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Figured I'd put this here as it could get political at some point, though that's not my intention. I've always been fascinated with the idea of space exploration, be it the moon or Mars or whatever may come down the road. I'm not entirely sure what the plans are by NASA or others in regards to such missions as you've heard so many things over the years and I'm not sure what was actually planned or what was just thrown out as possibilities. I've heard about the plans to potentially build some sort of moon base/research station at one point. I think W at one point talked about some sort of moon base being a staging area for trips to Mars or something. I know Musk wants to send people to Mars and SpaceX has made a lot of progress in regards to rockets and has been crucial to NASA and the US Government in recent years.
I only bring this up because I just read an article, which will be shared below, that talked about the growing sizes of rockets that are being used, or plan to be used soon, and it sounds like NASA is planning to go back to the moon. I've always wondered if there would be benefits to having some sort of research facility on the moon and if there's benefits of the lower gravity levels in some such things. Or having the ability to experiment with things with no atmosphere or who knows what else. Maybe this is all just because I've grown up a bit of a sci-fi nerd.
SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket on classified Space Force mission (msn.com)
I'm also a big fan of SpaceX and other private entities that have been developing different craft for exploration and leisure. This is how things move forward as they challenge each other to develop the next big thing or find a way to commercialize space. And there's video in the above article showing the two rockets returning to earth and landing back down in Florida. If you haven't seen it before, it's actually pretty cool that they can get these rockets to return and reuse them, cutting down total costs. It's pretty awesome really.
I have no idea what Space Force is up to, but I'm more intrigued with where these rockets are taking us in the next decade. Will we start building a moon base? Will we start sending, or seriously planning an expedition to Mars? What will we discover next on this journey, terrestrial or otherwise?
I only bring this up because I just read an article, which will be shared below, that talked about the growing sizes of rockets that are being used, or plan to be used soon, and it sounds like NASA is planning to go back to the moon. I've always wondered if there would be benefits to having some sort of research facility on the moon and if there's benefits of the lower gravity levels in some such things. Or having the ability to experiment with things with no atmosphere or who knows what else. Maybe this is all just because I've grown up a bit of a sci-fi nerd.
SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy rocket on classified Space Force mission (msn.com)
The Falcon Heavy is the most powerful operational rocket in the U.S. inventory, but that honor is expected to pass to NASA's huge Space Launch System booster when it flies for the first time later this month to send an unpiloted Orion crew capsule around the moon and back.
The most-powerful-rocket title then will be handed off to SpaceX's gargantuan Super Heavy-Starship when it finally blasts off on a maiden flight late this year or early next.
That said, the Falcon Heavy did not disappoint, putting on a dramatic sky show as it climbed out of the fog blanketing the spaceport atop a brilliant jet of fiery exhaust, the roar of its 27 engines shattering the morning calm.
The Falcon Heavy's two side boosters, both making their first flight, were programmed to flip around moments after separation and to restart three engines each to reverse course. Another firing slowed the boosters for the plunge back into the dense lower atmosphere.
Plummeting toward the ground, the boosters restarted their central core engines, deployed landing legs and settled to picture-perfect, side-by-side touchdowns on concrete pads at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station as sonic booms rumbled across Florida's Space Coast.
The most-powerful-rocket title then will be handed off to SpaceX's gargantuan Super Heavy-Starship when it finally blasts off on a maiden flight late this year or early next.
That said, the Falcon Heavy did not disappoint, putting on a dramatic sky show as it climbed out of the fog blanketing the spaceport atop a brilliant jet of fiery exhaust, the roar of its 27 engines shattering the morning calm.
The Falcon Heavy's two side boosters, both making their first flight, were programmed to flip around moments after separation and to restart three engines each to reverse course. Another firing slowed the boosters for the plunge back into the dense lower atmosphere.
Plummeting toward the ground, the boosters restarted their central core engines, deployed landing legs and settled to picture-perfect, side-by-side touchdowns on concrete pads at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station as sonic booms rumbled across Florida's Space Coast.
I have no idea what Space Force is up to, but I'm more intrigued with where these rockets are taking us in the next decade. Will we start building a moon base? Will we start sending, or seriously planning an expedition to Mars? What will we discover next on this journey, terrestrial or otherwise?
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