With apologies for being "that guy," (and for being off-topic) Snoopy could also inform their archaeological pursuits:https://omnologos.wordpress.com/2008/10/02/snoopy-the-apollo-lunar-module-awaiting-collection/Quote from: Semmel on 12/08/2017 12:03 pmImagine in about 100M years, some alien civilization finds the solar system. Humans are long gone and extinct. Some ruins on the planets surface are left but nothing major. Some stray satellites are still around, not many since most are kicked out by the moon. Then they find the roadster. First of all.. why would there be a wheeled thing in orbit? Its the first and only clue they get for the shape and physiology of humans since all other sats were robotic and apart from handling tools, nothing would indicate the size or shape of humans. So there is this car, what the hell does it do in orbit? And the aliens find the book in the glove box. Of course, they dont know its a glove box but they find the book there. And they reverse engineer the human culture from that book if its not turned to dust. Ohh dear ohh dear, the misinterpretations!
Imagine in about 100M years, some alien civilization finds the solar system. Humans are long gone and extinct. Some ruins on the planets surface are left but nothing major. Some stray satellites are still around, not many since most are kicked out by the moon. Then they find the roadster. First of all.. why would there be a wheeled thing in orbit? Its the first and only clue they get for the shape and physiology of humans since all other sats were robotic and apart from handling tools, nothing would indicate the size or shape of humans. So there is this car, what the hell does it do in orbit? And the aliens find the book in the glove box. Of course, they dont know its a glove box but they find the book there. And they reverse engineer the human culture from that book if its not turned to dust. Ohh dear ohh dear, the misinterpretations!
A further, but very important, payload detail:
Quote from: gongora on 12/06/2017 02:53 pmThey don't have any permits for communicating with the payload. The most likely explanation for that is an inert payload.That’s true, but it’s possible that the FCC will issue STA (Special Temporary Authority) for short-term TT&C for a few hours to remain in contact with the payload post-SECO; that would at least allow some passive reception of video and stage safing/monitoring as it recedes.
They don't have any permits for communicating with the payload. The most likely explanation for that is an inert payload.
Quote from: Herb Schaltegger on 12/06/2017 03:18 pmQuote from: gongora on 12/06/2017 02:53 pmThey don't have any permits for communicating with the payload. The most likely explanation for that is an inert payload.That’s true, but it’s possible that the FCC will issue STA (Special Temporary Authority) for short-term TT&C for a few hours to remain in contact with the payload post-SECO; that would at least allow some passive reception of video and stage safing/monitoring as it recedes.I have to get FCC certification on new radio designs, and permission to put it into production. But I don't have to get FCC approval for every single radio. I don't have to get FCC permits to make a cell phone call. Once they have FCC permission to communicate with one payload, why doesn't that cover every payload provided they stick to their allotted spectrum?
I am an avid KSP fan and was intrigued with the possibility of launching the roadster to Mars. I simulated such a launch and I do believe that it is possible to actually fly-by Mars. I simulated a 1.3T payload and launched in the afternoon of January 30, 2018. Here is a video of the simulated mission (it uses fairly accurate physics) if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvsZ8MwotqwSo looking forward to the actual launch and wish I could be there. For now, simulations will have to do.
Here's the FCC's GUIDANCE ON OBTAINING EXPERIMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH ACTIVITIES (March 2013)
Quote from: deruch on 12/10/2017 04:29 amHere's the FCC's GUIDANCE ON OBTAINING EXPERIMENTAL AUTHORIZATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH ACTIVITIES (March 2013)Upthread I noted that if there is near-flight hardware for Starlink optical out there, this could provide (in conjunction with a ground station) comms not requiring a licence out to well beyond GEO. Tens of kilobits/s to Mars is plausible.
It's probable that the receiver for the optical comms would require authorization through NOAA (which regulates Earth Sensing satellites). So, while it could potentially avoid having to go through the FCC, in actuality, it wouldn't likely save any effort.
In a way it's a sad end for the roadster. Cars are meant to be driven, rockets are meant to fly. Sending Teslas to space or rockets to display defeats their purpose. Still awesome though, especially as it means I can still get to see a Saturn V, someday, maybe even a roadster if I'm lucky (there is on in a museum in Vienna)