NASA isn't even trying to get people to Mars anymore

**noblemountain** · 2014-12-19 09:27

Saw this pop up on my fb feed the other day again. lol

http://www.iflscience.com/space/nasa...ty-study-venus

**Waraji** · 2014-12-19 12:05

Some people want to do X in Space. Hmm Must be NASA. "NASA Wants to put giant dildos orbiting the moon."

**BerenTebogo** · 2014-12-19 14:11

Tell me how giant orbital dildos is a bad thing?

Need to Galactus to know where he can sit when he arrives.

**Kuya** · 2014-12-19 14:18

I would fund the hell out of giant lunar dildos.

**Waraji** · 2014-12-19 14:44

Gdit, didn't Spaceballs have a... No, it was Austin Powers!

Damnit, so many years later you finally recognize all the actors in that scene.

**Stromgarde** · 2014-12-19 14:47

Man that has to be one of the oldest looking E-4's I've ever seen.

**Waraji** · 2015-01-10 03:20

T-MINUS 29 Minutes!

Watch SpaceX's rocket launch and historic barge landing

http://new.livestream.com/spacex/events/3665355

Live stream going up at 4:30 am EST.

This is the Shit to be watching Gentlemen! (Seems I'm the only asshole who woke up at 4 am to watch this shit.)

**Cantih** · 2015-01-10 03:23

Hooray for sleep disorders!

**Waraji** · 2015-01-10 03:28

Woop Live stream up. So fucking hyped for this to work. And if it doesn't fuck it, we'll see some fireworks or a big splash.

Well, Launch went great. Let's see if it sticks the landing.

**Cantih** · 2015-01-10 04:05

So, floaty liquid, I'm assuming that was a camera inside a fuel chamber?

**Waraji** · 2015-01-10 04:07

It was, Zero-G liquid fuel cam. :D

Originally Posted by Elon Musk

Rocket made it to drone spaceport ship, but landed hard. Close, but no cigar this time. Bodes well for the future tho.

Stage 1 almost made it, damn. But I mean shit, they actually managed to get it on target.

Barge Status

Originally Posted by Elon Musk

Ship itself is fine. Some of the support equipment on the deck will need to be replaced...

Originally Posted by Elon Musk

Didn't get good landing/impact video. Pitch dark and foggy. Will piece it together from telemetry and ... actual pieces.

**BaneTheBrawler** · 2015-01-10 06:00

lol "actual pieces"

how very kerbal

**archibaldcrane** · 2015-01-10 09:33

Damn. Did it explode on the barge or just wreck on it?

**Waraji** · 2015-01-10 12:04

Originally Posted by archibaldcrane

Damn. Did it explode on the barge or just wreck on it?

Hard landing means it pretty much slammed into the barge. Going too fast / unstable barge.

**Mazmaz** · 2015-01-10 18:58

I can't believe he only has 1.4M followers

**archibaldcrane** · 2015-01-10 21:20

Apparently the fins they use to control/steer are an "open" hydraulic system, meaning that it uses up hydraulic fluid, and they ran out of fluid within a minute before touchdown so they couldn't control it as well as they needed. Next launch next month will have 50% more fluid onboard.

**BaneTheBrawler** · 2015-01-10 21:28

That's odd. I would have expected a closed system, as it would seem less wasteful/more reliable. Is there any particular reason they would prefer an open system?

**Aumaan_Kujata** · 2015-01-10 21:34

Weight considerations.

**Dimmauk** · 2015-01-10 21:35

Originally Posted by archibaldcrane

Apparently the fins they use to control/steer are an "open" hydraulic system, meaning that it uses up hydraulic fluid, and they ran out of fluid within a minute before touchdown so they couldn't control it as well as they needed. Next launch next month will have 50% more fluid onboard.

Sounds like some one didn't calculate the needed amount correctly.

**BerenTebogo** · 2015-01-10 21:57

Nah, I doubt that.

More likely it was a POC using a lower amount (ideal for weight, storage, and cost) based on numerous models. I bet it still fell within accepted error bars, but with this stuff, you err on the side of caution.