ISS comes together

[bstiff]

Someone sent me this yesterday and I thought it was pretty interesting. Shos the development of the ISS.

http://i.usatoday.net/tech/graphics/iss_timeline/flash.htm

[AntonThaGreat]

Amazing shit.

[fitbabits]

Jesus... That's one impressive piece of kit! Do want (for my orbital retreat).

[DeathtollWRX]

It's great to see it grow over time.
Now if we could only develop warp.

[civil]

Amazing. I just hope it lasts longer than they originally intended. But I can't help but think that it's a mishmash of outdated technology and varying quality. Granted, I haven't read up on it in years so for all I know it's going to be around forever and it's bleeding edge.

Time to Wiki...

[DeathtollWRX]

Like in Armageddon where the Russian guy was up by himself for years and the ship was falling apart?

[Squidbot]

I am living in the fucking future.

[civil]

I am living in the fucking future.
Then I can apologize right now for the inevitable bodily fluid stains all over your carpet?

[BigJonno]

It's missing the follow-on vid where it turns into a giant robot.

[Xerxes]

Ugh... Worse contractors ever. None of this shit was in the blueprints. >_<

http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/blueprints/deep-space-nine-concept-sheet-1.jpg

http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/blueprints/deep-space-nine-concept-sheet-3.jpg

http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/blueprints/deep-space-nine-concept-sheet-5.jpg

We even made some nice mock ups of new shuttles that were to be compatible with the space station.

http://www.cygnus-x1.net/links/lcars/blueprints/deep-space-nine-concept-sheet-2.jpg

But noooooo NASA is still using the old clunker shuttles.

[digitalErich]

Didn't they just attach a new Japanese module this past month or two? I know it happened sometime over the summer only because of an awesome video they released from a camera they attached to one of the solid booster rockets on the launch vehicles.

[bstiff]

Didn't they just attach a new Japanese module this past month or two? I know it happened sometime over the summer only because of an awesome video they released from a camera they attached to one of the solid booster rockets on the launch vehicles.

I think I remember hearing about some addtion to the Kibo lab a little ways back but couldn't find anything on the NASA site. At least they got the ammonia pump working again. I didn't realize the ISS crew is 24 people I thought it was about half that. Sustaining 24 people in orbit is no small achievement.

[Squidbot]

Then I can apologize right now for the inevitable bodily fluid stains all over your carpet?

Keep up, caveman, nobody uses bodily fluids any more. It's all done over the internet.

[Bone]

I think I remember hearing about some addtion to the Kibo lab a little ways back but couldn't find anything on the NASA site. At least they got the ammonia pump working again. I didn't realize the ISS crew is 24 people I thought it was about half that. Sustaining 24 people in orbit is no small achievement.

According to this page (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html), there are only 6 people on it now. I think it used to be only 3 plus whoever was visiting from the shuttle.

[bstiff]

According to this page (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html), there are only 6 people on it now. I think it used to be only 3 plus whoever was visiting from the shuttle.

I guess I misread the NASA page then maybe there are plans to house 24 in the furture. Right now there are only six. Hadn't had my coffee yet this morning.

[MagGnome]

This thing is amazing, yet at the same time quite primitive. When I was younger I hoped to see the day when man would travel the galaxy, but now I'm almost certain I'll be long gone if and when that happens.

[Ink Asylum]

If we had a Space Elevator a space station could be so much more badass.

[Krispy]

This thing is amazing, yet at the same time quite primitive. When I was younger I hoped to see the day when man would travel the galaxy, but now I'm almost certain I'll be long gone if and when that happens.

The classified inertial confinement fusion space ship schematic and material testing design manual sitting on my desk says otherwise. We call it VISTA.

[MagGnome]

Good luck with that. ;)

[bstiff]

The classified inertial containment fusion space ship schematic and material testing design manual sitting on my desk says otherwise. We call it VISTA.

Because it's full of bugs and prone to failure?

[Zero]

Am I the only one that immediately desired a Lego playset?

[MagGnome]

Perhaps you can build one in the upcoming Lego Universe!

[Goronmon]

I guess I misread the NASA page then maybe there are plans to house 24 in the furture. Right now there are only six. Hadn't had my coffee yet this morning.

I assume a line like this might have thrown you off.

The Expedition 24 crew members aboard the International Space Station...

Where 'Expedition 24' is the name of the mission.

[Krispy]

Because it's full of bugs and prone to failure?

It was named 30 years ago, so Windows stole it from us! It stands for Vehicle for Interplanetary Space Transport Application. Clever, right? It's the most advanced and farthest along spacecraft and propulsion system being designed in the world. Beats out NASA's own fusion spacecraft which relies on a totally bunk fusion method. Rumor is the only reason NASA is researching it is because the plans and concept were our Chief of Energy's and he gets to allocate funds for these sort of projects...

You may be interested to know that this method has been proven to be more effective at space travel than anti-matter.

[MagGnome]

Where does the last "A" come in? Shouldn't it be "VIST"? :p

Also, are you making all of this up, or are you serious? I thought you worked in social services or something like that, not space travel.

