The Perpetual MEGA Space Thread

[Flash]

So the Starliner's astronauts are currently stranded aboard the ISS as the Starliner is having issues. It had a small helium leak before launch, but Boeing and NASA determined this would not affect anything. However, turns out it had four additional helium leaks that were discovered after launch along with problems with five thrusters.

Sooooo...I've seen headlines that they're 'stranded' but they are all from more general web-based news sites that are basically repeating the same info. While there are helium leaks they are troubleshooting the issue and apparently want to make sure they try and figure out as much as they can while they are in space, because that part of the capsule isn't coming back to earth.

For better news reporting on spaceflight I've found https://spaceflightnow.com/ to be a pretty good resource, and just so happens that their top story right now is about this very subject. From the article:

In the meantime, Starliner commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams are still cleared to undock and fly home at any time if a station malfunction or other issue crops up that requires a quick departure. As such, officials say they are not stranded in space....

...The issue for Starliner troubleshooters is that the helium leakage and the thrusters in question are located in the Starliner’s drum-shaped service module, which is attached to the base of the crew capsule. The service module is jettisoned prior to re-entry and burns up in the atmosphere.

Given that engineers will not be able to examine the actual hardware after the fact, NASA and Boeing managers want to give them as much time as possible to review telemetry, to continue testing and to polish contingency scenarios in case additional problems show up after undocking.

 

[Uncle Fester]

FFS, they’re not “stranded.” That’s what you get when science writers in the media aren’t any more science-educated than the general public.

The thrusters in question are on the Starliner’s service module. The SM gets jettisoned before reentry. Once they undock and get set up for entry the engineers don’t have any more opportunity to gather data on the leak issue. So since there isn’t any particular rush, NASA decided to extend the mission and give the engineers more time to examine the issue and determine a fix for the next flight.

At the rate of the leak, there’s something like a month before helium levels will be lower than they want for reentry.

 

[Sonog]

Its kind of like this misleading WSJ article title yesterday: https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/hist...e-race-41894d41?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1

It reads "Historic moon mission gets China one small step ahead in space race"

The choice of the word "ahead" is very strategic here. What it means- if you're aware of each countries capabilities- is that the mission got them "ahead" from their current status. What it implies is that the China is now ahead of the United States in the moon race, which is pure ludicrous.

 

[Hair Warrior]

Its kind of like this misleading WSJ article title yesterday: https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/hist...e-race-41894d41?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1

It reads "Historic moon mission gets China one small step ahead in space race"

The choice of the word "ahead" is very strategic here. What it means- if you're aware of each countries capabilities- is that the mission got them "ahead" from their current status. What it implies is that the China is now ahead of the United States in the moon race, which is pure ludicrous.

Even more ludicrous is the idea that there is a race.

This is like when I tell my kid to run down to the mailbox at the end of the driveway and I’ll time him to see how fast he goes.

That said, the far side of the moon is intriguing for a number of scientific reasons, so it’s cool that countries are investing in exploration.

 

[taxi1]

Its kind of like this misleading WSJ article title yesterday: https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/hist...e-race-41894d41?mod=Searchresults_pos1&page=1

It reads "Historic moon mission gets China one small step ahead in space race"

The choice of the word "ahead" is very strategic here. What it means- if you're aware of each countries capabilities- is that the mission got them "ahead" from their current status. What it implies is that the China is now ahead of the United States in the moon race, which is pure ludicrous.

When was the last time we had something operating on the moon? It blows my mind that it has been 50 years since we landed people there.

No doubt we could leapfrog the Chinese, but talk is cheap and they are building up the muscle memory for their current folks. Multiple landers operating on both sides of the orb, and a rover trundling around.

A race is good for everyone. Competition among competitors spurs all parties to do better.

 

[Griz882]

If China goes to the moon it will be for mining purposes…doing it because “We choose to go to the moon.” doesn’t fit the CHYCAP model.

 

[Hair Warrior]

because “We choose to go to the moon.” doesn’t fit the CHYCAP model.

I would disagree. It directly aligns with their strategic priority to reshape the world view in a way that favors or emphasizes Chinese prestige and power. If they want to be the one world superpower in 100 years, planting symbolic (or literal) flags in various facets of science, exploration, culture, world rulemaking, etc. are all part of that narrative/ propaganda. Just like how China claims it owns the SCS bc they may (or may not) have once planted a flag there hundreds of years ago.

