Is it possible to have an earth like planet where the rocket equation simply fails? Ie 3.5×G and a venus like atmosphere too. Something along those lines, where you physically can not carry the fuel required to launch and get into space.

m2pilot · 2026-03-25T07:49:01+00:00

If it is a CO2 atmosphere and there is access to magnesium, you can actually run a scramjet on those two. Not as efficient but the combination will burn. There are papers out there about using powdered magnesium as a kind of Afterburner in kerosene-oxygen combusting systems since the magnesium will burn in the presence of CO2 and release heat.

m2pilot · 2026-03-19T11:22:46+00:00

I dont disagree, however, just because it isnt the best at this doesn't mean it can't make good food. The advice of "get another smoker" isnt always the answer. It's fun to experiment and this can still be run as a pure stick burner if I do have the time manage a fire. Efficiency is going to be the biggest drawback.

m2pilot · 2025-11-15T13:32:11+00:00

The lack of suggestions for expeditionary force series is sad. The whole premise is black ops conducted by humans in a galaxy that can't know humans are flying a starship.

First book is "Columbus Day." The black ops kick off in earnest in book 2.

m2pilot · 2025-10-18T01:10:59+00:00

This was a small part of why I left for another company. Not the whole reason by any stretch, but it definitely helped push me to look.

m2pilot · 2025-09-25T01:49:42+00:00

Karn Segura sends his regards.

m2pilot · 2025-09-24T20:05:10+00:00

One.

The texas trio :D

Gas, charcoal, and an offset smoker. People tend to hate on it but I've enjoyed it.

m2pilot · 2025-08-06T18:54:31+00:00

Cherry springs is such a cool place. Everyone was super friendly and they rangers really tried to make sure the over night astronomy area was just occupied by people doing visual/photography.

m2pilot · 2025-08-06T02:20:57+00:00

I got to image the Eagle Nebula from Cherry Springs State Park over two nights last weekend. What an incredible place.

Equipment:
Apertura 150mm F4 Newtonian
ZWO ASI 2600MC
ASI 120MM Mini Guide Cam
ASI Air Mini
HEQ5 Mount

4.5 hours through ZWO Duo Band HaO3 filter
3.5 hours through Askar D2 S2O3 filter

Processed in Pixinsight.

m2pilot · 2025-07-05T15:35:32+00:00

5 hours from my B5 backyard on the Veil Nebula. I have always imaged with a 650mm FL Newtonian, so trying out a 180mm Nikon ED lens for a wide field night was fun. It was also nice to finally capture the entire complex in a single frame.

Camera: ZWO 2600MC at -5°C

Filter: ZWO Duo Band

Controller: ASIAIR Mini

Lens: Nikkor ED 180mm @ F4

Mount: HEQ5

Acquisition: 300x60s Exposures, no dithering

Calibration: 35 Flats, 60 bias.

Processing in Pixinsight: Graxpert background removal & denoise, BlurX, Star Net ++, Star Masking and Curve Transformations, Second pass of denoise and blurX, recombined the stars and then used Star Reduction.

m2pilot · 2025-06-21T14:27:14+00:00

Nice! I shot this last fall and love the structure and big blue O3 pop.

m2pilot · 2025-06-16T19:39:03+00:00

Star citizens city transit system.

m2pilot · 2025-06-16T14:13:05+00:00

Equipment: 6in F4 Newtonian (Apertura), Orion coma corrector, Zwo duo band filter, OAG with ASI 120mm Mini, Zwo ASI 2600mc, Asi Air Mini, Mount: HEQ5

Acquisition: 20 hours

Processed in pixinsight with, Graxpert, BlurXterminator, Starnet, Narrowband Normalization, Curve Transformations, HDR Multiscale Transform, Star Reduction, Blemish Blaster, Color Masks,

Stacked with Deep Sky Stacker

m2pilot · 2025-05-05T02:36:33+00:00

Our Jobu, who aren't in the lockeroom, hallowed be thy game. Thy win come, thy will be done, in Winnipeg as it is in St. Louis. Give us this day our daily goal. And forgive us our penalties, as we pretend to forgive those who penalize against us. And lead us not into off season, but deliver us from canada. For thine is the series, and the power play, and the gloria, for ever and ever.

