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#251 Re: Unmanned probes » New Horizons - mission to Pluto and the Kupier belt » 2024-09-11 19:23:42

Mysterious objects spotted in the outer solar system beyond Pluto

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft was launched in 2006 in order to observe the surfaces of outer solar system bodies up close for the first time in our history. The spacecraft successfully completed a flyby of the Pluto system (2015), and later on (2019)  it made a flyby of one of the Kuiper Belt objects, (486958) Arrokoth.

While it was highly difficult to search for solar system objects with multiple background stars, the scientists were able to localize 24 Kuiper Belt objects.

Unfortunately, the Kuiper belt objects discovered until now require too much fuel for New Horizons to flyby, but new ones at greater distances might fall within the available fuel reach of the spacecraft.

In 2020, deeper observations with the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) on the Subaru Telescope began, and, by 2023, 239 Kuiper Belt objects were discovered.

"The most exciting part of the HSC observations was the discovery of 11 objects at distances beyond the known Kuiper Belt,

New Horizons is currently traveling further out, at approximately 60 au from the Sun, hoping to discover many more distant objects.

But still no planet X in sight...

#252 Re: Unmanned probes » Voyager - Interstellar mission » 2024-09-11 19:18:45

NASA Switches Thrusters On Voyager 1 From 24,630,000,000 Kilometers Away

All this while working with just 69.63 kilobytes of memory, and running partly on code written in the archaic computer language Fortran 5.

When operational, the liquid hydrazine thruster should release tiny, extremely short puffs of gas in order to adjust the spacecraft and point it towards Earth, needing to do this about 40 times a day.

The spacecraft is actually equipped with three sets of thrusters, two for propulsion and one for trajectory correction. In 2002, the first propulsion thruster began to show signs of clogging and NASA switched to using the other, but this too began to show signs of clogging in 2018. Out on the edges of the Solar System and no longer performing any maneuvers, NASA switched to the trajectory correction thruster. However, that thruster is now even more clogged than the previous two, and NASA has spent months planning a switch back to one of the less-clogged thrusters.

Now I am dating myself to even claiming to have taken a course that had Fortran language for computers....

#253 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Vacuum plus Water Gravity plus Air Compression Energy Storage » 2024-09-10 20:50:20

image post 5, is the water flow from the high-level tank through the generator into the vacuum tank?

Also, power for the pump must come from stored energy to keep the system in a flowing mode from what I can see as once the low tank is full there is no more flow which mean power generation stops.

#254 Re: Home improvements » DIY pallet home building » 2024-09-10 20:40:41

Sunday, I spent the afternoon disassembling 8 pallets to gain the 2x4 studs for the walls to be constructed from. The time was less than the timed pallets of the days before as I began to perfect the how to pull them apart.
Will need to get more of them for use in this as I would rather have enough to finish the path to getting the structure shelled so that I can get it closed up as quickly as possible.

#255 Re: Home improvements » DIY pallet home building » 2024-09-07 18:01:30

Today after taking care of the weeks rubbish removal to the towns dump.

I spent time tearing apart the floor as it was unstable and realigned the pallets that were the base under it. Setting them the other direction such that the floor parts would line up on a 2x4 rather than one end with no support. After doing this I reset the floor materials onto them and reshaped it to make it work with no cutting needed.

After that I did a bit of pallet tear down and prep for reuse and after getting the 36" crowbar and attempting to get a technique to work I was able to time this to under a 1/2 hr. that yields 2 2x4 per pallet for use plus other materials for later. Reclaiming the screw pikes from each for possible reuse.

#257 Re: Human missions » Starship is Go... » 2024-09-07 08:25:42

Scientists Say SpaceX Starship Explosion Tore a Hole in the Atmosphere

SpaceX Rocket Launch Schedule: Today & Upcoming

Starship is ready for its 5th test flight, SpaceX says (photos)

"Flight 5 Starship and Super Heavy are ready to fly, pending regulatory approval," the company said via X on Thursday afternoon (Aug. 8). "Additional booster catch testing and Flight 6 vehicle testing is planned while waiting for clearance to fly."

so no word as to whats stopping the flight...

