Community Forums => General Chat => Topic started by: Jonnyboy117 on August 18, 2012, 08:37:53 PM
Title: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on August 18, 2012, 08:37:53 PM
I really enjoyed Zach's dinosaur Q&A on the recent Connectivity and would like to do one about spaceflight. First, a few guidelines:
- I can't talk about where I work or what I do for a living, so don't bother asking. - The topics I know best are space suits, human spacecraft, and rocketry. I also know a fair bit about astronaut selection and training, as well as how people live in space. - I don't know a whole lot about astronomy or robotic missions, but I'll try to answer these if they are easy. - I can talk a little about space policy but preferably in a historical sense, not what's going to happen next. - You really don't need me to debunk the Apollo hoax theory. An excellent repository on this idiotic conspiracy theory can be found here: http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/foxapollo.html (http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/tv/foxapollo.html)
Space is a fun discussion topic, and it seems most people are curious about one thing or another. Ask away, and if we hit critical mass then I'll try to record a Connectivity bonus segment with responses.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on August 18, 2012, 08:44:39 PM
How awful are the annual NASA budget cuts?
What is your favorite planet? :3
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: TJ Spyke on August 18, 2012, 09:05:28 PM
I would like to point out that from 2006-2010, the budget for NASA went UP each year (and in 2011 it only went down by about 1.4%). In fact, in the last 30 years the budget has only gone down 7 times. the planned decrease makes sense due to the Space Shuttle program ending.
Kinda silly, but why doesn't NASA use more eco fuel for its rockets?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 18, 2012, 09:27:43 PM
More like how awesome is SpaceX?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Caliban on August 18, 2012, 09:28:11 PM
Jonny works at Area 51.
On a serious note. In regards to Curiosity, the Mars rover. At first I wasn't interested "pfft, another rover in mars, nothing special", but then I was caught surprised by one thing. The rover's deployment process (UFO Crane). It made me happy to think that they would use such a complex plan, or at least with more added risks than the airbag deployment method.
I know what I just typed concerns to robotics, but it relates, so how come we don't see more of these risks taken in regards to space opportunities? It seems that the basic knowledge is there at least in regards to navigating within our solar system, so how come there haven't been any rocketry/spaceship advancements of note that can be readily used? Are there really that more experiments to be done before a leap is done?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on August 18, 2012, 09:53:38 PM
It's nothing like that; I don't even have a security clearance. But in general, I'm not authorized to speak publicly (i.e. outside family and close friends) about my job because the company has legitimate concerns about employees being targeted by competitors and foreign agents. The policy has roots in defense contracting but still covers my program.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on August 18, 2012, 11:43:31 PM
He works for Halliburton.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Kytim89 on August 18, 2012, 11:56:07 PM
What would happen if you wnet into space without a suit?
Would privatizing NASA yield better results that are cheaper? I think a free market appraoch to space travel would get us to Mars a whole lot quicker.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on August 19, 2012, 12:14:43 AM
Unless we find a way to make money by sending people to Mars, we've got a much better chance of getting there on the government's dime than through private industry.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 19, 2012, 12:29:53 AM
Where is the Moonbase that should have started construction years ago? we have to start mining moon water and asteroid minerals.... it would also make launching for further exploration alot easier if we didn't have to fight so much gravity
If we were able to get to the moon "so easily" back in '69, why hasn't been a more frequent thing, especially considering that the computers on the ships back then were less powerful than a current model TI Calculator?
What is a space elevator and how does it work? (it was a goal in Civilazations.... why do we not have one?)
Artificial gravity, is that possible yet without centripetal force?
Sex in space.... has conception been done yet? what about birth?
Aliens... I know they must exist. is there some sort of planetary defense set in place should we actually make contact (assuming it hasn't already happened)?
Why is it that we spend so much time and energy trying to get to Mars (which I fully support BTW), when we still haven't finished exploring the depths of our own oceans?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Kytim89 on August 19, 2012, 12:39:44 AM
Unless we find a way to make money by sending people to Mars, we've got a much better chance of getting there on the government's dime than through private industry.
