They got Orion to the White House as showcase for some Made in America parade: https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/1021088510504316930, pretty strange choice given the service module is built by the Europeans....
Quote from: su27k on 07/23/2018 02:26 amThey got Orion to the White House as showcase for some Made in America parade: https://twitter.com/nasahqphoto/status/1021088510504316930, pretty strange choice given the service module is built by the Europeans....I don't see the service module at all. That looks like the EFT-1 module, which didn't even have a real service module.
Keith's note: And the eager #MadeInAmerica fans left out a paragraph "The Service Module is being built by Airbus Defence and Space." which is, of course, a European company using lots of European subcontractors. The European Service Module (ESM) is a rather crucial part of the overall system. How odd that the Coalition - and NASA - seem to forget to mention this fact in the furry of trying to hop on the latest White House slogan bandwagon.Its also odd, that in the rush to tow piece of space hardware inside the White House gate that no one mentions the wholly American spacecraft being built by the private sector by Boeing, SpaceX, Sierra Nevada, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin. That is the real #MadeInAmerica story. And why wasn't the Commercial Spaceflight Federation invited to participate? Their members have more spacecraft and launch systems #MadeInAmerica than NASA does.
Not sure I understand the backlash.
I would ague the Orion capsule, of which several are being built currently, is much more technically challenging and requires more R&D than the Service Module.
Are you even sure that is a true statement? Did SpaceX or BO even provide any interest on being there? Knowing Trump, the event was likely ill planned without much notice.
There could be many reasons why they did not take part in the event that doesn't include shying away from your (and mine) favorite private enterprises.
As a side note, I agree it would have been nice to see D2, CST-100, DreamChaser there, but bashing NASA yet again for something they literally have no control over is just childish.
Quote from: Khadgars on 07/27/2018 08:02 pmAre you even sure that is a true statement? Did SpaceX or BO even provide any interest on being there? Knowing Trump, the event was likely ill planned without much notice.NASA wasn't in control of the event, so why would you think I'm "bashing NASA"? Weird.
To be honest, I think Trump intentionally did not invite SpaceX and BO because they're considered "liberal" or democrat "companies" if that makes sense. He's shown to be quite petty in that regard.In any case, you can't fault Orion for being there. It's definitely supporting American R&D and manufacturing.
To be honest, I think Trump intentionally did not invite SpaceX and BO because they're considered "liberal" or democrat "companies" if that makes sense. He's shown to be quite petty in that regard....
To be honest, I think Trump intentionally did not invite SpaceX and BO because they're considered "liberal" or democrat "companies" if that makes sense. >
Lockheed Martin engineers wear the goggles to help them assemble the crew capsule Orion—without having to read thousands of pages of paper instructions.
Docking at LOP-G likely isn't the problem. Orion not only has to dock, it also has to manoeuvre space station components around and dock those as well, which I think is the likely reason it's deemed unreliable all of a sudden.
Quote from: Khadgars on 07/29/2018 04:29 pmTo be honest, I think Trump intentionally did not invite SpaceX and BO because they're considered "liberal" or democrat "companies" if that makes sense. >You clearly missed the praise he gave SpaceX & Musk after the Falcon Heavy debut launch. Ars...