Humor Random Comments Thread

[Urwumpe]

Is there any active discussion of SpaceX BFR / Starship anywhere here on OF that I am missing? I'd thought the engineering madness of trying to launch and catch a megarocket with chopsticks would get more love here.

Well, it isn't really madness until the idea of a suicide burn comes next to it. Seriously, I think it could work, but I can think of many spectacular ways how it could NOT work. And I don't want to miss them.

I mean, way before we had suitable computers, humans already tried this:

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I mean, way before we had suitable computers, humans already tried this:

I was always partial to the Lockheed XFV-1 myself for the aesthetics:

But, back to my original question ... I'm somewhat surprised by the lack of discussion of Starship here in OF. Just curious why.

 

[jedidia]

There's usually some discussion about it when they blow one up. Right now there's just not much happening...

 

[Thunder Chicken]

There's usually some discussion about it when they blow one up. Right now there's just not much happening...

But there is a whole SLS thread, and there is about as much happening there, maybe less.

I'm not necessarily complaining or anything, but it's just an observation.

 

[Arvil]

That must be really weird to fly, then try to land on the ground behind the pilot.

 

[kuddel]

I think there are enough places that discuss Starship (and/or SpaceX in general).
So I guess many orbiter-forum members think: meh, let's focus on things that are not so "over-covered".

 

[MaxBuzz]

News for real aesthetes
icebreaker "Ural" preparing for the descent scientific platform "Северный полюс" 98% ready

 

[MaxBuzz]

icebreaker construction started project 10510

 

[Urwumpe]

icebreaker construction started project 10510

A nuclear one again? And if yes, what kind of reactor is planned to be used?

 

[MaxBuzz]

A nuclear one again? And if yes, what kind of reactor is planned to be used?

Two RITM-400 nuclear reactors (it's the only way to break 5 meter ice) (on the picture RITM-200)

 

[tl8]

A bit more drama in the tennis. Dropped at 5:52 pm on a Friday afternoon. Not a long weekend though.

 

[jedidia]

So I was looking for a graph drawing tool like yEd, except with some better export options and filtering capabilities. After not finding anything suitable in the freeware market, I start looking at payed software, figuring a couple hundred bucks might be worth it if it's good enough to save me some hassle. Found this yFiles thing that looked interesting. But no prices listed on the products page. I find the pricing page, go through a license wizzard, and get about the cheapest single seat license they have on offer, which is... above 10'000 dollars, without support (support is, like, another 4000 or so)? Either I completely misunderstood what I'm looking at, or these guys are certifiably insane ?

 

[Urwumpe]

So I was looking for a graph drawing tool like yEd, except with some better export options and filtering capabilities. After not finding anything suitable in the freeware market, I start looking at payed software, figuring a couple hundred bucks might be worth it if it's good enough to save me some hassle. Found this yFiles thing that looked interesting. But no prices listed on the products page. I find the pricing page, go through a license wizzard, and get about the cheapest single seat license they have on offer, which is... above 10'000 dollars, without support (support is, like, another 4000 or so)? Either I completely misunderstood what I'm looking at, or these guys are certifiably insane ?

The price sounds right to me. Its like licensing CAD software, which usually also costs you at least a kidney or a leg. (Unless you get FreeCAD).

 

[Fabri91]

Apparently the shockwave of the Tonga volcano has been detected by a barometer at a nearby meteorological center:

 

[Urwumpe]

Apparently the shockwave of the Tonga volcano has been detected by a barometer at a nearby meteorological center:
View attachment 27591

The same happened in Germany. That was a strong explosion.

 

[N_Molson]

Yes tsunami alert in the Pacific Ocean, a 3 meters-high wave was expected.

 

[n72.75]

Anything you can hear in Alaska and New Zealand is a big event.

 

[Urwumpe]

Anything you can hear in Alaska and New Zealand is a big event.

There is also a nice animation somewhere that shows the passage of the shockwave over Germany, Austria and Switzerland by using the standard visualization for the surface pressure on a private weather service.

 

[steph]

Apparently the shockwave of the Tonga volcano has been detected by a barometer at a nearby meteorological center:
View attachment 27591

Yep. As of today, initial shockwave got recorded as it passed the second time around the globe, as well as the one going 'the other way'. Saw some estimates of 150-200 megatons equivalent, but I'm not sure on what they're relying to get that number. Capital city is/was like 40 miles away from that. Not sure how bad the shockwave would have been at that distance, even ignoring the tsunami.

 

[Urwumpe]

Yep. As of today, initial shockwave got recorded as it passed the second time around the globe, as well as the one going 'the other way'. Saw some estimates of 150-200 megatons equivalent, but I'm not sure on what they're relying to get that number. Capital city is/was like 40 miles away from that. Not sure how bad the shockwave would have been at that distance, even ignoring the tsunami.

Right now it looks like a "weak Tsunami" caused most of the damage in the capital, but some of the smaller islands are still cut off from the rest of the world, because one major internet cable failed during the eruption. Lots of ash as well.