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  • Soace Station to Crash down to Earth in 2031?

    From JF Mezei@21:1/5 to All on Thu Feb 3 11:29:34 2022
    BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60246032



    Is this just another "funding until" step with life extended further at
    some later point, or a true terminal decision that defined a "hard" end
    of the line for iSS in 2031 ?

    Interesting they mention Mir was ditched at a popular ditching location
    when in fact it was not precisely targetted and people in Fiji saw
    debris flying over.


    I know I have asked this before, but how would they do this ? Fire a
    progress from 400km altitude ?

    Could one Progress do it, or woul it require multiple trips?


    Can they let orbit decay , perhaps using solar array as sails to
    increase drag, and then send a progress to do controlled burn to target splashdown?


    I take it Zarya's engines are no longer usable? Or could they
    theoretically still be used?


    Conceptually, could a Dragon do the job, then detach quickly, and fire
    its engines to regain some speed so it splashes down near the shore of
    Malibu Beach where female lifeguards could come and greet the crew?

    or would the complex already be too close to atmosphere at end of
    de-orbit burn to allow a Dragon to significantly extend its flight to
    reach west coast of USA ?

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  • From Snidely@21:1/5 to All on Thu Feb 3 11:49:08 2022
    JF Mezei formulated the question :

    I know I have asked this before, but how would they do this ? Fire a
    progress from 400km altitude ?

    And you're not the only one to ask the question. Here's Scott Manley's
    report:

    <URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5lidnLtO7c>

    Could one Progress do it, or woul it require multiple trips?


    Can they let orbit decay , perhaps using solar array as sails to
    increase drag, and then send a progress to do controlled burn to target splashdown?


    I take it Zarya's engines are no longer usable? Or could they
    theoretically still be used?


    Conceptually, could a Dragon do the job, then detach quickly, and fire
    its engines to regain some speed so it splashes down near the shore of Malibu Beach where female lifeguards could come and greet the crew?

    or would the complex already be too close to atmosphere at end of
    de-orbit burn to allow a Dragon to significantly extend its flight to
    reach west coast of USA ?

    /dps

    --
    But happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue. One must have a reason
    to 'be happy.'"
    Viktor Frankl

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  • From [email protected]@21:1/5 to All on Fri Feb 4 09:34:14 2022
    There's also the question of what will replace it:

    "If Michael Suffredini is to get the price tag of the first private
    space station down to $3 billion — compared with the $100
    billion it cost to build the International Space Station — the
    CEO of Houston-based Axiom Space has some decisions to
    make about what to outsource and what to build in-house."

    See:

    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-31/nasa-vet-and-space-mogul-aim-to-build-97-cheaper-space-station

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  • From Snidely@21:1/5 to All on Fri Feb 4 13:20:11 2022
    Just this Thursday, JF Mezei explained that ...
    BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-60246032



    Is this just another "funding until" step with life extended further at
    some later point, or a true terminal decision that defined a "hard" end
    of the line for iSS in 2031 ?


    Note that there is an intention to have commercial stations by then.

    Scott Manley again:
    <URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ01AtbRH2Y>

    /dps

    --
    Who, me? And what lacuna?

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