The Astronomy Thread
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Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!
Go here and give us your nominations!Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!
Kiroy
Marine Biologist
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probably expecting too but need vid and data of its destruction to see exactly where they need to add strength
Lambourne
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
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Elon in response to the above:
Since your handle is “Whole Mars”, perhaps this lengthy reply is apropos: Getting the cost per ton to the surface of Mars low enough that humanity has the resources to make life multiplanetary requires a roughly 1000X improvement in rocket & spacecraft technology. Recent US Mars missions have had a cost per ton of useful load to the surface of Mars of about $1B. Moreover, it has become more, not less, expensive over time!
To build a city on Mars that can grow by itself likely requires at least a million tons of equipment, which would therefore require >$1000 trillion, an obviously impossible number, given that US GDP is only $29T. However, if rocket technology can be improved by 1000X, then the cost of becoming sustainably multiplanetary would drop to ~$1T, which could be spread out over 40 or more years, so <$25B/year. At that cost, it becomes possible to make life multiplanetary, ensuring the long-term survival of life as we know it, without materially affecting people’s standard of living on Earth. Starship is designed to achieve a >1000X improvement over existing systems and, especially after yesterday’s booster catch and precise ocean landing of the ship, I am now convinced that it can work.
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So
Kharzette
posts that giant bad ass video but I did this! Yeah that's it , I'm not jealous I did this. Yeah that's the ticket! LOL
NGC 6995 The Veil Nebula
2400 light years from earth
This nebula is HUGE , this picture is just a tiny part of it. This is about 2 hours of images stacked.
Processed Using Siril, Starnet ++, & GraXpert
Imaged with ZWO Seestar S50
Kharzette
posts that giant bad ass video but I did this! Yeah that's it , I'm not jealous I did this. Yeah that's the ticket! LOL NGC 6995 The Veil Nebula
2400 light years from earth
This nebula is HUGE , this picture is just a tiny part of it. This is about 2 hours of images stacked.
Processed Using Siril, Starnet ++, & GraXpert
Imaged with ZWO Seestar S50
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Aldarion
Egg Nazi
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Solar power from space? Actually, it might happen in a couple of years.
From Robinhood to slinging photons.
arstechnica.com
So the satellite has a solar array, and produces electricity. It then beams this back to earth for capture by a mobile ground station. Its beamed in the form of a high powered infrared laser. A high powered laser, pointed at the Earth.
OK, am I the only one looking at this and thinking "if I've got a mobile, high powered laser pointed at the earth from outer space, I've got some additional ideas for what to do with it besides generate power"
Per the article it's also only enough power to run a dishwasher. There are far, far easier and cheaper ways to deliver vastly more energy if what you're looking to do is cause damage.
This is almost certainly niche tech for military applications. This concept doesn't make much sense for power at scale.
This is almost certainly niche tech for military applications. This concept doesn't make much sense for power at scale.
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Burns
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It reads a bit pop-science-y, so I wouldn't be surprised if this is a future solar highway tiles type shit.This is just one of many articles on space-based solar power that leave me confused about the whole concept. Maybe someone can help me understand.Solar power from space? Actually, it might happen in a couple of years.
From Robinhood to slinging photons.
So the satellite has a solar array, and produces electricity. It then beams this back to earth for capture by a mobile ground station. Its beamed in the form of a high powered infrared laser. A high powered laser, pointed at the Earth.
OK, am I the only one looking at this and thinking "if I've got a mobile, high powered laser pointed at the earth from outer space, I've got some additional ideas for what to do with it besides generate power"
I would assume that a non-geo orbit would need to have tracking on the sat for pin-pointing the receiving station(s) on the ground as it zips around the earth. The dishwasher powering sat is only talked about as a test and if it succeeds, then they will scale it up. So yea, if they made higher power sats and pointed the laser at a particular place for long enough, it should be able to start a fire, eventually.
The amount of energy needed to make a C&C Ion Cannon type laser is not something that would be on the menu for cost VS destructive return. To even think about quickly setting shit on fire with a space laser, you would need what they talked about in the beginning, a station the size of a small city with huge solar panels and battery storage. You would also probably want it in geosynchronous orbit (which is more expensive to get to).
At our current tech levels, kinetic weapons from space could do more damage, for less costs (probably by many orders of magnitude).
Burns
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Aldarion
Egg Nazi
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I don't disagree with the idea that rocks from space is easier and cheaper.
But I'm not sure how that really changes the question. Lets assume these are built at larger scale and deployed solely with the intent of producing power.
OK now we have giant space lasers pointed at the earth. The question isnt "would it make sense to build it as a weapon". The question is once its in place, why would someone not use it as a weapon?
I am criticizing specifically the idea of beaming large amounts of power through the atmosphere pointed directly at our planet. It seems like a real flaw in the whole idea.
But I'm not sure how that really changes the question. Lets assume these are built at larger scale and deployed solely with the intent of producing power.
OK now we have giant space lasers pointed at the earth. The question isnt "would it make sense to build it as a weapon". The question is once its in place, why would someone not use it as a weapon?
I am criticizing specifically the idea of beaming large amounts of power through the atmosphere pointed directly at our planet. It seems like a real flaw in the whole idea.
Maximis Velocity
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