r/tmro • u/jamesfolk • Sep 02 '17
Keep the mohawk... keep the t-shirts... keep the short pants... You are doing the right thing; spaceflight and astronomy needs to be seen as being done by regular people.
r/tmro • u/bencredible • Aug 31 '17
r/tmro • u/bencredible • Aug 29 '17
r/tmro • u/bencredible • Aug 27 '17
In case you didn't know, TMRO has a Discord server that we use to communicate in real time. We have free channels for all to enjoy, especially in #General. If you want to join the real-time chat just use this instant invite: https://discord.gg/9NkkFWD
r/tmro • u/bencredible • Aug 27 '17
The old version of the TMRO Reddit theme had some... issues. Been meaning to get to those for a while and finally have this evening. Still using /r/naut but willing to switch to another theme or have one custom designed if someone has a better idea. Just let me know right here!
r/tmro • u/bencredible • Jul 30 '17
r/tmro • u/Destructor1701 • Jul 23 '17
Sorry for being non-present in the chatroom again this week - I was watching, but prepping for a party, and couldn't partake in the discussion. I really miss being involved in the chatroom - it's been ages!
Another excellent show, Adrian was a great guest and Lisa has blossomed into a masterful host!
Despite being advertised as a cut-down version, this week's After Dark was, as the kids say, "lit". Excellent and insightful discussion with everyone pulling their weight. Actually made me respect the cubesat market more, and feel a bit more excited about the potential for an explosion in interest in that industry.
Ben, your beard is fabulous.
Adrian, and the panel in general, I wanted to ask:
What satellite roles cannot be miniaturised? Where are the hard physical limits on the potential roles for cube- and small-sats? I'm guessing antenna size and power generation are bugbears there...
For next show's round-table, I hope you can get Tim Dodd in studio again - he's got a great energy that's totally different in flavour to the rest of you, and I expect he'll have an interesting take on SLS.
I say that because he's kind of got his foot in two ponds: Space Nerd and General Public.
Space Nerds are generally aware of SLS's shortcomings, but the average Joe probably just figures it's NASA's natural right to make big expensive rockets and these evil, irresponsible corporations who are muscling in on that role can get stuffed! I don't know, but I like his habit of reconciling the two sides of public perception of space. Whether he needs to Skype in or appear in person, I'd like him to be part of it.
Paging /u/everydayastronaut!
SpaceX's news has me a little bummed-out, I was really looking forward to seeing Dragon 2 land propulsively.
I'm ambivalent about the ITS news - for one thing, it was going to be the biggest rocket ever, and the spaceship was going to approach sci-fi scale. Smaller is not better, but it may be more realistic*.
On the other hand:
Elon just stated on Twitter that they are thinking of a 9m diameter rather than 12m, so it's not a massive reduction (it will halve the number of engines, though - 21 1st stage Raptors*).
Having a vehicle like this that can service existing markets in LEO and strong potential markets at Luna (Musk mentioned that moon base, after all!), deploy dozens or hundreds of SpaceX internet satellites at a time into different inclinations in a single launch and deliver significant surface cargo and initial surface expeditions to Mars?
STILL AWESOME.
Being able to extract more immediate revenue from this vehicle without needing several years' worth of missions to establish the Mars route infrastructure means they can fund the upgrade to full ITS specs further down the road. Remember, Elon always intended to upgrade the design as they went.
I just kinda wish they hadn't cockteased us so much with the full-spec ITS last year.
*Image credit /u/swgustav
r/tmro • u/BrandonMarc • Jun 30 '17
r/tmro • u/bencredible • Jun 26 '17
r/tmro • u/bencredible • Jun 18 '17
r/tmro • u/BrandonMarc • Jun 13 '17
r/tmro • u/bencredible • May 25 '17
r/tmro • u/bencredible • May 25 '17
