Quake3World

Transient wrote:

seremtan wrote:on a related note: anyone read Seveneves by Neal Stephenson?

can recommend for people interested in space stuff that's grounded in real science

I loved that book! They're turning it into a movie.

no fucking way! it's a mini-series, not a fucking movie

at least if ron howard is involved it won't suck... too much?

https://deadline.com/2016/06/seveneves- ... 201769130/

Transient wrote:FWIW I think a private venture will get a manned mission to Mars first, but NASA's not a bunch of chumps. They have 20 years to figure it out.

I've been impressed with Space X mind, particularly in recent years which is a change in opinion for me. I just don't think private ventures will help fuel science if only because of what happened to NASA during the lunar missions, and I don't think Elons pockets run deep enough for that. All funding thus far is from government. We also need to consider that the government are funding projects (such as Orbital) that have pretty slim chances of a viable company (I think Orbital actually use obsolete refurbished, 2nd hand engines). Seems like a waste of funds that can be directed somewhere else. I'm not saying it's hugely damaging, I havn't looked much into how the funds are appropriated, I just think it's a point of interest.

The BFR rumoured figures puts it at 6x the payload of the Saturn V to Mars, if that's achievable then the forces involved with launching that thing is gonna be incredible, maybe enough to rip a hole through space . 250 tons to Mars !

I've heard many good things about Seveneves n all, the plot sounds epic. I look forward to the show

seremtan wrote: no fucking way! it's a mini-series, not a fucking movie

at least if ron howard is involved it won't suck... too much?

https://deadline.com/2016/06/seveneves- ... 201769130/

Last I had heard, it was potentially going to be a trilogy.

I fucking love hard science.

If you're a fan of Adam Savage from Mythbusters, he did a podcast about the book last year with Will Smith (not that Will Smith).

[youtube]8wx6PW7wBoo[/youtube]

Apologies if I missed someone else mentioning this, but have you seen the plan from this Russian billionaire?

http://www.businessinsider.com/starshot ... net-2016-8

Was briefly mentioned in that vid I posted, was the 1st I heard about it . I think I'm right in saying with it being 4ly away it would take 4 years for signals to reach us ?. Cool as cucumber yo.

No one else concerned about a Russian billionaire building space lazers ?

losCHUNK wrote:Was briefly mentioned in that vid I posted, was the 1st I heard about it . I think I'm right in saying with it being 4ly away it would take 4 years for signals to reach us ?. Cool as cucumber yo.

No one else concerned about a Russian billionaire building space lazers ?

Ground based lasers shooting an ever decreasing in size target? I don't know about that
[lvlshot]http://static.businessinsider.com/image/570d38f952bcd01d7b8bbffd-1200/image.jpg[/lvlshot]

The Earth spins too

EDIT: Increasing to decreasing

xer0s wrote:Apologies if I missed someone else mentioning this, but have you seen the plan from this Russian billionaire?

http://www.businessinsider.com/starshot ... net-2016-8

The article mentions another book I read and loved from last year, because they used lasers to propel a generation ship to Tau Ceti, like Milner's Startshot plan does. It's another really good hard science novel.

Interesting read re the generation ship space travel Transient

The possibility of breakdowns in social structures but the bit about Technological progress especially the Wait Calculation where travelers expect to be overtaken by later travelers who have faster speeds

If a generation ship is sent to a star system 20 light years away, and is expected to reach its destination in 200 years, a better ship may be later developed that can reach it in 50 years. Thus, the first generation ship may find a century-old human colony after its arrival at its destination.

I am hoping that at least someone got there

Whiskey 7 wrote:

losCHUNK wrote:Was briefly mentioned in that vid I posted, was the 1st I heard about it . I think I'm right in saying with it being 4ly away it would take 4 years for signals to reach us ?. Cool as cucumber yo.

No one else concerned about a Russian billionaire building space lazers ?

Ground based lasers shooting an ever decreasing in size target? I don't know about that

The Earth spins too

EDIT: Increasing to decreasing

Lol aye, I thought I shit on enough private ventures in this thread

Earth spinning I don't think is much of an issue compared to things like penetrating our atmosphere, or - protecting a little biddy robot from radiation. The Curiosity rover lost half its memory and very nearly fired a thruster (ending the mission) thanks to radiation bursts and something called 'bit flips', that was before reaching Mars. Over 20 years this things gonna look like my over microwaved noodles.

I know NASA has invested a shit ton of time and energy trying to think of new ways to protect craft n all.