I am one of those people who believes that the free market is far more efficient with resources than the government. It is of my opinion that had the government defered space exploration to the private in 1969 after the moon landing then we would most likely be sitting on the moon right now, or pretty close to it. Think of it this way: the video game industry is a good example of the free market. If the government was in charge of the video game industry then we would still be playing with Atari 2600s today. That is what NASA is to space technology. They are an Atari 2600 and private space companies could make the industry into a modern game console or PC in the span of a decade.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: TJ Spyke on August 19, 2012, 12:48:50 AM
NASA has created a lot of stuff that the private industry uses, like invisible braces, Scratch-resistant Lenses, memory foam, the Ear Thermometer, shoe insoles, Adjustable Smoke Detector, cordless tools, and water filters. Private space flight exists, but is insanely expensive and is one of the main reasons it's almost all done by governments. There is no way space exploration would be advanced as much as it is if NASA had given it over to private companies in 1969.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on August 19, 2012, 01:05:14 AM
Unless we find a way to make money by sending people to Mars, we've got a much better chance of getting there on the government's dime than through private industry.
I am one of those people who believes that the free market is far more efficient with resources than the government. It is of my opinion that had the government defered space exploration to the private in 1969 after the moon landing then we would most likely be sitting on the moon right now, or pretty close to it. Think of it this way: the video game industry is a good example of the free market. If the government was in charge of the video game industry then we would still be playing with Atari 2600s today. That is what NASA is to space technology. They are an Atari 2600 and private space companies could make the industry into a modern game console or PC in the span of a decade.
Game consoles and space travel are in no way analogous to each other. One is something that can be profitable currently; the other is not. There is no money to be had in any kind of space travel beyond low Earth orbit right now, so the free market would do jack **** with it.
NASA, however, has done amazing things with its relatively tiny budget. The current Curiosity rover is a good example, as is a personal favorite of mine, the Kepler project. Those guys are great at what they do, and are advancing science forward in ways that are only possible this point with the help of governments.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 19, 2012, 01:20:08 AM
I don't think Kytim realized how many patents NASA holds for seemingly everyday things we use now a days. So many things that don't seem space related were actually developed for or researched in space and then found more practical use down here on the surface for our everyday lives.
and a question for the thread starter: What are the top 10 (or 20) things NASA has developed that we take for granted today?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 19, 2012, 01:48:36 AM
Velcro and Tang.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Caterkiller on August 19, 2012, 03:21:38 AM
Anything to say about visitors from outside space?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on August 19, 2012, 03:37:33 AM
Wow, I guess the NASA budget doesn't get cut every year, I wonder where I read that. On the other hand, it is a smaller % chunk of the federal budget about every year, though. I guess that's where the idea came from.
Jonny, do you do any hobbyist rocketeering outside of work?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Kairon on August 19, 2012, 04:58:15 AM
Why did the Space Shuttle use both Liquid AND Solid Fuel Rocket Boosters to launch? What's the difference between the two? What was the thinking in the design for that launch system?
When we send bugs like spiders or ant colonies into space, or even regular plants, what exactly is it that we are learning from those experiments?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 19, 2012, 11:15:37 AM
Say I wanted to build a space station...
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: ShyGuy on August 19, 2012, 11:15:57 AM
This thread is all questions and no answers!
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: lolmonade on August 19, 2012, 11:26:12 AM
Realistically, if we were in a position where we had to colonize a different planet, which planet in our solar system would be most suitable for human life?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: TJ Spyke on August 19, 2012, 11:47:46 AM
From what I understand, Mars would be best. Mercury would be restrict to the ice caps since the other parts are too hot, Venus would have to be floating cities since the surface is too hot and the pressure about 90x greater than Earth, some of the other gas giants would also need floating cities.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on August 19, 2012, 12:29:22 PM
The plan is to gather several questions and record a podcast segment with my answers, like Zach did for dinosaurs on Connectivity. I don't think we'll have to wait long because there are already some great questions here.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on August 19, 2012, 12:52:13 PM
From what I understand, Mars would be best. Mercury would be restrict to the ice caps since the other parts are too hot, Venus would have to be floating cities since the surface is too hot and the pressure about 90x greater than Earth, some of the other gas giants would also need floating cities.
