Oh and the British government will have all sorts of handy vetos over the merged company.
Rishi has quite possibly played an absolute blinder.
It does rather look like the LEO constellations data provision market will be
1) Starlink 2) OneWeb - being actually operational and everything. Being the alternative to Starlink, in OneWebs chosen markets is probably quite a good business plan. 3) Kuiper - if Jeff can ever get his rockets up.
Kuiper will happen. Even *If* New Glenn never gets to orbit, Kuiper will launch, as Kuiper is not dependent on NG. It's Kuiper and Oneweb's USP...
Also note sex-pest Musk's post that Starlink depends on the unlaunched Starship... (*)
(*) I don't believe that for one minute. he was just sh*tting on the employees he could not sh*g.
It may happen - the problem is persistent non-delivery. It is hard to think that the slow pace at Blue Origin may be matched by the satellites for Kuiper taking ages.
Remember when Surrey Satellites saved Galileo’s bacon? Just…
Starlink V2 is about getting an unassailable lead - even if Bezos is buying all the non Starship launch capacity on the planet, he can’t compete. Can’t solve that problem with money - he’d need throw weight. Which won’t be available for any price. Unless he launches on Starship
As ever, you are a little too pro-Musk and a little too anti- his rivals. If you had not noticed, SS has not launched, let alone reached orbit. They're nearly as late as NG. And Raptor 2 isn't looking that good.
Starlink is in operation now. Thousands of satellites. Hundreds of thousands of actual users etc. approval to operate in many countries. Uplink stations in many countries. More satellites being launched every week. Literally.
OneWeb is now beginning to come into service. Satellites in orbit, ground stations up and running, approval granted by various countries.
Kuiper - no satellites. No ground stations. No users. No approvals.
Currently just OneWeb and Starlink are in the game.
Not sure what you means about Raptor 2 - plenty of videos from the fence at McGregor of multi hundred second runs, thrust vectoring and everything…
There are plenty of videos of BE-4 as well, with the same criteria. And note they are on Raptor *2* because Raptor *1* did not cut the mustard. And they have blown three Raptor 2's in the last few months.
Now, this might mean they're pushing the limits. Or it could be a sign the program is in trouble. But bear in mind NG has seven BE-4 engines on its first stage. Super Heavy has 33 (*). As the N1 shows, even with protection, the failure of one engine can doom the rocket.
SpaceX has a great record in such things. But they are really pushing the limits of the technology, and they may be in for a world of pain. And tech is filled with companies that were leaders who vanished. I doubt that will happen with SpaceX, but don't swallow the Musk Kool-Aid.
(*) According to Wiki; it regularly changes.
The main problem with the N1 was lack of funding - they were trying for all up testing, but lacked the funds to lose the first 1/2 dozen boosters. Some of their stuff was mad even by SpaceX throw-it-at-the-sky standards - explosively opened valves, which couldn’t be reset. So completely untested engines off the production line, first flight was first fire…
The comments from those who’ve worked at SpaceX and were involved with them (as both competitors and helpers) all agree on one thing - it takes years to build an organisation that can launch orbital rockets. And it isn’t something you can create without launching to orbit. Blue Origin is years behind - they haven’t finalised the design of New Glenn to the point of building tooling - they’ve built some test tanks. They really need the experience that some of the small launcher companies have already got - flying rockets. There’s no substitute.
From memory (there's an online book about it written by an US/?Indian? chap), the N1 was meant to have a dozen+ launches before it successfully got to orbit. The political will - and hence financing - ran out.
As I keep on saying, you seem too down on Blue Origin, and far too *up* on Musk's ventures.
I want both to succeed. In fact, it's vital they both do.
Edit: 'Challenge to Apollo' by Asif A. Siddiqi. Available for free online, and a great resource.
If I may, here's a section on what it's like when an Apollo or SuperHeavy-sized rocket goes boom near the pad:
"Only in the trench did I understand the sense of the expression "your heart in your mouth." Something quite improbable was being created all around--the steppe was trembling like a vibration test thundering, rumbling, whistling, gnashing-- mixed together in some terrible, seemingly unending cacophony. The trench proved to be so shallow and unreliable that one wanted to burrow into the sand so as not to hear this nightmare.., the thick wave from the explosion passed over us, sweeping away and leveling everything. Behind it came hot metal raining down from above. Pieces of the rocket were thrown ten kilometers away, and large windows were shattered in structures 40 kilometers away. ,_ 400 kilogram spherical tank landed on the roof o[ the installation and testing wing. seven kilometers from the launch pad.
By some estimates, the strength of the explosion was close to 250 tons of TNT--not a nuclear explosion, but certainly the most powerful explosion ever in the history of rocketry. The booster had lifted off to a height of 200 meters before falling over and exploding on the launch pad itself, about twenty-three seconds after launch. The emergency rescue system fired in the nick of time, at T+ 14.5 seconds, to shoot the descent apparatus of the payload two kilometers from the pad, thus saving it from destruction. Remarkably, no doubt because of the stringent safety precautions, there were no fatalities or injuries, although the physical devastation was phenomenal. When the first teams arrived near the pad in the early-morning hours of July 4, there was only carnage left behind: We arrived at the fueling station and were horrified--the windows and doors were smashed out, the iron entrance gate was askew, the equipment was scattered about with the light o[ dawn and was turned to stone--the steppe was literally strewn withdead animals and birds. Where so many o[ them came [rom and how they appeared in such quantities at the station I still do not understand.'
And they reckon that only a small fraction of the fuel on the rocket went boom.
The little I read of either space programme, but particularly the Soviet one, the more I'm amazed anyone made it up there and back in their death traps.