#259 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Nuclear Power is Dangerous - Use with Care » 2024-09-07 08:14:31

US moves forward with reactivation of decades-old nuclear power station in bid to meet surging energy demand: 'Safety standards have evolved enormously'

Some would warn against reactivation but if it goes through a certification review then It should be all for not as the Palisades plant is expected to be part of the solution to meet the country's surging energy demands.

Two years after a nuclear power plant in Michigan was decommissioned, the United States government and Great Lakes State have invested nearly $2 billion to bring it back online.

#260 Re: Unmanned probes » Blue Origin Unmanned Missions » 2024-09-07 08:08:17

The old Lockheed Atlas and Delta family of Boeing could have performed this had Nasa not decided that a first real mission of the replacements was required.

#261 Re: Planetary transportation » Cable Transport » 2024-09-07 08:05:06

I am reminded of the first image in the gravity topic

mountains-for-long-term-energy-storage-hg.jpg

#262 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Vacuum plus Water Gravity plus Air Compression Energy Storage » 2024-09-07 07:58:20

Reminds me of the tank for the artesian well that keeps pressure of the out flowing water as it draws down at the same flow rate until the low limit pressure tells the water pump turns on to refill it.

f6c46d9467d5c7e98211d3bebb5b513c.gif

The top of the tank has an air-filled Blatter that is pressurized to push the water, and it expands as the water goes out of the tank and compresses back as the tank is refilled.

#263 Re: Life support systems » Spacesuit Compatibility Requirement » 2024-09-07 07:56:35

First reported in 8-24-24 in my post Boeing has been quite silent on what it is that makes it not compatible.

GW, indicated that there was a suit that would fit the smaller woman of the crew onboard but so far there is none for Butch.

While it may be power it could also be other connection issues where the chosen fittings are the issue and not what its connecting too.

#265 Re: Meta New Mars » Housekeeping » 2024-09-05 18:16:43

Finally got a few minutes before it got dark and a bit of part swapping, I am back and online.

#266 Re: Home improvements » DIY pallet home building » 2024-08-27 17:54:11

I am not looking to buy much as it defeats what I am trying to prove in equipment or materials for those that do not have it.

I got another car load to night and I have a total qty 48 of rough cut 2x4 that are 84 inches long.

#267 Re: Meta New Mars » Housekeeping » 2024-08-27 17:47:50

Post from cellphone as computer is dead until the weekend when I have time

#270 Re: Human missions » Starship concrete Mars landing pad » 2024-08-24 16:54:00

3bEvrQP.png

Yes, this is from the moon topic of Void's  but I believe it lessens the burden of suppling or creating materials for a mars landing pad for starship once created. As you can see a falcon can land on a minimal concrete landing pad even if you do not change the ships current Falcon 9.

The blue ring is the landing pad which means less materials are needed to make it. Of course, that does not change the need to go with a smaller ship design for constructing the first return to mars site for man.

#271 Re: Home improvements » DIY pallet home building » 2024-08-24 16:49:01

I went out this afternoon and got more OSB from the construction site dumpster with every square helps to finishing the shed.

Hoping to begin construction during the Labor Day weekend.

I will need to move some sand to make a clean base to build on that is level before the first nails can be driven after pulling apart the pallets to make use of the wood from them.

#272 Re: Home improvements » Solar Installation in McGregor, Texas August 2024 Start » 2024-08-24 15:25:06

As kbd512 has indicated there is a difference for DC from the panel and a module that converts it at the panel to an AAAC signal to be used at the next device. It is nonsynchronous so it does not go directly to the grid but through other devices. When using AC that is not synchronous from one to another panel other means even direct AC use by the home's devices are also not possible without converting to create a single source AC voltage even if not going to the grid.

Most electricity demand for those working versus the stay at home means it's in early morning and at night once returning from work for the day while solar has produced its peak energy capture.

#273 Re: Meta New Mars » GW Johnson Postings and @Exrocketman1 YouTube videos » 2024-08-24 12:05:57

The images might also be a flip book due the illustrations for a much younger audience.
Add in the colorful star charts and nebula's and we have sparked interest for a lifetime.

#275 Re: Home improvements » DIY pallet home building » 2024-08-24 11:54:32

Currently I am planning to have a sloped roof but still looking at what I have. I am still short of the materials to complete the shell at this time but perhaps I am at 80% of what is needed. So, a couple more loads might get me to what is needed. Still need to go back to the construction dumpster to see what more I can retrieve from it to finish it up.

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