First of all, you can't get into stable orbit ballistically; you have to use a rocket motor at apogee of ballistic trajectory, at the least.
Also, we do have clear examples of electronics (from the 60's...) surviving launch to half of orbital velocity from a modified big naval cannon (Project HARP). And that's more or less a "normal" cannon, very short, very high acceleration. Look up V-3; such design can maintain almost constant acceleration, close to average one, and be hypothetically several kilometers long.
So why don't we go totally overboard, and assume a barrel length of 30km; and close to half of orbital velocity (so it will be easier, since there's ^2 in this part of equation;p) - 3.5 km/s. From simple calculations that gives 20 g. Definitely bearable, as far being launched from a cannon into space goes. With 5 km/s you have 42 g.
Yes, widely unpractical and even...stupid. But I didn't actually suggest using it for humans, just said that it might be almost bearable.
The man doesn't seem like a quack to me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_HARP Also, the only mentioned test wasn't exactly a failure what I see; it just revealed some problems, which is understandable with such project.
Space shuttle is horrible at carrying massive amounts of cargo - it does 20-something tonnes of payload to LEO, which is in line with other big launchers we have today (but they don't have to waste fuel to launch airframe that is used only in the atmosphere, largely useless for most of the mission), and far less than what Saturn V or Energia were capable of.
Yes gents, Saddam Hussein could have given us cheap access to space ensuring new area of prosperity for mankind, and era of space colonization...and we killed him!
PS. If a supergun has a basic design similar to German V-3, it might be almost bearable to humans...
Slow down a bit with the last part, Russians would like to use their modules, after detaching them, as a starting point for "Mir 3" (3 because Russian part of the ISS is composed of what was supposed to become Mir 2, essentially). Or so they say lately...
While ISS would perhaps have problems with some of the more powerful rocket engines available, it certainly doesn't require thrust characteristic of ion drive to maintain structural integrity.
After all, it was boosted by Progress, ATV or Shuttle many times. While they were attached only by the airlock. With the vector of force not positioned optimally too, probably....which doesn't of course change the fact that using ISS outside of the protective magnetosphere, far from Earth, is not a good idea.
Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter would have a hard time anyway, with its usage of nuclear reactor...
As for ISS - remember toilet breakage? Problems with old treadmill necessitating designing and sending Colbert? Such simple stuff..and yet we are far from getting things really right when it comes to space travel - better try in LEO. Deep space differs mostly in radiation and engine parts, and we can model those easily.
Though if ESA members want the extension to happen, they should be fully prepared for associated costs (perhaps Russia too - it pushes away the need for their next, already planned, space station; conserving funds)
Renting one module for reality show might help...;)
With the station complete, needing only resupply that will be provided by Russian, European or US commercial launches (I'm hearing NASA wants to mostly buy the flights from them, as far as resupply goes), perhaps even Japanese cargo launcher, where's the really big problem in extending ISS life?
The worse thing for NASA then would be facing responsibility for the final fate of their modules - but I'm sure a deal "you can use them as long as you will properly deorbit them" (ESA and Roskosmos are certainly capable of this) isn't a problem?
What is innovative about 3D & FPS?... (BTW that genre owns much of its success to how easy it can show shiny gfx; which in itself is a bad thing usually, IMHO - takes away the focus from other aspects of games; makes for example 1st gen games on any console shitty & mostly about gfx)
Similarly with peripherals (c'mon, you know well that in practice we're stuck mostly with mouse & keyboard game mechanics on PCs...;/ ) or even "LAN" to a degree - there was a time when link cables were relatively practical, even with the requirement of two TVs, in comparison to the practicality of having two PCs in one place; and there's multiplayer mode almost not existing on PCs - all players using one screen.
This attitude of "I'm not worried about it, I'll be dead by the time it gets bad anyway" is one of the most destructive things that impacts humanity.
Especially disgusting if held by people also holding dear "intellectual and moral demise of youth will doom the civilization", which do happen way too often for my taste.
Some powers might see that as a good thing. Those without the capabilities to put up large fleet of satellites for example. Or, OTOH, those with big enough rockets, secure enough launch pads and good enough sensors; not limiting them to LEO.
