-
#20
by
Tuts36
on 08 Sep, 2014 02:03
-
That SpaceX is even disrupting the culture of the spaceflight community is telling.
Thanks for the great opening post and NSF site entirety, Chris -- and patient, patient mods, too!!!
Grab a towel; let's go...
It just oc-
curd to me that this was a well-hidden cheesy pun! Well done sir
-
#21
by
Lar
on 08 Sep, 2014 02:26
-
That SpaceX is even disrupting the culture of the spaceflight community is telling.
Thanks for the great opening post and NSF site entirety, Chris -- and patient, patient mods, too!!!
Grab a towel; let's go...
It just oc-curd to me that this was a well-hidden cheesy pun! Well done sir
Wow, you're right! Gouda-n you for spotting that one!
It's threads like this where the only-like-posts-every-120-seconds restriction annoys the Shinjuku noodles out of me.
Just read reallly, REALLLLLLYY S L O O O O W W W L Y ....
-
#22
by
Mongo62
on 08 Sep, 2014 02:32
-
I'm not an engineer, but I've been a fan of human spaceflight since I was a boy during the early days of Project Mercury. I watched all the launches on live black-and-white television. The decades since Apollo have been an ordeal of frustration and disappointment for me, despite the many extraordinary scientific achievements in space exploration using probes and robotic technology. The ISS has been an expensive underachiever, and the Shuttle failed to live up to the promise of reusability and low-cost access to space. In forty years, humankind hasn't gone anywhere beyond LEO! That's not what I and many people in my generation imagined would happen. Now comes SpaceX, and the dream has come alive again. I am absolutely addicted to this site. It's a privilege for a non-technical person such as myself to listen in to what informed technologists and space industry insiders are thinking and talking about, especially as pertains to the brilliant plans of Elon Musk and his team of creative designers, engineers, technicians, and administrators. I just hope I'm around to see the BFR blast off, carrying the first crew on the MCT to the Red Planet. What a day that will be! Ad Astra!
Just about exactly what he said. 
Ditto for me. It's obvious that many of the people posting at NSF were first hooked on spaceflight in the 1960s. I don't know what fraction of people here remember, like me, watching Neil Armstrong stepping onto the Moon on live television, but it must be quite high. I surely never thought back then that Apollo would represent the high water mark of human spaceflight for half a century afterwards. The STS as built, while an impressive work of engineering, was a costly and needless detour, in my opinion. The ISS was impressive, but not the equal of Apollo/Skylab. But if Elon manages to succeed in his goal of rapid, low-cost reusability, for both launchers and spacecraft, that would truly be "one giant leap for mankind". And that's just the first leap! The BFR/MCT combo would be another, even if it is never actually used to go to Mars. There are plenty of other destinations that it would put into reach, such as the asteroids (which I personally think are much more practical than Mars from a colonization standpoint).
The bottom line for me is that Elon Musk is one of those rare figures that has accomplished, and will probably continue to accomplish, immense things for the benefit of humanity, in multiple fields (SpaceX, Tesla, Solar City -- all are likely to be of considerable positive signifiance in the 21st century future). Call me a SpaceX fanboi if you want, I will accept it as the compliment it is.
-
#23
by
wannamoonbase
on 08 Sep, 2014 02:38
-
I love watching any rocket launch. And didn't miss a single one in the time I worked at CCAFS from Dec 99 to Jun 02.
But the SpaceX ones are interesting for a multitude of reasons. The 9 engines always amazes me and gets me giddy about the Falcon Heavy. But what I find really exciting is they thing big and try things. Most space technology in my lifetime, I'm 41, has been dull. Minus the Hubble servicing missions! the shuttle was amazing but without an inspiring goal. And almost all NASA led development efforts died before flying.
But SpaceX rounded up a bunch of smart crazy guys and said 'Go!' And with a fraction of the money have done a huge amount. They've been around awhile but started with nothing.
I look at them and their accomplishments like compound interest in investing. Like a snowball rolling down hill. Each capability and accomplishment allows the next step. I think they are just at the start of showing what maybe possible. It's going to be exciting to see what they can do in the next 10 years.
I don't think they'll be sending people to Mars but I'm an unabashed Lunar-nut
Edit: PS: I treasure this site, love the quality of content and check it each morning. Thank you Chris and Mods!
AD ASTRA!
-
#24
by
dglow
on 08 Sep, 2014 02:41
-
It's threads like this where the only-like-posts-every-120-seconds restriction annoys the Shinjuku noodles out of me.
Alright, since Antares brought it up... (and this
is a party thread, so nothings really OT, right?)
The 120s rule is obnoxious, and several of us seem to agree. If it were to be changed, what might a sensible new value/rule be?
I'll start...
A) 3 likes per 120s in a given thread (if possible)
B) 1 like every 30s globally
-
#25
by
darkenfast
on 08 Sep, 2014 03:18
-
I joined in October, 2005. My own experience is similar to many others here: the triumph of Apollo, and the hope that we would just keep on going. I believe that our last best hope towards really getting off the planet and getting out there lies not in politicians, but in people like Musk. Governments will jump on board, and politicians may try to grab the credit, but without the practical visionary, they are nothing.
