Author Topic: New Spaceport Planned in Scotland  (Read 3801 times)

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Offline Sparky49

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Re: New Spaceport Planned in Scotland
« Reply #25 on: July 20, 2018, 12:53:38 pm »
@ Sparky49, thanks, that's answered my question, I wasn't aware of Orbex, so I've learnt something new today. Carbonite 2 is is pretty cool, only 8 months development, SSTL really know their stuff and the videos were good.  :-+

No worries! It's still early days but it is somewhat reassuring to see some semi-sensible practices taking place, ie both fiscally and technically. Good to see a semi cohesive strategy regarding the use of existing 'off the self' systems, even on launch vehicles which I think will be interesting to watch over the next 5-10 years. I think it's important to consider the UK is taking a somewhat different approach to space than other countries, mainly out of necessity - we can't afford to build the biggest, most cutting edge tech, but we are trying to fill a niche which fits within our past and current doctrine well. It's not necessarily bad, just different. :)

And yeah SSTL are amazing! I was chatting to one of their engineers at an airshow the other day and was blown away when he said it took them 8 months and £4.5 million investment from MoD. And the best bit is this the system is really a tech _demo_ - and what we see is only what they are releasing to the public. Gives me a little glimmer of hope that we can still spin some cool tech now and then. :)
 

Offline raptor1956

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Re: New Spaceport Planned in Scotland
« Reply #26 on: July 21, 2018, 03:00:44 am »
We Yanks have you one better ... I present to you ... The Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2015/10/the-greater-green-river-intergalactic.html


Brian
 
The following users thanked this post: Sparky49, chris_leyson

Offline Sparky49

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Re: New Spaceport Planned in Scotland
« Reply #27 on: July 21, 2018, 01:50:26 pm »
Love it!  :-DD
 

Offline duak

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Re: New Spaceport Planned in Scotland
« Reply #28 on: July 23, 2018, 01:20:55 am »
Although it appears to be real, Carbonite sounds like a plot device or a McGuffin or something llke that.

If so, why not Cavorite?  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Men_in_the_Moon

A Canadian, Gerald Bull, achieved some success with an older method: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_HARP   "... with an earth shattering kaboom!"




 

Offline raptor1956

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Re: New Spaceport Planned in Scotland
« Reply #29 on: July 24, 2018, 11:53:04 pm »
Although it appears to be real, Carbonite sounds like a plot device or a McGuffin or something llke that.

If so, why not Cavorite?  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Men_in_the_Moon

A Canadian, Gerald Bull, achieved some success with an older method: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_HARP   "... with an earth shattering kaboom!"


There was and is no feasible way to put any object of useful size into orbit with a gun and not even microsats would have worked.  The g'force from the gun is so high that the object would have to be built like a small tank.  Yes, there are arty warheads with electronics in it, but they are very limited.  Even with a bore in the 1m diameter range and, perhaps, 2000kg in weight, some of which would be needed to circularize the orbit, the effective payload would be small and since it would have to tolerate hundreds or thousands of g's there will not be any solar panels so the life in orbit would be very limited.

Bull was a one trick pony that was the best there was with guns and arty but space is a different kettle of fish and Bull was a fish out of water.  And then he pissed of the Israelis. 


Brian
 


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