The impact on the station was an issue major enough that any possible test firings occurred without any crew on board. Rumor has it there was quite a bit of noise and vibration associated with firing.
Launching small projectiles around the Moon would be very ineffective use of lifting capability of your rocket - because they would generally hit the area of interest only once.
It is much more sensible to launch your payload into LEO and detonate it there in controlled fashion (in a way that will spread the balls quickly but not direct larger number of them towards the atmosphere). After that they will stay in place, with many, MANY more potential for impacts. Plus there can be much more of them, without the energy waste of circumlunar flight.
Oh, and don't just use ball bearings, they reflect quite good light and radar.
Kessler Syndrome is actually not so dramatic, I imagine. It likely won't stop exploration and exploitation of space, only of LEO; if you want to send something further, that object will stay very short time in Kessler Syndrome affected LEO, so the probability of collision might be acceptably low.
What it will certainly do, is locking out from meaningful exploration countries without very powerful rockets (needed for quick escape of big cargo out of LEO; especially if Earth-observing satellites need to have bigger, heavier instrumentation to perform adequately) and/or safe land area to launch them (especially since big one is much easier to notice and shut down). Useful thing for few biggest players...new area for what would be essentially imperialist expansionism?
Accidentally, many places in Africa (so South Africa too, probably, especially with their number of immigrants from across the continent) still experience hunts for supposed witches .
Well, Roomba, Electrolux Trilobite and their ilk are all vacuum cleaners; and immensely more useful than some early "humanoid robots" made mostly to propel typical vacuum cleaners (really, I remember at least one photo of such useless beast) - which is BTW all the more bizarre considering that in their time (60's or 70's) it would be trivial to build a Roomba.
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First of all, you can't get into stable orbit ballistically; you have to use a rocket motor at apogee of ballistic trajectory, at the least.
Also, we do have clear examples of electronics (from the 60's...) surviving launch to half of orbital velocity from a modified big naval cannon (Project HARP). And that's more or less a "normal" cannon, very short, very high acceleration. Look up V-3; such design can maintain almost constant acceleration, close to average one, and be hypothetically several kilometers long.
So why don't we go totally overboard, and assume a barrel length of 30km; and close to half of orbital velocity (so it will be easier, since there's ^2 in this part of equation ;p) - 3.5 km/s. From simple calculations that gives 20 g. Definitely bearable, as far being launched from a cannon into space goes. With 5 km/s you have 42 g.
Yes, widely unpractical and even...stupid. But I didn't actually suggest using it for humans, just said that it might be almost bearable.
The man doesn't seem like a quack to me: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_HARP
Also, the only mentioned test wasn't exactly a failure what I see; it just revealed some problems, which is understandable with such project.
(and y'know, I was aiming more at Funny...)
Space shuttle is horrible at carrying massive amounts of cargo - it does 20-something tonnes of payload to LEO, which is in line with other big launchers we have today (but they don't have to waste fuel to launch airframe that is used only in the atmosphere, largely useless for most of the mission), and far less than what Saturn V or Energia were capable of.
You have next door neighbor whose mutt is shitting projectiles at 13,000 mph?
Finally, the problem of cheap space access resolved!
Don't be so harsh, such error is now completely understandable; Iran is the new boogie man.
Since some of the largest cannons were essentially upside-down rockets...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V-3_cannon - projectiles got their boost from a series of solid rocket motors, not explosives.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Babylon
Yes gents, Saddam Hussein could have given us cheap access to space ensuring new area of prosperity for mankind, and era of space colonization...and we killed him!
PS. If a supergun has a basic design similar to German V-3, it might be almost bearable to humans...
Slow down a bit with the last part, Russians would like to use their modules, after detaching them, as a starting point for "Mir 3" (3 because Russian part of the ISS is composed of what was supposed to become Mir 2, essentially). Or so they say lately...
I wonder what else can be salvaged ;)
While ISS would perhaps have problems with some of the more powerful rocket engines available, it certainly doesn't require thrust characteristic of ion drive to maintain structural integrity.
After all, it was boosted by Progress, ATV or Shuttle many times. While they were attached only by the airlock. With the vector of force not positioned optimally too, probably. ...which doesn't of course change the fact that using ISS outside of the protective magnetosphere, far from Earth, is not a good idea.
