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Re: Oh cool!! aerocontrols Send a noteboard - 15/09/2011 05:28:31 AM
I'm an engineer working for NASA - I've been working on SLS since the President cancelled Constellation - of course, we didn't call it SLS at the time...


That's so cool!! Not that Constellation got cancelled, that you work for NASA, I mean. That was my childhood dream. Anyway ...

I see that Isaac has answered many of your questions, but I'll take a crack at some of them:

DannyMac: "Our Rockets are holding steady? What up with that?"

Unfortunately, some technology can't really be improved that much. The rocket equation is well-known, and the physics are such that we're getting just about everything we can from the fuels we have available. It'll take a huge leap in technology (Space Elevator, maybe) to improve on it.


Do you think the space elevator is the next big thing then? Where do we go from here if we can't improve rockets much?


Isaac:

MJ/kg isn't really as important as ISP for determining which is the best rocket fuel, which is why RP-1 can be competitive, especially when you want to keep operation costs down. (Something I wish NASA would pay more attention to)


What's ISP?


It's hard to imagine that anything other than space elevators could possibly be the next big thing for launching people, anyway. You can make robots robust enough for launching from a rail gun, perhaps, though that might never compete with traditional rockets, cost-wise. Other non-human payloads may work to launch with non-rocket methods... Non-traditional (or even traditional) propulsion isn't really my field. I'm mostly a controls guy - I make sure the rocket flies straight. Other people worry about how hard the nozzle has to push.

As for ISP...
Hollywood has the best moral compass, because it has compassion.
ISP is Specific Impulse
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NASA unveils new spaceflight rocket Nate - 14/09/2011 07:50:09 PM 862 Views
I wanted to be happy but I have to say I am a little sad. random thoughts - 14/09/2011 08:48:53 PM 379 Views
I hear ya. Dannymac - 14/09/2011 09:25:38 PM 355 Views
I have to agree LadyLorraine - 14/09/2011 10:05:08 PM 381 Views
Uh huh. Stephen - 14/09/2011 10:11:09 PM 368 Views
That's a nucear thermal rocket Isaac - 14/09/2011 11:07:02 PM 461 Views
they did look at using nukes to launch a space ship random thoughts - 15/09/2011 03:48:32 AM 537 Views
It does say in the article ... Nate - 14/09/2011 10:20:19 PM 403 Views
We don't use petroleum in most rockets and never have used them much Isaac - 14/09/2011 10:53:14 PM 397 Views
Cool. Nate - 14/09/2011 11:04:39 PM 364 Views
Re: Cool. Isaac - 14/09/2011 11:47:33 PM 530 Views
ah fair enough about the fuel LadyLorraine - 14/09/2011 10:57:30 PM 397 Views
I guess it could come for oil but it doesn't have to random thoughts - 15/09/2011 03:45:02 AM 323 Views
Cracking water into H2 and O2 takes a lot of energy aerocontrols - 15/09/2011 05:33:48 AM 401 Views
I was hoping for something Enterprise-shaped. *NM* TaskmasterJack - 14/09/2011 10:55:41 PM 157 Views
You too? *NM* Jeordam - 14/09/2011 11:31:06 PM 175 Views
Hi Guys! aerocontrols - 15/09/2011 01:44:13 AM 626 Views
Re: Hi Guys! Isaac - 15/09/2011 02:07:11 AM 485 Views
Oh cool!! Darth_Katie - 15/09/2011 04:07:13 AM 513 Views
Re: Oh cool!! aerocontrols - 15/09/2011 05:28:31 AM 513 Views
do you really believe a space elevator is doable with current materials? random thoughts - 15/09/2011 05:45:01 AM 359 Views
No aerocontrols - 15/09/2011 12:30:51 PM 352 Views
I can't even imagine you guys out at NASA must feel random thoughts - 15/09/2011 02:59:18 PM 391 Views
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