Countdown For Rocket Planes
from the alternatives dept
With the Columbia disaster last weekend, MIT's Tech Review has an article looking at the various players involved in attempts to create reusable rocket planes. The really interesting part isn't necessarily the technology, but the fact that it's private players who are ahead of NASA in this game. NASA is still working on their own plans, but the private operations seem to be moving much faster. Also interesting is that much of the focus is on pushing "space tourism" forward - though, I wonder if last weekend's accident will slow down the enthusiasm for space tourists.
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Pipe Dream
Lots of designs sound good on paper, but rigorous testing has a way of weeding out most of them. Rockets/jet engines must function well in very diverse parameters of pressure, temperature, speed, and weather. Most metals turn as brittle as glass when exposed to -40C temperature; highly specialized metals, along with highly skilled labor and equipment, is required to make metals rugged enough.
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yea-but-does it have-a-nail-gun
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No Subject Given
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Re: Pipe Dream
I see the Columbia disaster from a different perspective. While some may see it as evidence of inefficiencies of NASA, I see it as a reminder of the complexities of space travel. While we have the ability to achieve spectacular success, we must not forget that these successes are sometimes interjected by horrific failures. It may be a long time before space travel achieves the safety record that will ultimately build public confidence in the commercial benefits of space travel.
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