Posted on 05/23/2016 6:14:59 AM PDT by Republic_Venom
India successfully launched a scale model of a reusable spacecraft on Monday, a project that in time could pit the nation against billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk in the race to make access to space cheaper and easier.
The winged vessel -- one-fifth of full size -- blasted off on a rocket from Sriharikota base on the southeastern coast, the Indian Space Research Organisation said. The spacecraft reached an altitude of 65 kilometers (40 miles) and glided back at supersonic speeds for a splashdown in the Bay of Bengal. The test took about 13 minutes.
(Excerpt) Read more at ndtv.com ...
So it’s, for all intents and purposes, a toy.
It is all smoke and mirrors, a.k.a. bread and circuses.
The magician moves his hands in such a way that you are distracted into missing what is really going on.
It seems like a significant technological achievement to me.
And, what are we missing that really going on?
If Space-X achieves the economies of re-using it’s boosters then shuttles become obsolete. In the not too distant future Musk is going to be landing capsules back on earth.
Me too. Guess we’re just not as enlightened as some.
Do you mean to imply that the development of hypersonic glide vehicle under the guise of space shuttle is being done to test the vulnerabilities of a missile defense system. Some have said that HGVs cant be stopped by a missile defense system.
"Dragon is a free-flying spacecraft designed to deliver both cargo and people to orbiting destinations. Dragon made history in 2012 when it became the first commercial spacecraft in history to deliver cargo to the International Space Station and safely return cargo to Earth, a feat previously achieved only by governments. It is the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth."
I get that Pakistan is to the west, China to the north, Indian Ocean to the south, Bangladesh to the east...so?
I should have clearer. Assuming the shuttle is for manned space purposes then Musk’s ability to land manned space vehicles on a barge/very limited land area will render shuttles obsolete. Hope that is clearer.
I should have been clearer.
at last a use for midgets
To me it looks like a test of a hyoersonic cruise missle, not a reusable space craft.
Musk is already cheaper to orbit than China -- and his system will continue to fall in price, especially as their next-gen engines come online. While I like the look of a Shuttle, and wouldn't be surprised if two or three different vendors wind up flying their own designs, I very much doubt that what Musk has done so far can even be matched, by anyone, anywhere on Earth. Once reentry vehicles can be manufactured in space, using materials and energy found there, bringing down cargo will plummet in cost, as will the price of precious and rare-earth metals, and probably titanium as well. Getting *to* orbit low-cost will remain Musk's area, until someone figures out non-chemical propulsion.
There is no practical (cost effective) purpose to landing a rocket vertically, but it sure captures the attention of John Q. Public.
Quite clever and effective...
“There is no practical (cost effective) purpose to landing a rocket vertically, but it sure captures the attention of John Q. Public.”
I am not sure that I would consider the Dragon capsule a “rocket” as it does not ascend into space on the thrusters used to land. Be that as it may, what data are you using to make the claim?
All landings require a cost. Why is a thruster assisted landing necessarily more expensive than other types?
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