Blue Origin launched its massive new rocket on its first test flight Thursday, sending up a prototype satellite to orbit thousands of miles above Earth.
First flight and it went into high orbit. That's the adult way to do it: Engineer the shit out of and take the care of a professional to try to make it right the first time. Make sure it is all fit, including Stage Zero (the launch pad). That's engineering development in the spirit of the Wright Brothers, people. It's patient and reasoned development before trying it out.
Not just half-assing it and, when it blows up, say "well, we learned something." That's the juvenile way to do it.
I spent a lifetime understanding how to do engineering. That is design
ReplyDeleteto function, first time every time in a predictable way. Sometime you
have to test by percussive means, but only when its the only way.
The 60's and 70s NASA tried to do that knowing there is no cheap
way only knowing that errors are costly in lives and time.
Eck!
Select materials and designs that will exceed initial parameters and then test to find the margin of failure. Compare the two. Many external stress and environmental factors need to be included. It's not cheap as Eck! said. But short cuts cost lives and injuries which is not acceptable. I always liked having things fail safe where possible. Redundancy comes to mind.
ReplyDeleteMany more here: https://simplicable.com/en/fail-safe
And it is reported that MIA and FLL had up to one hour delays due to falling debris that could have been hazardous. It will be interesting to see if any affected airlines look to reclaim any lost revenue from president Musk.
ReplyDeleteDale
DTWND brings up an interesting point. With NASA and other state actors they didn't have insurance just a degree of sovereign immunity and deep pockets in the event something went wrong. What happens to these "private" operators when a piece of their equipment goes through Aunt Edna's roof? The regulatory state they like to hate gives them something to hide behind but do these guys get State Farm to cover them as well as homeowners in LA?
ReplyDeleteMy homeowner's policy covers space debris, natural or man-made. So, it's probably pretty normal for it to be covered.
DeleteI still order stuff from Amazon because I'm poor, but even if I could afford one I wouldn't drive a Tesla.
ReplyDelete-Doug in Sugar Pine