Some of the moons of the gas giants, like Saturn's Titan and Jupiter's Ganymede, would probably be the next best suited to colonization over any of the other planets after Mars.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: bustin98 on August 19, 2012, 05:12:22 PM
Are we legitimately looking to mine other bodies in space? Is it financially feasible to drag minerals from another planet/moon/asteroid back to the Earth or Earth orbit?
How is the space elevator coming along?
Have we looked into long term time desynchronization of extended space flights and possible ways to overcome the differences in time frames?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 19, 2012, 06:19:57 PM
Are you going to put the answers to these questions into a text format that can be read on the forums, or will I actually have to listen to a podcast to get the answers?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: King of Twitch on August 19, 2012, 08:07:01 PM
Will there be commercial space flights under, say, $10,000 in the near future? Even just a quick orbit or two?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Caliban on August 19, 2012, 08:58:51 PM
It's nothing like that; I don't even have a security clearance. But in general, I'm not authorized to speak publicly (i.e. outside family and close friends) about my job because the company has legitimate concerns about employees being targeted by competitors and foreign agents. The policy has roots in defense contracting but still covers my program.
I said that as a joke. I didn't mean to instigate you. I understood what you meant by not being able to divulge sensitive information.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Ceric on August 19, 2012, 10:11:01 PM
What are the different available Rocket Propulsion methods? What are the advantages and disadvantages of them? What do you believe is the viability of ever having a Non-Rocket solutions to travel into space (like the space elevator.) What is the oddest correction you have to make when designing something for space compared to earth? What is the thinnest Viable Space Suit you have seen or have read to theoriticaly work? How's the problem of Bacterial Adaption being being addressed? On the new Race for Private Space, What are there safety exit systems required? What do you believe would be the Single Most important thing the Space community could focus on for the Advancement of All?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on August 21, 2012, 08:51:18 AM
Have you ever made Moonbase Alpha (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv6RbEOlqRo) jokes at work?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: oohhboy on August 23, 2012, 07:15:18 AM
Have you ever made Moonbase Alpha (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv6RbEOlqRo) jokes at work?
What in the Gods....
This comment had me going. "Somewhere in the bowels of the NASA educational center there is a team of people watching for videos like this and making a list. When mankind colonizes the solar system this will be the list of people left behind alongside the cast of Jersey Shore and US congressmen."
I could most answer questions in this thread, but that would be spoiling the party. You will find that most of the seemingly boring questions have some very interesting answers.
Kytim89 posts wants me to do this.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Fatty The Hutt on August 24, 2012, 02:30:11 PM
Is terraforming viable? How would it be done? Could it be done on the Moon?
Where's my jetpack? Why are there not commercially available jetpacks?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Kairon on August 26, 2012, 02:27:19 AM
Who "owns" space? What international treaties govern the use of space?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Halbred on August 26, 2012, 03:19:08 AM
If you had to boil down the challenges of getting people in space to ONE overriding thing, what would it be?
Is anybody going to take a crack at a space station again after MIR?
What other countries besides the US (if any) have a capable, serious space program?
Practically speaking, how important are projects like Curiosity to getting people to Mars? I'm guessing that's the eventual goal. Maybe I'm wrong.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: oohhboy on August 26, 2012, 06:45:57 AM
With the death of Neil Armstrong, what are your thoughts on past space achievements and the future prospects of matching accomplishments or even returning to the moon? As amazing as Curiosity is, are humans now stuck, never to go past Low Earth orbit again without some radical new science or a new Cold War/Space Race?
(http://i.imgur.com/utCpx.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on August 26, 2012, 05:48:30 PM
That customs form is great, isn't it? Of course, they did it for laughs, but it still works nearly 45 years later.
