The Astronomy Thread

Melvin

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Maybe I'm dumb but I had assumed that if you got it close to a mars orbit it'd be feasible to make it a true satellite of Mars. Interesting to see this guy say that's not realistic.

I'm not exactly a rocket scientist either, but I think the crux of the issue is the quote at 2:00 in the video: "The Falcon Heavy and the Roadster aren't capable of deep space maneuvers, as far as we know."

Mars fly-by : Mars orbit :: passing on the freeway : jumping between two cars traveling at 65 m/h

The latter are significantly more difficult, to put it mildly.
 
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Oldbased

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I'm not exactly a rocket scientist either, but I think the crux of the issue is the quote at 2:00 in the video: "The Falcon Heavy and the Roadster aren't capable of deep space maneuvers, as far as we know."

Mars fly-by : Mars orbit :: passing on the freeway : jumping between two cars traveling at 65 m/h

The latter are significantly more difficult, to put it mildly.
It is the as far as we know part that gets me. SpaceX has a history of testing everything it can and while they tell you 90% of what they are going to try to do before it happens, often they got a few things they don't mention until later because they are not mission critical and looks poorly if they fail, despite being adventurous.
The big issue with the Roadster/final stage is lack of deep space engines I would assume. It is possible either has a prototype engine they designed or took with NASA's blessing that we don't know about, but why mention it until you know it is functioning. Hopefully it isn't the nuclear one NASA just revealed, although what better test but more likely some sort of ion particle engine. I would assume at least, I am no rocket scientist either but I did stay at a Motel 6 last night.
 
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Melvin

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It is the as far as we know part that gets me. SpaceX has a history of testing everything it can and while they tell you 90% of what they are going to try to do before it happens, often they got a few things they don't mention until later because they are not mission critical and looks poorly if they fail, despite being adventurous.


The little model of the Roadster on the dash of the Roadster wouldn't need a very large engine to turn it into a Martian satellite...
 
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Oldbased

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The little model of the Roadster on the dash of the Roadster wouldn't need a very large engine to turn it into a Martian satellite...
Also we don't know it is a fully functional car. No telling what is under those panels hood and rear. Would be awesome if it was a transformer. You just never really know with Musk.
 
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Kiroy

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Also we don't know it is a fully functional car. No telling what is under those panels hood and rear. Would be awesome if it was a transformer. You just never really know with Musk.

My guess would be empty space
 
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Tuco

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Ukerric

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The big issue with the Roadster/final stage is lack of deep space engines I would assume. It is possible either has a prototype engine they designed or took with NASA's blessing that we don't know about, but why mention it until you know it is functioning. Hopefully it isn't the nuclear one NASA just revealed, although what better test but more likely some sort of ion particle engine. I would assume at least, I am no rocket scientist either but I did stay at a Motel 6 last night.
They've also mentioned that the Falcon Heavy is no longer a "main product". It's going to be used for a launch or two per year for special heavy loads direct to GEO, but their new focus is on the Big Falcon Rocket (BFR, you can replace the middle F if you want...) as their interplanetary vehicle.

(as an aside, they're in a bad position with that move, since it's going to further push their capacity to deliver people to the ISS, which is something they're already late for)
 
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Ukerric

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Also we don't know it is a fully functional car. No telling what is under those panels hood and rear. Would be awesome if it was a transformer. You just never really know with Musk.
Well, it's supposed to be Elon's own car. They might have stripped it down, but I doubt it, since they want to test "heavy loads"
 
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Dandain

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Get hype, this might qualify as the most ridiculous thing humanity has ever done if the roadster survives.



 
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meStevo

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Now 3:45pm EST. Current window closes at 4pm.

 
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Regime

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One step closer my little insects.
 
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