Im scared for this space launch

[TPA]

I'm glad to see them back.

There's plenty of retirees around here from NASA and the supporting companies. We've had discussions about Artemis and the consensus is that the whole thing is a political project, political contracts, and NONE of the people I've spoken with in the past year would be willing to fly in it. Myself included.
So much recycled gear & tech from the shuttle program. Keep in mind that's late 1960s/early 1970s technology there. Some upgrades were made over the years, but this is aviation. We do tech upgrades slowly. There are still 747s flying around using 3.5" floppy drives today.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I'm glad to see them back.

There's plenty of retirees around here from NASA and the supporting companies. We've had discussions about Artemis and the consensus is that the whole thing is a political project, political contracts, and NONE of the people I've spoken with in the past year would be willing to fly in it. Myself included.
So much recycled gear & tech from the shuttle program. Keep in mind that's late 1960s/early 1970s technology there. Some upgrades were made over the years, but this is aviation. We do tech upgrades slowly. There are still 747s flying around using 3.5" floppy drives today.

There is one thing I didn't understand. We had good comms all the way to the moon and back, beautiful HD video and pics, but once the capsule was in the water, the dive team couldn't communicate with the capsule even though they were within shouting distance only 100 feet away. The commander even tried a sat phone and that was only offering one-way audio. That was embarrassing. They could've just used bullhorns at that distance.

 

[lampeDépêche]

Their safe return, and the success of the mission, is great news, awesome news. Makes me proud as an American -- and very relieved.
I'll take your word for it that NASA is not as strong as it used to be. But let's face it: NASA was great in an era before people started trying to starve the Federal government, destroy science, scare away the best scientists, and make it impossible to have a career as a scientist for the Federal government.
NASA's budget in 1966 was over 4% of the total US Federal budget; in 2025 it was around 0.35%.
This country can do great things again, by doing what worked back then: support science, support basic research, make our universities the best in the world again, and attract the best talent from all over the world once again, no matter which country they started in.

 

[jtr1962]

There is one thing I didn't understand. We had good comms all the way to the moon and back, beautiful HD video and pics, but once the capsule was in the water, the dive team couldn't communicate with the capsule even though they were within shouting distance only 100 feet away. The commander even tried a sat phone and that was only offering one-way audio. That was embarrassing. They could've just used bullhorns at that distance.

I also don't understand why there's still a blackout period during reentry. When Musk was testing his Starship there was clear video all the way down.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

I also don't understand why there's still a blackout period during reentry. When Musk was testing his Starship there was clear video all the way down.

They must be using different frequencies, or SpaceX is using a more robust modulation method with forward error correction.

 

[jtr1962]

So much recycled gear & tech from the shuttle program. Keep in mind that's late 1960s/early 1970s technology there. Some upgrades were made over the years, but this is aviation. We do tech upgrades slowly. There are still 747s flying around using 3.5" floppy drives today.

I think this has to do with the institutional knowledge of how to go to the moon being lost due to a 50+ year hiatus. So they're just recycling what worked once. This might be fine to go to the moon but the talk of going to Mars in the Orion capsule gives me claustrophobia just thinking about it. For a trip that long with 7 or 8 or 12 people you need something with the interior room of at least a McMansion or people will be constantly in each other's way. And at least 4 or 5 working toilets. They might as well spin it for artificial gravity while they're at it.

Or as an alternative don't go to Mars until we have the propulsion technology to make the trip in a matter of days, not 8 months. That implies some sort of nuclear, either fission or fusion.

I'll take your word for it that NASA is not as strong as it used to be. But let's face it: NASA was great in an era before people started trying to starve the Federal government, destroy science, scare away the best scientists, and make it impossible to have a career as a scientist for the Federal government.
NASA's budget in 1966 was over 4% of the total US Federal budget; in 2025 it was around 0.35%.
This country can do great things again, by doing what worked back then: support science, support basic research, make our universities the best in the world again, and attract the best talent from all over the world once again, no matter which country they started in.

First we need to continue to have ambitious national projects to attract the best people. I used to want to be an astronaut as a kid. I lost interest when we stopped exploring space. Going into low Earth orbit just doesn't have the same appeal as going to the moon, or Mars, or eventually Jupiter or Saturn. The proposed timeline when I was a kid was to have a lunar base by the 1980s, a Mars base 10 years later, and probably manned trips to the outer planets by the early 2000s. It obviously never happened. Instead we spent the money on ever more elaborate machines to kill each other as efficiently as possible. Maybe we should all cooperate instead. We should swap the annual budgets for national defense and space exploration.

 

[jtr1962]

They must be using different frequencies, or SpaceX is using a more robust modulation method with forward error correction.

I know they're using Starlink satellites to rely the transmission. It would be interesting to learn exactly how SpaceX pulled off what NASA hasn't figured out in over 60 years.

