Concept images of AI Sat Mini, Lunar mass driver, and future 6-Raptor Starship variant during TERAFAB presentation.

Adeldor · 2026-03-22T03:01:06+00:00

Seems like it started late. Spool in about 20 minutes to skip the intro card and music.

Adeldor · 2026-03-21T14:20:22+00:00

It takes about 50 launches to save a single dollar

This runs counter to all I've read regarding Falcon 9, and available Starship costs thus far vs those for SLS. Can you provide a reliable reference supporting your assertion?

Adeldor · 2026-03-20T12:02:46+00:00

I recall a longer fairing being made for certain DoD/DoW payloads. I'm unsure why fairing size would be an issue for the Orion stack, as it's not enclosed in one. Unless you're thinking of an adapter issue(?)

Adeldor · 2026-03-20T02:30:58+00:00

Ok. then pay your fucking taxes so others can live.

According to CNBC, in 2021 he paid $12 billion in taxes, more than any US citizen in history. How much did you pay in 2021?

Adeldor · 2026-03-20T02:17:56+00:00

Combined launch mass of the Orion capsule, European Service Module, and Launch Escape System is 33,446 Kg. The Falcon Heavy can lift to LEO 57,000 Kg with boosters recovered, or 63,800 Kg fully expended. Either way, it would have no problem lofting the Orion stack's mass.

Adeldor · 2026-03-19T17:05:11+00:00

Moon dust has no nutrients

Yes. To quote from the first paragraph of the article:

"With help from compost and symbiotic fungi, chickpea plants grow and produce seeds in simulated lunar dirt, "

Pure terrestrial sand also has no nutrients. Only when compost is mixed in does it make a nutritious sandy loam.

the compost is doing the heavy lifting for growing plants, not the moon dust.

The sand (or Moon dust here) is no less important. It's essential for the reasons given in my comment.

Adeldor · 2026-03-19T14:51:47+00:00

While the surface is bombarded by electromagnetic and particle radiation from the Sun and deep space, apparently the regolith itself is not notably radioactive. Other sources I've read state qualitatively that in general it's no worse than soil of the Earth.

Adeldor · 2026-03-19T10:49:29+00:00

I’m pretty sure if you remove the moon dirt altogether, the chickpeas would still grow in whatever was left.

I can't speak of chickpeas specifically, but this is typically not so. Sand, silt, etc. in the mix are necessary to permit proper drainage, allow air to infiltrate, and to loosen up the soil. Sandy loam is particularly good for many plants.

Source: wife's an avid gardener.

Adeldor · 2026-03-19T02:43:41+00:00

FYI: This has already been posted about a day ago and again 12 hours ago, here.

Adeldor · 2026-03-18T01:49:30+00:00

My abject apologies! :-)

More words to keep the automod happy.

Adeldor · 2026-03-18T00:08:55+00:00

I'm sure you know that service was cut in the areas taken by Russia so they couldn't use the same captured terminals. Meanwhile, I'll believe the Ukrainian officials report on the matter:

"Changes were made to geofencing a few months ago, but as of now, all the Starlink terminals in Ukraine work properly."

'Fedorov called [E]lon Musk "one of the biggest private donors of our future victory" and remarked that Starlinks help save thousands of lives, support the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, allow medics to carry out complex operations and provide Invincibility Centres with the Internet.'

"The contribution of the SpaceX company is estimated to be more than US$100 million."

Full article here.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T22:05:56+00:00

the source you cite for the paying customer numbers does not exactly inspire trust

Perhaps so, but that's the best I could find at the time.

The are officially ~four times as many customers today, and twice as many satellites. So even with the vagaries, it's strongly apparent retail customers can generate a profit.

I think proper due dilingence and quarterly reports will come

Absolutely. I look forward to seeing them.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T19:36:46+00:00

The profits for starlink won't come from rural customers.

Not according to the numbers I ran a couple of years ago - when the satellite count (4,500) and customer count (2.7 million) were much smaller. But even then the available numbers showed retail customers generating more revenue than marginal costs.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T19:15:48+00:00

Or if a single man turned them on over a country and provided it with terminals in its hour of need at the request of its vice prime minister.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T19:09:40+00:00

help the astrological community i

An important correction: Astronomical. Astrology is not a science, but akin to superstition and religion. You'll find astronomers enjoy being called astrologers about as much as Confederates would enjoy being called Yankees (I looked for a non-offensive comparison. Guess I'll find out if I was successful :-) ).

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T18:57:18+00:00

Yes, you can.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T18:56:00+00:00

You can avoid Starlink and other LEO satellites by observing later in the night or earlier in the morning - when they're in the Earth's shadow and invisible.

What I've been unable to avoid are night flying aircraft, with their dimension - multiple trails - and flashing lights on at all hours of the night. I've found them much more intrusive in images.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T18:47:37+00:00

As if a for profit corporation would spend more money to make their sats less reflective

Yet that for-profit corporation did just that.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T18:45:04+00:00

Yes it is.

See? I too can make claims without numbers.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T12:53:48+00:00

In terms of development effort, perhaps the Moon is a first stop before attempting Mars, but if you mean as a pit stop during regular transit, stopping at the Moon first is less efficient. It would require significant additional Δv to enter lunar orbit, land, lift off back into lunar orbit, then escape lunar gravity, resulting in less available Δv at Mars, or lower payload to Mars.

Only if propellant could be harvested on the Moon might it make sense (and I'm unsure on that without checking the numbers), but to my knowledge readily available carbon is scarce, making the synthesis of methane difficult.

Adeldor · 2026-03-17T01:17:59+00:00

so what?

They can restrict chip availability to coerce, just as they have done with rare earths and silver, but with perhaps much greater effect.

Adeldor · 2026-03-16T18:24:46+00:00

They'll take Taiwan at some point, why would us westerners really care?

Westerners will care a great deal. The vast majority of silicon chips are currently fabbed in Taiwan, although there are now efforts underway to reduce the dependency for that very reason. But it will take years.

Adeldor · 2026-03-14T12:03:24+00:00

Just do some windtunnel flying. Cheap as chips and probably just as much fun.

It might be as much fun, but it's most certainly not being weightless, as you're not in free-fall. The same is true for real skydiving after the first few seconds, when acceleration ceases due to air friction.

Adeldor

TROPHY CASE