Scott and I are recording this segment tonight. There have been a lot of great questions, and I hope I can cover most of them without running too long. If you didn't get to post earlier, or if listening to the show generates further questions, post them here and maybe we'll do a follow-up sometime.
BnM, I pitched it as a podcast segment in the original post. Maybe you can ask someone to transcribe it for you. Or better yet, just listen to the episode when it's posted!
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: ThePerm on August 26, 2012, 06:57:48 PM
there may be a time where people wouldn't get the humor. Luckily we don't live in that time.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on August 27, 2012, 11:29:00 PM
That customs form is great, isn't it? Of course, they did it for laughs, but it still works nearly 45 years later.
Scott and I are recording this segment tonight. There have been a lot of great questions, and I hope I can cover most of them without running too long. If you didn't get to post earlier, or if listening to the show generates further questions, post them here and maybe we'll do a follow-up sometime.
BnM, I pitched it as a podcast segment in the original post. Maybe you can ask someone to transcribe it for you. Or better yet, just listen to the episode when it's posted!
I'm sure I can tune in and listen. I have headphones for my phone while I'm at work now, so I have plenty of time to listen to stuff. I might even check out an episode of RFN or two just to see what all the hoopla is about. Can you do me a small favor and PM me a link to the podcast whenever it is up. That way i get an email that will lead me directly to it (while I'm at work), otherwise I will probably not get to it while I'm at home.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on September 02, 2012, 01:26:37 AM
I received the PM, I cliked on play and then clicked once somewhere near the last 1/4 of the podcast and landed right at the opening to Space Talk (I might listen to the rest later). Interesting stuff. I might due some catching up at work on other podcast instead of listening to the same old songs on the radio over and over and over again.
I also think 3 of my questions were at least touched on, but 2 of those were directly addressed. Good Stuff.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on September 02, 2012, 01:40:26 PM
As Scott mentioned on the Connectivity bonus segment, we'd like to do another round of this in a few weeks. There are still several good questions we didn't have time to address, but I'm happy to take more in this thread for consideration. Thanks again to everyone who participated -- I hope it was a bit entertaining and not entirely academic. I've actually taught classes on this stuff, so it's hard for me to avoid sounding professorial even though I don't like to.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: oohhboy on September 02, 2012, 05:40:32 PM
Skipped ahead to just listen to this and it is exactly what I was expecting. Nice opener.
I felt you were a little too diplomatic with the privatisation issue in respect that the answer at this time is simply no. I would seriously doubt we would have anything in space had government not taken up the mantle and as you said, worked to a motive that wasn't directly tied to a ROI number that can be calculated on a spread sheet before hand. Depending on your source, the Apollo Program had a Return on Investment for the country as a whole over 20 years to be 14:1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_of_NASA#Economic_impact_of_NASA_funding), meaning for each dollar spent on the Apollo program, the country as a whole benefited by 14 dollars and the on flow from that no doubt continue well into the future, and that is a low ball number. A brief look into the economics of NASA can be found here (http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/economics.html) with differing methods and assumptions drawing differing conclusions.
The benefit not only came from the NASA employees spending their wages in the local economy, but from the technology they developed and because of how NASA was setup, there was an intentional out flow of that technology that was allowed to be commercialised at a heavily discounted R&D cost through the contractors since NASA did the heavy lifting. This had a massive multiplier effect. Like the bullet hell shooters, getting a high score isn't about how many kills you get, but how high you get the multiplier.
Part of the contracting system is there to no doubt put to rest the unfounded fear that government would overrun R&D and technology would be lost if left in a lab. However there is the counter point that NASA might have taken contracting too far and has lost it's edge. With a quick look at the DOD, you can see clearly the pitfalls of taking contracting too far.
