Artful Dodger

Comment Threads

• TitanLakes commented on Obama Backs New Launcher and Bigger NASA Budget
  My understanding is that the 2010 budget requires approval by Congress for any changes to the Constellation Program, including terminations. Unfortunately, that means that a large chunk of the 2010 money might just get wasted on doomed programs. I still think Obama hasn't been moving quickly enough. While it's not good to rush too much, I think it would have been better to come out with something before the 2010 budget got passed, and another year got wasted. At the very least, cancellation of Ares I could have been announced a long time ago. Cancellation has looked inevitable for months,...

• Mike Hilton commented on Obama Backs New Launcher and Bigger NASA Budget
  Hummmm, "fly-away maneuver" damaged the tower and would limit launch rate to one or two a year? You're kidding right? Assuming that you're talking about Ares 1-X, the damage on lift off was not to the "tower" it was to some of the systems mounted at the pad. Those particular systems will not be in place when they go back to the "clean pad" concept utilizing umbilical towers and systems mounted on mobile launchers. NASA had excellent results and launch rates when the Saturn V (with more thrust and acoustic energy than an Ares vehicle) was flying from these pads....

• possum commented on Obama Backs New Launcher and Bigger NASA Budget
  Mike, you don't understand. The current drift curve for Ares I, albeit worse case that will probably never happen, has a hard interference with the new ML tower. The Ares I will be required to perform a "fly-away maneuver" to prevent contact with the umbilical tower. This maneuver means the SRB exhaust will gimbal towards the tower in order to push the vehicle away from the tower. This will cause major damage to the systems on the tower. The tower on the ML will be closer to Ares I than the existing FSS was for Ares I-X. We are designing...

• Mike Hilton commented on Obama Backs New Launcher and Bigger NASA Budget
  Sorry "possum" I do understand. The Saturn V performed a similar fly away maneuver from its LUT (and it was closer to the LUT just as the real Ares 1 will be) and it didn't limit the launch rate. If YOU are indeed designing a system that can't handle the pressure from the statistically prevalent scenarios then you're not using sound engineering priciples for the system. Yes the damage was "substantial", two elevators, communications systems, hypergol servicing, etc. BUT these were designed for Shuttle not Ares and since the next Ares launch, with a new LUT, is years away (if...

• hikingmike commented on Obama Backs New Launcher and Bigger NASA Budget
  Pad damage, schmad damage. Does Ares I even need to maneuver away? Wouldn't the tail end actually get closer to the tower when it does/did the maneuver (not to mention point its exhaust at it)? It sure looks that way from the video. It's only around the tower structure for a short time so it doesn't really have time to fly away very much....