DailyDirt: Cheaper Rockets Taking Off

from the urls-we-dig-up dept

Rocket science is difficult, but as technology gets better, it looks like more and more people are capable of launching pretty powerful rockets. Private companies are semi-routinely shooting satellites into space, and that capability could be useful for all kinds of applications ranging from scientific exploration... to intercontinental missiles. If hobbyist drones seem like a problem now, wait until more hobbyist rockets are launching into space. After you've finished checking out those links, take a look at our Daily Deals for cool gadgets and other awesome stuff.
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Filed Under: 3d printing, civilian space exploration team, csxt, portland state aerospace society, rockets, space, space exploration, usc
Companies: nasa, rocket lab, spacex, ula


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 31 Mar 2016 @ 5:34pm

    Who will be the first to sell a cheap rocket to North Korea?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 31 Mar 2016 @ 5:59pm

    Also, SpaceX's SuperDraco engine is completely 3D printed.

    Just sayin'.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 31 Mar 2016 @ 7:35pm

    Rocket science is hard?

    Horse puckey. Rocket science is trivial. Here: F = d(mv)/dt
    That's it.

    Rocket engineering is pretty damned hard, not the science.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 1 Apr 2016 @ 9:41am

      Re: Rocket science is hard?

      Try adding the change in vehicle thrust and weight components to your calculations. Agreed, it is more math then science but your simple equation hardly addresses the real world parameters that need to be accounted for.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        John Fenderson (profile), 1 Apr 2016 @ 10:16am

        Re: Re: Rocket science is hard?

        I think that's his point: there's a difference between science and engineering, and "rocket science" as commonly used is incorrect.

        I love a good bit of pedantry. :)

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 1 Apr 2016 @ 6:01pm

          Re: Re: Re: Rocket science is hard?

          Agreed.

          Also, there is a bit of science required in order to predict the change in air density with altitude and its impact upon friction. Also required is an understanding of the corrosive affects of atomic oxygen and how to mitigate it.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 1 Apr 2016 @ 7:20am

    And NASA is now saying that it will cost billions to develop a domestic rocket engine to replace the Russian-built RD-180, which somehow became a critical mainstay of the US military and space program.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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