 

[Random8145]

I would disagree. It directly aligns with their strategic priority to reshape the world view in a way that favors or emphasizes Chinese prestige and power. If they want to be the one world superpower in 100 years, planting symbolic (or literal) flags in various facets of science, exploration, culture, world rulemaking, etc. are all part of that narrative/ propaganda. Just like how China claims it owns the SCS bc they may (or may not) have once planted a flag there hundreds of years ago.

...and for this reason, I would say there **IS** a race, like it or not, between the U.S. and China. Sending humans to orbit, to the Moon, and beyond is a major way of basically showing whose the boss nation, so-to-speak. It's why we poured so much money into the Apollo Program to beat the Soviets.

 

[Random8145]

If China goes to the moon it will be for mining purposes…doing it because “We choose to go to the moon.” doesn’t fit the CHYCAP model.

There was an article by the Chinese, I'll have to see if I can dig it up, where they talked about how the U.S. demonstrated raw power with one of the SpaceX launches (I don't remember the particular Chinese source).

 

[Random8145]

When was the last time we had something operating on the moon? It blows my mind that it has been 50 years since we landed people there.

No doubt we could leapfrog the Chinese, but talk is cheap and they are building up the muscle memory for their current folks. Multiple landers operating on both sides of the orb, and a rover trundling around.

A race is good for everyone. Competition among competitors spurs all parties to do better.

If it wasn't for SpaceX right now, I would question whether we really have the ability to leapfrog the Chinese. Our current space-military-industrial complex just seems so sclerotic and bloated in many ways. Look at how many years behind and over-budget the Starliner project is for example. Aside from SpaceX, I could well see the Chinese beating us to another manned Moon mission in the next few decades.

That said, yes China may have landers and a rover on the Moon, but we have an SUV-sized rover on Mars.

 

[Griz882]

I would disagree. It directly aligns with their strategic priority to reshape the world view in a way that favors or emphasizes Chinese prestige and power. If they want to be the one world superpower in 100 years, planting symbolic (or literal) flags in various facets of science, exploration, culture, world rulemaking, etc. are all part of that narrative/ propaganda. Just like how China claims it owns the SCS bc they may (or may not) have once planted a flag there hundreds of years ago.

Sure, but the capitalists see it differently…

China’s Deep-Sea Motivation for Claiming Sovereignty Over the South China Sea

At the bottom of the contested waters lies a supply of the rare earth minerals crucial to China’s tech ambitions.

thediplomat.com

There is only one way China can become more powerful than the U.S….only one. Beat us economically. The rest of the “prestige” talk is just fluff, they already think they are superior and have for years and years.

 

[Mos]

When was the last time we had something operating on the moon? It blows my mind that it has been 50 years since we landed people there.

Fairly recently, with the IM-1 landing in February. It tipped over, but continued to transmit for a time and delivered its payloads. Prior to that, Apollo 17.

Intuitive Machines and NASA call IM-1 lunar lander a success as mission winds down

NASA and Intuitive Machines declared the IM-1 mission, in its final hours, an “unqualified success” despite a hard landing that left the spacecraft askew.

spacenews.com

 

[Random8145]

Sure, but the capitalists see it differently…

China’s Deep-Sea Motivation for Claiming Sovereignty Over the South China Sea

At the bottom of the contested waters lies a supply of the rare earth minerals crucial to China’s tech ambitions.

thediplomat.com

There is only one way China can become more powerful than the U.S….only one. Beat us economically. The rest of the “prestige” talk is just fluff, they already think they are superior and have for years and years.

Size of economy is one, but technology is another. Both are major symbols of prestige and overall national capability.

 

[Brett327]

So the Starliner's astronauts are currently stranded aboard the ISS as the Starliner is having issues. It had a small helium leak before launch, but Boeing and NASA determined this would not affect anything. However, turns out it had four additional helium leaks that were discovered after launch along with problems with five thrusters.

No they aren’t.

 

[Sonog]

Live HD feed of Americans planting an American flag on the moon is the biggest flex that we all don't know we need right now, and it will be here before we know it.