Neil Armstrong is one of a rare breed of Hero that represented the best that humanity could offer and he did it with the grace, honor, integrity that is super human. A Universal Hero.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on September 17, 2012, 10:40:11 PM
There are still some good questions I didn't answer yet, but I'm sad to see that listening to the first edition didn't spur new questions here.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on September 17, 2012, 10:42:30 PM
I only have political questions at this time.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: TJ Spyke on September 17, 2012, 10:46:32 PM
A new story came out today about the possibility of warp travel actually being plausible, allowing ships to basically bend space-time and travel about 10 times the speed of light. Your thoughts on it? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49064028/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.UFfgIo1lSug (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49064028/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.UFfgIo1lSug)
Do u think Pluto should be elevated back to planetary status?
Who are some people who most people don't know about, but who have made big contributions to the field of space?
I guess since artificial gravity is still now realistic on a big scale, having a space station like Deep Space 9 won't happen anytime soon?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Kairon on September 17, 2012, 10:50:14 PM
So... are there lots of science fiction buffs at NASA?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: UncleBob on September 17, 2012, 11:39:40 PM
Unless we find a way to make money by sending people to Mars, we've got a much better chance of getting there on the government's dime than through private industry.
I think a private company could make a small fortune sending people to Mars. I can think of a few people in this thread we could send. I could start a Kickstarter.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: TJ Spyke on September 17, 2012, 11:50:31 PM
It would cost about $20 million per person (maybe more, that is how much it cost just to go to the ISS). Not worth it for a private company.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: UncleBob on September 17, 2012, 11:53:44 PM
It would cost about $20 million per person (maybe more, that is how much it cost just to go to the ISS). Not worth it for a private company.
That assumes we care about the conditions under which they travel, if they come back... and if they even really make it there.
How much does it cost to build a giant slingshot and just shoot people into space?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on September 18, 2012, 12:54:45 AM
We still never found out what exactly a "Space Elevator" is and why we don't have one already.
Also what everyday inventions we use today that we have NASA to thank for. especially the stuff that really seems un-space related in anyway whatsoever.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: UncleBob on September 18, 2012, 01:01:31 AM
Not to step on Jonny's toes... but for your Space Elevator research, check out this video:
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on September 18, 2012, 09:50:35 AM
I'm out of questions. I already know everything about space. My dad invented space. I've already been to the moon like, five times.
I guess, uh, what are some far-reaching effects of disasters, such as with Challenger and Columbia, that aren't readily apparent to gas station Joes that don't work in aerospace?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on September 18, 2012, 09:58:58 AM
Oh oh oh. Do you think the reds may have attempted to put a man in space before Yuri Gagarin and never made it public when it didn't turn out so well? Or is that a little too tinfoil hat? Know any cool history along the Russian side of things?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Fatty The Hutt on September 18, 2012, 12:07:00 PM
Unless we find a way to make money by sending people to Mars, we've got a much better chance of getting there on the government's dime than through private industry.
I think a private company could make a small fortune sending people to Mars. I can think of a few people in this thread we could send. I could start a Kickstarter.
Mars as the new Australia. I like that idea a lot.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: ShyGuy on September 20, 2012, 07:26:43 PM
Jonny ain't never been to space. James Bond went to space in Moonraker, let's start a thread asking him questions.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on November 03, 2012, 10:48:16 PM
There may already be enough questions for the next edition, but Scott suggested I bump the thread in case anyone wants to get one in for consideration. We'll probably record soon after the telethon.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Ceric on November 04, 2012, 08:08:27 AM
There may already be enough questions for the next edition, but Scott suggested I bump the thread in case anyone wants to get one in for consideration. We'll probably record soon after the telethon.
I was hoping you were going to refute Shyguy.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on May 14, 2013, 02:06:27 AM
Sorry it's been so long, but we are getting close to recording the next Space Q&A. I'll work with Scott to pull more questions out of this thread, but feel free to add more. There have been many recent space events that would be good topics!
Also, I put an old rocket science quiz online for people to try in advance -- I'm hoping to walk through some of these True/False statements with Scott on the show. I gave these questions to Aerospace sophomores a few years ago, and they are designed to generate discussion for people with little or no knowledge of rocketry.
https://t.co/zlN3b5CZea
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: azeke on May 14, 2013, 02:36:42 AM
Can i try to answer here?
