Armed Polite Society

Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Sergeant Bob on November 13, 2014, 11:08:09 PM

Title: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Sergeant Bob on November 13, 2014, 11:08:09 PM
I am seriously geeking out over this milestone in space exploration. This probe ( flew a total of (IIRC) 1.4 BILLION miles, (slingshotting around several planets) to maneuver and gain velocity, to rendezvous with the comet Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The logistics of this feat is just amazing! The comet (which was IIRC, 800 million miles from earth) was intercepted after a 1.4 billion mile flight to intercept.

I think this is on par with the moon landings! I can't wait for the results found by the probe!
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: RoadKingLarry on November 14, 2014, 02:22:32 AM
It will remain to be seen how much of even the small change in it's orbit imparted by the impact of the lander affects it or it over the long haul.
Hubris I tell you! They're  gonna knock the damn thing into a new orbit and smack the earth with the bloody thing.




Actually I'd rate it just one or two super geek point just below the last Mars rover landing..
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on November 14, 2014, 06:18:43 AM
I don't know if my kids even know it happened


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: French G. on November 14, 2014, 02:30:22 PM
And one of the most complex science missions ever is about to fail because the solar panels can't re-charge the batteries? Nothing like not building it with an RTG onboard. If they lose the probe over a battery they ought to shove a greenie into a volcano or something as a sacrifice.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: makattak on November 14, 2014, 02:51:20 PM
I'm sorry, but this event is CLEARLY overshadowed by the proof that science is sexist:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/comet-scientist-offers-tearful-apology-after-the-internet-is-offended-by-his-shirt/article/2556184?custom_click=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Who cares about human accomplishments if a guy who did (part of) it has a (to some) character flaw!
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Ben on November 14, 2014, 02:51:57 PM
If they lose the probe over a battery they ought to shove a greenie into a volcano or something as a sacrifice.

I'd be interested to hear if "going green" was the reason. I was only casually familiar with the concept of RTGs until I read up on them after your post. "OMG nuclear!" would simply be sad.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Ben on November 14, 2014, 02:53:30 PM
I'm sorry, but this event is CLEARLY overshadowed by the proof that science is sexist:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/comet-scientist-offers-tearful-apology-after-the-internet-is-offended-by-his-shirt/article/2556184?custom_click=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Who cares about human accomplishments if a guy who did (part of) it has a (to some) character flaw!

Yeah, that was ridiculous. I'm not sure if I'm more irritated at the feminazis, or the dude breaking down into tears during his apology.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: RoadKingLarry on November 14, 2014, 03:03:28 PM
I'm sorry, but this event is CLEARLY overshadowed by the proof that science is sexist:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/comet-scientist-offers-tearful-apology-after-the-internet-is-offended-by-his-shirt/article/2556184?custom_click=rss&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Who cares about human accomplishments if a guy who did (part of) it has a (to some) character flaw!

I.
Want.
That.
Shirt!
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Scout26 on November 14, 2014, 06:04:01 PM
Based on the news hype, I thought it had landed some Kardashian's butt....
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 14, 2014, 08:59:31 PM
Based on the news hype, I thought it had landed some Kardashian's butt....

Yeah, but who hasn't?

I mean, who that is black hasn't?
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Viking on November 15, 2014, 04:42:10 AM
He made a mistake by apologizing. Never admit to any kind of wrongdoing in front of SJWs. Ever.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Hawkmoon on November 15, 2014, 10:44:40 AM
He made a mistake by apologizing. Never admit to any kind of wrongdoing in front of SJWs. Ever.

"SJW"?

Whut dat?
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Marnoot on November 15, 2014, 10:54:46 AM
"SJW"?

Whut dat?

Social Justice Warrior
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: BobR on November 15, 2014, 11:14:33 AM
I.
Want.
That.
Shirt!


So do many other people from the looks of things. It was made for him by a friend. Maybe she will sell the pattern to a shirt company, it would make a great Hawaiian shirt.

bob
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: 230RN on November 15, 2014, 01:07:22 PM
Wait a minute.  It was a "she" who designed the shirt in the first place?

Ummmm.....
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: French G. on November 15, 2014, 01:20:57 PM
Wait a minute.  It was a "she" who designed the shirt in the first place?

Ummmm.....

It's cool, it was her repression by the patriarchy that caused her to act out.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: BobR on November 15, 2014, 01:30:53 PM
I hope all of the publicity doesn't make her want to escape to the convent for a few years!!!  =D



https://www.facebook.com/ellyprizeman?fref=ts



Nah, I don't see that happening. Supposedly a lot of "actors" and others have been tweeting her about the shirt and how to get one. I hope her 15 minutes of fame is good to her.

It is also very sad that when humanity has just landed a probe onto a comet hurtling through space people want to focus instead on a shirt one of the engineers was wearing. WTF is wrong with people?

bob
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: 230RN on November 15, 2014, 03:07:56 PM
BobR spake thusly:

Quote
It is also very sad that when humanity has just landed a probe onto a comet hurtling through space people want to focus instead on a shirt one of the engineers was wearing. WTF is wrong with people?

BobR spake truly.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Hawkmoon on November 15, 2014, 04:15:22 PM
It is also very sad that when humanity has just landed a probe onto a comet hurtling through space people want to focus instead on a shirt one of the engineers was wearing. WTF is wrong with people?

But the Philae lander ended up in the wrong place, and as of Saturday morning it was basically dead. This is obviously "cosmic" retribution for the wayward engineer's misogynistic choice of wardrobe
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: cassandra and sara's daddy on November 15, 2014, 05:42:06 PM
Decent piece
https://witchesbrewpress.wordpress.com/2014/11/15/in-defense-of-dr-matt-taylor-an-editorial/


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Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Hawkmoon on November 15, 2014, 10:11:32 PM
Decent piece
https://witchesbrewpress.wordpress.com/2014/11/15/in-defense-of-dr-matt-taylor-an-editorial/

And written by a woman (not a "womyn").

