. Pretty big model. I picked up an LED lighting kit for it as well.

artemis-2-1.jpg NASAArtemisSpaceLaunchSystem10341-MAIN_1000x-1130889353.jpg
 
Wahgonga said:
Here's the return to Earth schedule for tomorrow, 04/10/2026. All times are E.S.T.-

1:50 p.m.: Orion cabin configuration for re-entry begins
2:53 p.m.: Return trajectory correction burn
6:30 p.m.: NASA+ coverage begins
7:33 p.m.: Crew module and service module separation
7:37 p.m.: Crew module raise burn
7:53 p.m.: Entry interface
8:07 p.m.: Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean
10:30 p.m.: Post-splashdown news conference at NASA Johnson Space Center

I've had this set sitting in the closet unbuilt for a while now. I think it's time to get it out and build it.
3600 pieces and 30" tall. Pretty big model. I picked up an LED lighting kit for it as well.

View attachment 8829973 View attachment 8829978
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That is quite possibly the most impressive Lego set I've ever seen.
 
Wahgonga said:
7:33 p.m.: Crew module and service module separation
7:37 p.m.: Crew module raise burn
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This is interesting, are they using thrusters on the crew module for this? Or is this supposed to be service module separation, then service module raise burn so the service module re-enters at a different point than the crew capsule?
 
Early link to Tim Dodd's splashdown vid, will be watching this with a lot of stress

 
MerelyAPlateOfSpaghetti said:
This is interesting, are they using thrusters on the crew module for this? Or is this supposed to be service module separation, then service module raise burn so the service module re-enters at a different point than the crew capsule?
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The crew module has its own thrusters. The raise burn is their last chance to fine tune their trajectory on re-entry. If the numbers look right, they won't have to. After they separate from the service module, it's gone. The CM is the only thing that comes back.
 
The crew (should) be fine, that's what NASA is banking on. The damage to the one-time use heat shield was more substantial than they would have liked on Artemis 1, but the holes did not penetrate to the crew capsule or damage anything else vital.

I also saw they are doing some kind of complicated re-entry angling, where they seem to skip off the atmosphere at an angle to lose some speed, then enter the atmosphere again at a different angle for final re-entry. I'm not sure if this is a different plan than Artemis 1 used when re-entering, but if so it would likely be to increase the safety margin for the astros.
 
MerelyAPlateOfSpaghetti said:
The crew (should) be fine, that's what NASA is banking on. The damage to the one-time use heat shield was more substantial than they would have liked on Artemis 1, but the holes did not penetrate to the crew capsule or damage anything else vital.

I also saw they are doing some kind of complicated re-entry angling, where they seem to skip off the atmosphere at an angle to lose some speed, then enter the atmosphere again at a different angle for final re-entry. I'm not sure if this is a different plan than Artemis 1 used when re-entering, but if so it would likely be to increase the safety margin for the astros.
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Aretmis 1 tried the skip method, and I believe that was what they think caused the issues with the heat shield. It had multiple exposures, at different temps, over a longer time.

Aretmis 2 is going straight in, sort of, no skipping. As I understand the shorter exposure times will prevent the previous heat shield issues.

mindlessobserver said:
The reentry flight path is super lame. Nobody gonna be able to see it.

View attachment 8831149
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If any of you have friends upside down, maybe let them know they could maybe see a flash.
 
Kwisatz00 said:
Aretmis 1 tried the skip method, and I believe that was what they think caused the issues with the heat shield. It had multiple exposures, at different temps, over a longer time.

Aretmis 2 is going straight in, sort of, no skipping. As I understand the shorter exposure times will prevent the previous heat shield issues.
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They explained a little bit on the stream, they are going to re-enter and the capsule will rock back and forth to bleed speed while in the stratosphere, so they do actually gain a little bit of altitude during this event:

artemis-ii-orion-lofted-entry-sequence.webp
That loft maneuver is when they hit peak heating as well, but they mentioned the capsules top speed will be somewhere around Mach 32.

Edit: they are reorienting the capsule a bit, caught a clip of them using a thruster (Double edit: Appears to have been re-orienting for astro exercise)



Triple edit: Is Christina going into the bathroom here on the right, or is this a secondary changing/hygeine room?
 
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Been watching this mission throughout from the sidelines, but damn does it really warm the cockles of the heart seeing an almost flawless Moon mission and how these four astronauts have handled the PR. I'm happily praying for an uneventful splashdown and the strong encouragement this mission gives to see us back on the Moon before 2028. Not only will that be a defining moment for this generation, but also puts the chinks in their place - what's not to love?
 
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