Quote
The common form of Newton’s 2nd Law, F = m*a, does NOT apply (except instantaneously) to a rocket while it is being fired.
If it's being fired then a force is applied to it and law affects it.
Quote
Because of inertia and lack of friction, you can fire a rocket in space once and maintain that acceleration indefinitely after the propellant is all used up.
Inertia keeps constant speed, not constant acceleration.
Quote
The efficiency of a cold gas rocket can be increased by heating up the propellant (i.e. hot gas rocket).
No idea, not big on chemistry, but since no answer is given less points then incorrect one (pretty smart ranking there) and because every question in this sheet seems to be a trick question, i'm gonna go with no.
Quote
Space shuttle launches are environmentally safe because the combustion of liquid H 2 and O2 produces only water.
I thought they still used kerosene as a rocket fuel? And even beside fuel itself, there are user carrier rocket parts and even satellite parts if launch was unsuccessful. I kinda should know, i live here (http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/forums/index.php?topic=40834.msg783518#msg783518). Also weren't there something that each launch pierces ozone layer or something and resulting hole stays for a while? So no.
Quote
Since electric rockets can be powered by solar cells, they can operate (“burn”) indefinitely as long as they stay in the sunlight.
What's electric rockets? I don't think that exists.
Quote
Voyager 1 and 2 are still flying out of our solar system because their nuclear rocket engines are still burning.
Don't remember clearly, but going with sheets overall tone, i'm going with no.
Quote
Exotic rockets like solar sails and orbital tethers have higher theoretical efficiency than any current technology.
Solar wind sails -- what a cool tech! They don't consume any energy and give enough impulse to traverse ship in the system. Too bad it takes centuries to go anywhere. Theoretically -- probably yes cause apart from energy to manage sail you don't spend any energy at all.
Quote
Rocket staging, which involves dumping hardware in flight when it is no longer needed, is an effective means for reducing overall rocket mass and cost.
What does "effective" stands for here? It works. Something with carrier plane and returnable space shuttle that is used in commercial space flights is probably more effective but not very scalable if we want more than a small pod with one person on board... Going with yes, it's effective for now.
Quote
In modern times, the most common use of rockets is for space travel.
Fireworks are rockets too. So are tomahawks in jetfighters and whatnot. Even if we limit to space only, most or the space launches don't carry passengers, it's mostly satellites and then equipment for ICS.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on May 14, 2013, 04:07:27 AM
Tell us all about the Hayabusa probe! I had some Japanese pals tell me about it and how it was a pretty awesome success, and for some reason I hadn't heard of it before then.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: oohhboy on May 14, 2013, 08:44:52 AM
Lets roll.
-The common form of Newton’s 2nd Law, F = m*a, does NOT apply (except instantaneously) to a rocket while it is being fired.
False. As long as any force is acting on it F=ma applies and that includes gravity when it is sitting on the launch pad.
-Because of inertia and lack of friction, you can fire a rocket in space once and maintain that acceleration indefinitely after the propellant is all used up.
False. The lack of any external force acting on the rocket like friction and air resistance is what allows it to keep it's velocity not acceleration. Inertia is the minimum amount of energy required to move an object.
-The efficiency of a cold gas rocket can be increased by heating up the propellant (i.e. hot gas rocket).
True. By heating up the propellent, the exhaust will have more energy than when it was cold therefore produce more force upon exit.
-Space shuttle launches are environmentally safe because the combustion of liquid H 2 and O2 produces only water.
False. While the shuttle itself burns a Hydrogen Oxygen mixture, the solid boosters burn Aluminum.
-Since electric rockets can be powered by solar cells, they can operate (“burn”) indefinitely as long as they stay in the sunlight.
False. Such rockets still require some mass to act as propellent. While very mass efficient, it cannot burn indefinitely.
-Voyager 1 and 2 are still flying out of our solar system because their nuclear rocket engines are still burning.
False. Because there is not external force slowing them down or changing their course back into the system, they continue to "coast" along out of the system. The nuclear batteries power the electronics.