[Krispy]

Absolutely right, I forgot the "Application" at the end. Social services? What the fuck? I work at a top priority physics laboratory that has the largest laser in the world by over 200 fold. We do some engineering on the side.

[Generation ABXY]

Where does the last "A" come in? Shouldn't it be "VIST"? :p

It's acronym. Vehicle for Interplanetary Space Transport Acronym. Or Applications... your choice.

Happy? :D

Absolutely right, I forgot the "Application" at the end. Social services? What the fuck? I work at a top priority physics laboratory that has the largest laser in the world by over 200 fold. We do some engineering on the side.

Damn, beat me. Also, I think he's confusing you with Santa.

[MagGnome]

Absolutely right, I forgot the "Application" at the end. Social services? What the fuck? I work at a top priority physics laboratory that has the largest laser in the world by over 200 fold. We do some engineering on the side.

Oops, my mistake then. Aren't you a fancy one? :p


It's acronym. Vehicle for Interplanetary Space Transport Acronym. Or Applications... your choice.

Happy? :D

Yes, I likey. :D

[Krispy]

I railed on about it in another thread. I just figured you read everything on this website.

Here's an unclassified diagram:

http://fti.neep.wisc.edu/~jfs/jpg/VISTA.jpg

[MagGnome]

It fires pellets why?

Admit it - it's really just a large fish feeder.

[Krispy]

The pellets are the fuel cells for the fusion. It contains a molecule of duetrium and titrium which the laser will then cause to fuse into Helium and give off a shit ton of energy in the form of radiation and plasma. The plasma is magnetic while super heated and the giant magnet array pushes it out away from the ship creating a propellant that can make the space craft reach around tops 5% the speed of light. Which is really fucking fast.

[MagGnome]

So that gets us to the next star system in how long?

When is this thing being built?

[Krispy]

The next star system? Let me hit you with a dose of reality. That is never happening as long as physics operates the way we understand it.

Edit: For some perspective, even at the super fast speeds we are talking with this spacecraft you are looking at 3.5 years just to get to Pluto. That doesn't count coming back. It would take 23,500 years to get to Alpha Centauri.

Edit 2: To further extrapolate. Even at 10% of the speed of light, it takes ~80 years to go to and return from the nearest star—and it is exceedingly difficult to get any mass up to 10% of the speed of light. The kinetic energy of a dry mass (payload) of M kg traveling at a fraction β of the speed of light c is given relativistically as:

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/8250/kinteticenergy.jpg

We can then compute how long it will take to go one-way to 10^4 AU as a function of β, and how much kinetic energy is involved, as follows:

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/8237/kintetictable.jpg

Good luck getting a propulsion system that will output 4.5277×10^5 jerks/kg let alone sustain it decades or even centuries. (Note: 1 jerk = 10^9 joules)

[MagGnome]

I was kidding about the next star system. I knew as soon as you posted that speed that it wasn't happening.

Still, if it's not possible, why bother at all?

[TheEpicOfTyler]

The next star system? Let me hit you with a dose of reality. That is never happening as long as physics operates the way we understand it.

Edit: For some perspective, even at the super fast speeds we are talking with this spacecraft you are looking at 3.5 years just to get to Pluto. That doesn't count coming back. It would take 23,500 years to get to Alpha Centauri.

Edit 2: To further extrapolate. Even at 10% of the speed of light, it takes ~80 years to go to and return from the nearest star—and it is exceedingly difficult to get any mass up to 10% of the speed of light. The kinetic energy of a dry mass (payload) of M kg traveling at a fraction β of the speed of light c is given relativistically as:

http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/8250/kinteticenergy.jpg

We can then compute how long it will take to go one-way to 10^4 AU as a function of β, and how much kinetic energy is involved, as follows:

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/8237/kintetictable.jpg

Good luck getting a propulsion system that will output 4.5277×10^5 jerks/kg let alone sustain it decades or even centuries. (Note: 1 jerk = 10^9 joules)

You haven't taken time dilation into account!

Can I keep you on speed dial for help in math/physics?

I was kidding about the next star system. I knew as soon as you posted that speed that it wasn't happening.

Still, if it's not possible, why bother at all?

Because, while it may not be convenient for organic lifeforms, we could send robots out into the cosmos to do our exploration. It's stupid to send such fragile lifeforms out in the most dangerous place to do such work. There are so many things out there waiting to kill a human in space at the drop of a hat. Send out self-replicating robots and we'll get a lot more done, a lot more safely.

I speak of intergalactic exploration. Our solar system? There needs to be humans everywhere in this bitch.

[Xerxes]

Soooo what ever happened to those dudes making mini black holes?

Krispy, what are you?

[Wasson_]

Yep, I'm always suprised by how little people know about the prospective uses of fusion for space travel.

In my pulpy "writings/musings" the standard thrust engine for flying vehicles in general is a essentially a blend of magnetic and inertial confinement technologies that use "deuterium particle beams" pulse fired to produce a fusion reaction, then an array of superconductors capture the force of the reaction and produce thrust, magnetically repelling waste plasma away.

Electromotive Pulse Fusion Engine.