Looks more Combinish to me...
Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter would have a hard time anyway, with its usage of nuclear reactor...
As for ISS - remember toilet breakage? Problems with old treadmill necessitating designing and sending Colbert? Such simple stuff..and yet we are far from getting things really right when it comes to space travel - better try in LEO. Deep space differs mostly in radiation and engine parts, and we can model those easily.
Though if ESA members want the extension to happen, they should be fully prepared for associated costs (perhaps Russia too - it pushes away the need for their next, already planned, space station; conserving funds)
Renting one module for reality show might help... ;)
With the station complete, needing only resupply that will be provided by Russian, European or US commercial launches (I'm hearing NASA wants to mostly buy the flights from them, as far as resupply goes), perhaps even Japanese cargo launcher, where's the really big problem in extending ISS life?
The worse thing for NASA then would be facing responsibility for the final fate of their modules - but I'm sure a deal "you can use them as long as you will properly deorbit them" (ESA and Roskosmos are certainly capable of this) isn't a problem?
Yeah, but the Morse guy is using one button. That means he's cheating!
Apple might have been on to something after all...
What is innovative about 3D & FPS?... (BTW that genre owns much of its success to how easy it can show shiny gfx; which in itself is a bad thing usually, IMHO - takes away the focus from other aspects of games; makes for example 1st gen games on any console shitty & mostly about gfx)
Similarly with peripherals (c'mon, you know well that in practice we're stuck mostly with mouse & keyboard game mechanics on PCs... ;/ ) or even "LAN" to a degree - there was a time when link cables were relatively practical, even with the requirement of two TVs, in comparison to the practicality of having two PCs in one place; and there's multiplayer mode almost not existing on PCs - all players using one screen.
Sound to me like he needs to go outside more often...
(as for your PC suggestion I would add that large portion of releases making gaming on PC interesting is not about gfx...)
This attitude of "I'm not worried about it, I'll be dead by the time it gets bad anyway" is one of the most destructive things that impacts humanity.
Especially disgusting if held by people also holding dear "intellectual and moral demise of youth will doom the civilization", which do happen way too often for my taste.
Oh my, you really had me there...
Some powers might see that as a good thing. Those without the capabilities to put up large fleet of satellites for example. Or, OTOH, those with big enough rockets, secure enough launch pads and good enough sensors; not limiting them to LEO.
The impact on the station was an issue major enough that any possible test firings occurred without any crew on board. Rumor has it there was quite a bit of noise and vibration associated with firing.
Launching small projectiles around the Moon would be very ineffective use of lifting capability of your rocket - because they would generally hit the area of interest only once.
It is much more sensible to launch your payload into LEO and detonate it there in controlled fashion (in a way that will spread the balls quickly but not direct larger number of them towards the atmosphere). After that they will stay in place, with many, MANY more potential for impacts. Plus there can be much more of them, without the energy waste of circumlunar flight.
Oh, and don't just use ball bearings, they reflect quite good light and radar.
Sorry, EN is my 3rd language, and with this you sometimes get such linguistic atrocities...
Kessler Syndrome is actually not so dramatic, I imagine. It likely won't stop exploration and exploitation of space, only of LEO; if you want to send something further, that object will stay very short time in Kessler Syndrome affected LEO, so the probability of collision might be acceptably low.
What it will certainly do, is locking out from meaningful exploration countries without very powerful rockets (needed for quick escape of big cargo out of LEO; especially if Earth-observing satellites need to have bigger, heavier instrumentation to perform adequately) and/or safe land area to launch them (especially since big one is much easier to notice and shut down). Useful thing for few biggest players...new area for what would be essentially imperialist expansionism?
Accidentally, many places in Africa (so South Africa too, probably, especially with their number of immigrants from across the continent) still experience hunts for supposed witches .
Or "witchcraft" generally, for that matter.
Well, Roomba, Electrolux Trilobite and their ilk are all vacuum cleaners; and immensely more useful than some early "humanoid robots" made mostly to propel typical vacuum cleaners (really, I remember at least one photo of such useless beast) - which is BTW all the more bizarre considering that in their time (60's or 70's) it would be trivial to build a Roomba.