-Exotic rockets like solar sails and orbital tethers have higher theoretical efficiency than any current technology.
False. Solar sails and orbital tethers aren't rockets therefore that measure of efficiency doesn't apply
-Rocket staging, which involves dumping hardware in flight when it is no longer needed, is an effective means for reducing overall rocket mass and cost.
True. A single stage rocket if feasible would have extremely poor rocket mass to payload ratio.
-In modern times, the most common use of rockets is for space travel.
False. Fireworks.
WTF is with this quiz. It's more of an English exam than one about physics.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on May 14, 2013, 12:40:15 PM
Rocket scientists have to use English, too! Actually, I think you see the lawyer-ized wording more because you understand the concepts so well... But you didn't get all of them right, and some of your explanations are wrong even if got for the answer right. ;-)
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: oohhboy on May 14, 2013, 08:44:47 PM
I figured I wouldn't get them all. I was pulling knowledge from 10+ years ago half asleep from a long day. Still not bad. The rocket staging explanation is pretty rubbish since it doesn't actually remotely touch on the physics of staging and why we do it beyond monetary costs. Looking at it now with a night sleep, it's embarssing how many times I use the wrong term. The Exotic rocket question still gets a laugh out of me "They aren't rockets damn it!". But efficiency does apply in the sense that getting mass up an orbital teather to orbit requires a lot less energy/resources than a rocket and a solar sail has 100% efficiency since it expends no energy once deployed to aquire thrust.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: pokepal148 on May 14, 2013, 09:46:10 PM
i demand a rant on all of the conspiracy theories about the space program
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: oohhboy on May 15, 2013, 12:46:24 AM
You want Buzz Aldrin to punch you?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: azeke on May 15, 2013, 02:11:47 AM
i demand a rant on all of the conspiracy theories about the space program
Space program is all faked, and all footage is made in Bollywood, because the earth is flat.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: oohhboy on June 01, 2013, 10:53:04 PM
Finally caught up with the podcast. Nice to know I am not that far behind. 9/10 isn't half bad although I would have scored a little lower (8/10) had I been forced to give long form answers. I really should have caught that first question, but the problem would have been that I couldn't come up with a long form answer. I don't think I have ever done a T/F quiz since maybe primary school. Long form answers is always the norm.
I can't believe you liked the new Star Trek movie. It insults my intelligence and the Trekie in me.
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: pokepal148 on June 01, 2013, 11:26:24 PM
no seriously what is your response to those things
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on June 01, 2013, 11:32:12 PM
Question - who kicks more ass: Commander Chris Hadfield or Cobra Commander?
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: NE_austin on October 04, 2013, 04:42:34 AM
This thread is dead. Maybe I best use some other form of transmitting my questions about space. Or maybe not! Here are my questions about space:
1) Kerbal Space Program. Have you looked into it? Thoughts on how "accurate" it is vs. how "fun" it is? Do you think it's a good way to learn about rocket/orbital mechanics? If you've not touched KSP, you can skip this question.
2) Could you talk about what you actually do at your job?
3) Your thoughts on the Saturn V vs. things like the shuttle's SRBs/main tank, SpaceX's Falcon 9, etc etc. Do you think it remains the most elegant and efficient solution for space travel, given its simplicity? Should we model future rockets after it, or move towards reusable rockets/something else?
Feel free to answer all of these, none of these, or some of these. Thanks to the two of you!
Title: Re: Space Questions for Jonny?
Post by: Ceric on October 04, 2013, 02:10:54 PM
Jonny has answers to those spread out among his massive audio library but it be nice to have those condensed. I do have a question.
By my understanding you particular specialty is Habitats and Life Support. You've mentioned being inspired by the BioDome teams. In light of the recent flooding and wildfires, Could you and how would you build a self sustaining environment that could weather those types of events going on outside of it?
I know this is probably almost the exact opposite of what you are thinking about with space and other planets, no liquid on most other planets and space; no burnable matter on most other planets and in space. I still think it be interesting.
