Sunday, August 28, 2022

Artemis (Uncrewed Version) To Launch Tomorrow... I Wish The Team The Very Best Of Luck.


Even as I do, and you know I love rocket launches. . . I will renew my concern that Artemis's mission sequence -- ultimately returning human boot-falls, to the lunar surface. . . is not of the same scientific discovery moment as say. . . different, more radical robotic missions into deeper space, to plumb the origin material of our galaxy (and the Universe, more generally).

Of course, if we had unlimited funds to spend in/on space exploration, this all wouldn't matter. But we do not.

We will need to critically evaluate each of the next four proposals, and likely only two will be funded, in full -- in the next decade.

So this moon money could go to completing two more very worthy missions, at lower all in costs -- and likely greater scientific returns.

Now I will hush. . . grinning, just the same: Fly well, Artemis!

नमस्ते
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2 comments:

  1. condorAugust 28, 2022 at 9:27 PM

    ". . .At midnight, NASA TV coverage begins with commentary of tanking operations to load propellant into the SLS rocket. Full coverage begins at 6:30 a.m Monday morning. . . ."

    NASA-TV will have the launch, scheduled for 10:30 AM Eastern.

    Fly well, Artemis!

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  2. condorAugust 29, 2022 at 8:25 AM

    . . . Teams are in a hold in the countdown at T-40 minutes while engineers continue to assess an issue conditioning engine 3, one of four RS-25 engines on the bottom of the Space Launch System rocket’s core stage. Engineers are looking at options to gather as much data as possible. . . .

    Teams also are assessing what appears to be a crack in the thermal protection system material on one of the flanges on the core stage. The flanges are connection joints that function like a seam on a shirt, are affixed at the top and bottom of the intertank so the two tanks can be attached to it. . . .

    The leak may scrub today’s launch.

    More in an hour or two:

    https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/2022/08/29/teams-continue-to-hold-while-data-gathering-continues/

    Namaste. . . .

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