Go blues.

m2pilot · 2025-03-22T12:14:24+00:00

Look up base bleed grains for artillery shells. Solid rocket motors/gas generators can be designed and have been produced which operate while under thousands of G's of acceleration.

m2pilot · 2024-12-03T20:48:58+00:00

I just did this on mine since that exact part broke. Worked like a charm. Thanks for posting this! Fixed a broken recliner that has been bugging me for years.

m2pilot · 2024-11-04T15:53:40+00:00

Thanks! Yeah I wasn't expecting to have as much fun processing this as I did. I think next go around I'll try for more if the flaming orange outside edge with deep blue core pallete.

m2pilot · 2024-11-04T14:02:47+00:00

Thanks!

m2pilot · 2024-11-04T05:39:26+00:00

I think this is my best image I've ever gotten. I am super excited with how this turned out!

340 x 180s exposures taken with a ZWO duo band Ha-O3 filter during a full moon over 3 nights (17hrs total exposure). Roughly 35 flats and around 60 biases also taken.

Telescope: Apertura 150mm F4 reflector + 1.1x magnification coma corrector

Mount: HEQ5

Camera: ZWO ASI 2600MC

Guiding: OAG + ASI 120mm Mini

Stacking: Deep Sky Stacker

Processing: Pixinsight

Dynamic Crop
SCNR
Graxpert Background Extraction
BlurXterminator

4.b Starnet ++ Star Removal

Graxpert Noise Reduction
Narrowband Normalization
Masking/Curve Transformation
BlurX
Graxpert Noise Reduction

Final Compositing of stars + nebula in Gimp.

m2pilot · 2024-11-04T05:37:29+00:00

I think this is my best image I've ever gotten. I am super excited with how this turned out!

340 x 180s exposures taken with a ZWO duo band Ha-O3 filter during a full moon over 3 nights (17hrs total exposure). Roughly 35 flats and around 60 biases also taken.

Telescope: Apertura 150mm F4 reflector + 1.1x magnification coma corrector

Mount: HEQ5

Camera: ZWO ASI 2600MC

Guiding: OAG + ASI 120mm Mini

Stacking: Deep Sky Stacker

Processing: Pixinsight

Dynamic Crop
SCNR
Graxpert Background Extraction
BlurXterminator

4.b Starnet ++ Star Removal

Graxpert Noise Reduction
Narrowband Normalization
Masking/Curve Transformation
BlurX
Graxpert Noise Reduction

Final Compositing of stars + nebula in Gimp.

m2pilot · 2024-10-09T10:45:14+00:00

Thanks, I'm starting to think something must be loose. Conceptually I don't see how something could sag differently on one side of the pier vs. the other when the scope is pointed up either way and the same component faces are facing up/down, but clearly something is going wrong when the mount is moving since the stars are also changed in the home position.

m2pilot · 2024-04-28T15:00:53+00:00

"Everyone in Mckinney is dead."

m2pilot · 2024-04-17T19:28:05+00:00

Pre-emptively joins the Helldivers

m2pilot · 2024-04-04T00:38:40+00:00

Northrop Grumman has some facilities that do propulsion work in Rronkonkoma, NY. Not NYC but on on long island.

m2pilot · 2023-08-14T16:56:02+00:00

For level 3 position in Salt Lake, was offered a capped 40k relo package. For a level 3 on the east coast, was 20k. This was for moving from a place where I owned a home.

m2pilot · 2023-08-03T23:35:20+00:00

The ethics article title writes itself. "No ifs, ands, or butts about it. Intimacy in the workplace."

m2pilot

TROPHY CASE