"An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications" Robert Heinlein
Sheesh, it's too early in the party for this! Where that lampshade?
-
#26
by
AndrewM
on 08 Sep, 2014 03:49
-
For as long as I can remember I have loved space, space exploration, and space travel.When I heard the Shuttle program I was very sad until in one of my classes I had first heard of SpaceX. Until a few months ago my primary space news site was nasa.gov then when I was accepted into the Texas High School Aerospace Scholars program through JSC and I had to begin a bunch of research I stumbled across NSF. Since then I have been hooked and I spend so much time on the forums. Thanks Chris for creating this site and keeping us all up to date.
-
#27
by
Kabloona
on 08 Sep, 2014 04:04
-
-
#28
by
StealerofSuns
on 08 Sep, 2014 04:08
-
I'm a freshman in Mechanical Engineering right now, and I have been following SpaceX and spaceflight happenings in general since I was in the seventh grade. I'm looking to transfer to a university with Aerospace engineering within the next year or so. It's thrilling to finally be a step closer towards being a part of the future. Working for SpaceX is my dream, and this site has been inspiring.
-
#29
by
deruch
on 08 Sep, 2014 05:36
-
Are they still going through with launching the rats/mice on this mission?
First SpaceX flys a Dragon with a Cheese wheel and no mice,
then they fly a Dragon with 40 mice and no cheese wheel. Can't we have a little bit of coordination here? 
Added to SpaceX's future launch schedule: test flight of a mouse strapped to a cheese discus in the hopes of catching a dragon.
-
#30
by
DJPledger
on 08 Sep, 2014 07:24
-
It's threads like this where the only-like-posts-every-120-seconds restriction annoys the Shinjuku noodles out of me.
Alright, since Antares brought it up... (and this is a party thread, so nothings really OT, right?)
The 120s rule is obnoxious, and several of us seem to agree. If it were to be changed, what might a sensible new value/rule be?
I'll start...
A) 3 likes per 120s in a given thread (if possible)
B) 1 like every 30s globally
I agree, should allow 1 like every 30 seconds.
-
#31
by
guckyfan
on 08 Sep, 2014 07:37
-
I'm not an engineer, but I've been a fan of human spaceflight since I was a boy during the early days of Project Mercury. I watched all the launches on live black-and-white television. The decades since Apollo have been an ordeal of frustration and disappointment for me, despite the many extraordinary scientific achievements in space exploration using probes and robotic technology. The ISS has been an expensive underachiever, and the Shuttle failed to live up to the promise of reusability and low-cost access to space. In forty years, humankind hasn't gone anywhere beyond LEO! That's not what I and many people in my generation imagined would happen. Now comes SpaceX, and the dream has come alive again. I am absolutely addicted to this site. It's a privilege for a non-technical person such as myself to listen in to what informed technologists and space industry insiders are thinking and talking about, especially as pertains to the brilliant plans of Elon Musk and his team of creative designers, engineers, technicians, and administrators. I just hope I'm around to see the BFR blast off, carrying the first crew on the MCT to the Red Planet. What a day that will be! Ad Astra!
Describes my position perfectly.
Now comes SpaceX, and the dream has come alive again.
-
#32
by
Beittil
on 08 Sep, 2014 09:00
-
Signed up just to say I love NSF & forums
Keep up the good work!
-
#33
by
Stellvia
on 08 Sep, 2014 09:12
-
Cheese will have to wait. Elon is on a ramen pilgrimage.
Elon is a secret FSM worshipper?
-
#34
by
CuddlyRocket
on 08 Sep, 2014 09:13
-
Signed up just to say I love NSF & forums Keep up the good work!
Welcome to the forum! The good work is mainly done by members posting, so I encourage you to step right up ...
-
#35
by
Jet Black
on 08 Sep, 2014 09:19
-
Cheese will have to wait. Elon is on a ramen pilgrimage.
Elon is a secret FSM worshipper?
Everyone has a Ramen shaped hole in their heart. You think the cylindrical shape of the arteries and veins being the same cylindrical shape as noodles is coincidence? think again!
-
#36
by
jdnz82
on 08 Sep, 2014 09:47
-
It took me far too many seconds to figure out/remember what you were on about with that cheese bit - bit I got there!
As the above 3 pages have mentioned - excellent first post Chris its really good to see your passion about things and i duno this shows it more than anything else i've read.
So firstly - thanks for all your efforts, and secondly - this is the perfect time to reintroduce: Biker Mice from mars!
-
#37
by
Chris Bergin
on 08 Sep, 2014 12:21
-
Some really great comments in here. I really appreciate them all!
-
#38
by
wannamoonbase
on 08 Sep, 2014 19:10
-
Anyone else want to play, guess the launch date?
I going to pick Sep 29.
-
#39
by
guckyfan
on 08 Sep, 2014 19:40
-
Anyone else want to play, guess the launch date?
I going to pick Sep 29.
How about Sept. 19?
Keep up the good work!