 

[Candleometry]

Glad they’re back safe. Watching the reentry and splashdown still amazes me. It may be old tech but it still gets the job done though a little cramped.
Watching Star Wars or other science fiction where people are walking around the craft like they do on earth is funny. We are no where near conquering gravity at that level and the negative effects of being without gravity over time are a huge hindrance. Maybe someday.

 

[bluflaam777]

This country can do great things again, by doing what worked back then: ....

We are still doing great things. Its just that 'the things' have a different purpose now. The cold war is over. Fear was a big driver. National pride. Back then, we were still riding the ego boost of WWII.
Back then we thought that Russia was going to try and take over the world (according to the propaganda) and our only hope was to put a man on the moon first, make more and bigger nukes (I accidently typed nudes lol) ... stepping back and taking a look, how did that make the US better? We still have all of the same problems.

Our hywy system, the internet, our cell phones and netflix, velcro, Ai ... all because of the cold war.
We weren't even thinking about China much. We already had Japan making copies of our stuff. But they were making it much smaller and before long were able to make much of it better than we could.
Then Nixon opened Pandora's Box with China. Thanks Nixon!

I know, I know, the same story just the names have changed.
All the government has to do is convince the general public that whatever it is that the gov wants to do is extremely important for reasons. We still have all the old reasons like national pride and fear but society has drifted into not caring about 'the general public' and mostly only thinks about how they are immediately benefited. Or how they can 'fight' for a cause that makes them feel important.

 

[Candleometry]

We are still doing great things. Its just that 'the things' have a different purpose now. The cold war is over. Fear was a big driver. National pride. Back then, we were still riding the ego boost of WWII.
Back then we thought that Russia was going to try and take over the world (according to the propaganda) and our only hope was to put a man on the moon first, make more and bigger nukes (I accidently typed nudes lol) ... stepping back and taking a look, how did that make the US better? We still have all of the same problems.

Our hywy system, the internet, our cell phones and netflix, velcro, Ai ... all because of the cold war.
We weren't even thinking about China much. We already had Japan making copies of our stuff. But they were making it much smaller and before long were able to make much of it better than we could.
Then Nixon opened Pandora's Box with China. Thanks Nixon!

I know, I know, the same story just the names have changed.
All the government has to do is convince the general public that whatever it is that the gov wants to do is extremely important for reasons. We still have all the old reasons like national pride and fear but society has drifted into not caring about 'the general public' and mostly only thinks about how they are immediately benefited. Or how they can 'fight' for a cause that makes them feel important.

That last sentence is a perfect description of where we are now, and it’s sad. I’m not sure we’ll ever turn it back around unfortunately.

 

[ironhorse]

Felt like 1970's technology all over again after seeing SpaceX.

 

[Candleometry]

Felt like 1970's technology all over again after seeing SpaceX.

I trust NASA over SpaceX. Ultimately, we need both, but just like the Titan sub I wouldn’t get in a SpaceX spacecraft.

 

[jtr1962]

Ultimately, we need both, but just like the Titan sub I wouldn’t get in a SpaceX spacecraft.

+1. I've seen too many of them do a "rapid self-disassembly" (Musk's favorite term) to consider them safe. Maybe after they've had about 10,000 manned launches without incident I'll think about it.

 

[AZPops]

I have no idea what you guys are talking about. We've already been there. ... The following documentary proves it. ... Right?

 

[bluflaam777]

Maybe after they've had about 10,000 manned launches

and you want to experiment with human progress? how?
Oh yeah, robots.

robots driving isn't as fun.

 

[jtr1962]

and you want to experiment with human progress? how?
Oh yeah, robots.

Absolutely until we make it safe enough for humans. No sense pointless risking lives.

robots driving isn't as fun.

I'm looking forward to the day human driving is banned on public roads. 80% or more of the public lacks the ability to safely drive regardless of training. The perks which will get people to accept robotic driving are far greater safety, freedom from traffic jams, and much higher highway speeds. Most trip times will be cut in half or better. For those of us who walk or bike, robotic driving will mean no more traffic signals. So yeah, bring on AI driving! The sooner the better.

 

[Candleometry]

Absolutely until we make it safe enough for humans. No sense pointless risking lives.

I'm looking forward to the day human driving is banned on public roads. 80% or more of the public lacks the ability to safely drive regardless of training. The perks which will get people to accept robotic driving are far greater safety, freedom from traffic jams, and much higher highway speeds. Most trip times will be cut in half or better. For those of us who walk or bike, robotic driving will mean no more traffic signals. So yeah, bring on AI driving! The sooner the better.

Won’t happen in our lifetime.

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

Won’t happen in our lifetime.

Anything is possible when you're delusional.

 

[Candleometry]

Anything is possible when you're delusional.

Some people call them Dreamers.

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

Some people call them Dreamers.

Those guys are nuts, too.