Burn her at the stake. She must be a heretic.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: French G. on November 16, 2014, 01:09:17 PM
And the probe shut down. I've seen on press release from the 90's where ESA stated that RTG tech was not available to them. Which is horsecrap, the will to have the tech is the problem. You've got member states of the EU with nuke subs and nuke weapons you've got the much simpler tech for an RTG. I've seen some discussion that an RTG was too heavy. Yes, a big one. Smaller ones have been made that were 1-2 kg heavier than the battery system on the probe. So far I've come across no technical reason that the probe could not have been designed around RTG power from the start. Really sad.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: 230RN on November 16, 2014, 02:11:00 PM
^ "So far I've come across no technical reason that the probe could not have been designed around RTG power from the start."

If I recall, the Chernobyl and Challenger disasters were still fairly fresh in the public's mind and "Nuke=Bad" was still the mindset.   What if this here now nooculier stuff blew up on the launch pad or in the atmosphere and contaminated all of Gaia with that there polonutonium 295 stuff, hey?  What about that?

May have been a factor in the decision, given the tenor of the times.

I was really disappointed that this turned out the way it did, but we've had failures before.  I am amazed that we could plunk something down on a comet (like the Deep Impact project) in the first place.  

All I can say is what my Pop used to say when something went cattywumpus:  "Well, you can't lose 'em all."

Terry
REF:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/space/07/04/deep.impact/index.html?_s=pm:tech
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: BobR on November 16, 2014, 02:44:06 PM
IIRC the Cassini probe is carrying 3 RTGs and it has been working just fine going into year ten of its four year mission. Also, I remember a whole lot of hand wringing and woe is humanity from the greenies when Cassini was going to be launched. Of course, it may have been because of the weight of the plutonium it was carrying, which was substantial.

bob
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: lee n. field on November 16, 2014, 03:20:02 PM
I.
Want.
That.
Shirt!


Close enough?

http://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/red-galactic-gals (http://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/red-galactic-gals)
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: French G. on November 16, 2014, 04:33:53 PM
IIRC the Cassini probe is carrying 3 RTGs and it has been working just fine going into year ten of its four year mission. Also, I remember a whole lot of hand wringing and woe is humanity from the greenies when Cassini was going to be launched. Of course, it may have been because of the weight of the plutonium it was carrying, which was substantial.

bob

The way I understand it the stuff is sub-compartmented and encased in such a manner that a fire would be unlikely to release much. Fascinating subject to me. Since I started reading i am left to wonder on what will become the space race's big radiological problem eventually. All the soviet RORSATs carried a nuke reactor onboard and when the satellite was done they were ejected into a storage orbit. A few hundred years from now those things will start re-entering as their orbits decay. Genius. 
Nuke power seems to make perfect sense for space as long as you don't poop where you eat.
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Perd Hapley on November 16, 2014, 05:01:36 PM
It is also very sad that when humanity has just landed a probe onto a comet hurtling through space people want to focus instead on a shirt one of the engineers was wearing. WTF is wrong with people?



It is also very sad that when humanity has just landed a probe onto a comet hurtling through space, a grown man with a job wears a shirt like that on TV. What, indeed, is wrong with people?
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: BobR on November 16, 2014, 06:39:03 PM
Close enough?

http://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/red-galactic-gals (http://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/red-galactic-gals)

You are my  new hero!!!

I have a job, I am a grown man, and I would go on TV wearing one of these shirts, especially if it was made by a personal friend. I don't think I would apologize for it though. ;)

bob
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: BlueStarLizzard on November 16, 2014, 07:06:49 PM
Close enough?

http://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/red-galactic-gals (http://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/red-galactic-gals)

http://www.alohaland.com/pinup-girls-guys/gunner-girls

*sigh* men just don't know how to shop.

same graphic, different color. still have XL
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: BlueStarLizzard on November 16, 2014, 07:11:26 PM
and here's one for Monkeylegs!

http://www.alohaland.com/livin-in-the-fast-lane/black-risky-business
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Phyphor on November 16, 2014, 08:21:27 PM
http://ellyprizemanupdate.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/decisions-and-comments.html?m=1

You could ask the actual maker, but I hear she's getting a hell of a lot of requests.  =D
Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: Phyphor on November 16, 2014, 08:58:51 PM
Yeah, that was ridiculous. I'm not sure if I'm more irritated at the feminazis, or the dude breaking down into tears during his apology.

I give him a pass over that.  Dude just had the *greatest* moment of his career and that gets completely ignored by hateful harpies & SJWs who then proceed to try to make him over into the image of Hitler or something.

Title: Re: European Space Agency's Philae probe
Post by: 230RN on November 17, 2014, 03:21:13 PM
Probably just wore it in that morning and suddenly there are lights and cameras all over the place.  

What bothers me is that here I am, also adding to the comment-glut on the darned shirt, while still admiring the effort that went into the project.  You learn from stuff like that.

Next time around, now that we know that the harpoons don't necessarily work on a body like that, we'll figure something else out. Sorta like getting a flyer when shooting for record.  The probe probably hit a weird unexpected surface bump or something and threw it off.  Remember how the first manned moon lander had to drift around for a while to find a smooth spot to set down?  I still remember the dust being blown around on the moon's surface as it maneuvered.

Good practice anyhow if we ever have to attempt to destroy or deflect a threatening space body.

Terry