The Astronomy Thread

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
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I'm disappointed to see them fail. It's best if there are multiple companies competing with different methods of reaching orbit. Virgin was the group pushing to yeet a rocket from a massive plane. Spinlaunch is another of that type of group, launching rockets by spinning them. Even if there are massive limitations to that tech compared to SpaceX's approach of a big ass rocket that can land with minimal material left in space/ocean, it's still worth pursuing in some capacity even on the govt dime. Something like Spinlaunch might be trash on earth but $$$$ on the moon and having a working prototype that can launch *something* into orbit on Earth would clear a path for moon operation.

But I don't know where Virgin's tech model fits in with SpaceX. If SpaceX is launching all the things into orbit around the clock, hitching a ride for something that Virgin could concievably launch seems trivial.
 
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Borzak

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  • Virgin Orbit is ceasing operations “for the foreseeable future” after failing to secure a funding lifeline, CEO Dan Hart told employees during an all-hands meeting Thursday.
  • The company will lay off all but 100 employees, according to audio of the 5 p.m. ET meeting obtained by CNBC.
  • Shareholders unloaded the stock in extended trading Thursday.

The important stuff was taken care of.

On the same day that Hart told employees that Virgin Orbit was pausing operations, its board of directors approved a “golden parachute” severance plan for top executives, in case they are terminated “following a change in control” of the company.
 
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Cybsled

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They’re launching this from Texas. You might be able to see it from Florida at a certain point, though
 

Sanrith Descartes

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They’re launching this from Texas. You might be able to see it from Florida at a certain point, though
Its Going Down GIF by Philips Norelco
 

Mudcrush Durtfeet

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BrutulTM

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Are those tiles all they're going to put on? Looks like it's not finished but I'd think they'd want to have those on before they stood the thing up.
 

jooka

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Burns

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Neat. Wonder if that's molten glass/rock/iron splatter from the asteroid impact. Then wind erosion comes and eats away the softer material underneath.

If it's not some visual illusion that we are seeing, that is.
 
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