Very true.
But not just in Russia: Brazil had a really nasty one in 2003, killing 19 people. This is one thing I fear with SpaceX's SH/SS development: failing frequently is fine until it is not.
The trick is not having people close to where you are playing with propellants.
That and flight termination systems make rocketry safe. A kiloton or 2 on the horizon is just a loud bang.
The Brazilian thing was stupid negligence of the most basic sort.
Also see the event where Virgin Galactic's friends killed three engineers in an explosion.
Or the event this year where another 'emergent' rocket company had an event with people nearby, fortunately without casualties. Can't find a link immediately, but they got *lots* of criticism...
I’ll refrain from commenting too much on the Virgin thing. He likes to sue.
The engineers were
1) pumping around multiple tons of a known monopropellant. AKA an explosive. 2) they were unaware of the pressure/temperature issues documented in the literature about said propellant. 3) they had no temperature measurement or control on the propellant tanks 4) they had done no worst case (or any case) study to work out a safe zone. 5) they did their tests with people nearby. For no requirement or reason. 6) it was a blazing hot day in the desert, and they had no idea what that was doing to their test rig.
EDIT - do you mean those idiots who were running a giant blow torch they called a rocket motor, while trying to kill themselves? Complete with hiding behind a small hummock of earth about 6 feet from their “test”?
Rishi sounds like a creepy teenage dweeb. Just been watching Stranger Things and can picture him leaping on his chopper bike to head off Liz at the pass.
Can’t believe I never noticed the Rishi = EICIPM thing before.
On the assumption we aren't going to dash to the polls to show our appreciation of how lucky we are Truss has become Prime Minister, the next big election in Europe is Sweden on 11th September.
The latest poll from SKOP has fieldwork from 8th to the 11th so quite old already.
Changes from the last election:
Social Democrats: 31.5% (+3.2) Moderates: 18.5% (-1.3) Sweden Democrats: 16.6% (-0.9) Left Party: 10.3% (+2.3) Centre Party: 6.2% (-2.4) Liberal Party: 6.1% (+0.6) Christian Democrats: 5.7% (-0.6) Greens: 3.6% (-0.8)
With the 4% threshold, all bar the Greens would get seats in the Riksdag. The Social Democrats would be in a strong position but it would be back to the old hunt for coalition partners.
On the assumption we aren't going to dash to the polls to show our appreciation of how lucky we are Truss has become Prime Minister, the next big election in Europe is Sweden on 11th September.
The latest poll from SKOP has fieldwork from 8th to the 11th so quite old already.
Changes from the last election:
Social Democrats: 31.5% (+3.2) Moderates: 18.5% (-1.3) Sweden Democrats: 16.6% (-0.9) Left Party: 10.3% (+2.3) Centre Party: 6.2% (-2.4) Liberal Party: 6.1% (+0.6) Christian Democrats: 5.7% (-0.6) Greens: 3.6% (-0.8)
With the 4% threshold, all bar the Greens would get seats in the Riksdag. The Social Democrats would be in a strong position but it would be back to the old hunt for coalition partners.
Italy also has its general election shortly after on 25th September, there the right leads, even if Sweden as is usually the case, sees the Social Democrats top again
If we had a Lab and Con leaders debate before an election that was as fiery as this it would be great! Two people who politically despise each other tearing the other apart. Calling out their policies as stupid and their positions as lies.
Truss is hardly getting a look in so far. I don't think Sunak is doing his chances any harm at all with all this exposition, and explanation, very assertively expressed.
This is genuinely nasty. In an other universe, Ben Wallace is gently edging out Mourdaunt in a good humoured contest.
Yes, Ben Wallace's decision not to run for Tory leader may just have given Starmer an overall majority or very close to it. He was always the grown up in the room
If we had a Lab and Con leaders debate before an election that was as fiery as this it would be great! Two people who politically despise each other tearing the other apart. Calling out their policies as stupid and their positions as lies.
But these two are supposedly the same party.
Your opponents are opposite. Your enemies are next to you.
Big point scored by Truss, Mason quotes a book she co-authored, calling the British people skiers, Truss points out that bit was written by Raab who is supporting Sunak...
Chris Mason now throwing Britannia Unchained at her calling the audience workshy scum. "But I wrote the chapter on education. Dominic Raab wrote that chapter and he supports Rishi"
Jesus!!!!!! These two just need to hate fuck. Would be better than 6 weeks of this.
I think Truss is winning - Rishi is coming across as too combative and frenetic. He is making Truss come across as calm and measured even though she’s talking rubbish.
This is genuinely nasty. In an other universe, Ben Wallace is gently edging out Mourdaunt in a good humoured contest.
Yes, Ben Wallace's decision not to run for Tory leader may just have given Starmer an overall majority or very close to it. He was always the grown up in the room
Or he concluded the Tories were going to lose so he’s keeping his powder clean
I think Rishi is probably right politically. If the Tories aren’t for bean counting, people will vote Labour. And they will
Boris was anything but a bean counter, what people want from the Tories is a charismatic leader with vision and patriotism, the bean counting is for the chancellor
If we had a Lab and Con leaders debate before an election that was as fiery as this it would be great! Two people who politically despise each other tearing the other apart. Calling out their policies as stupid and their positions as lies.
But these two are supposedly the same party.
Do we really believe them when they claim to have had these heated debates behind closed doors in Cabinet before? Or did they merely tut under their breath and note down a political opportunity for the future?
Chris Mason now throwing Britannia Unchained at her calling the audience workshy scum. "But I wrote the chapter on education. Dominic Raab wrote that chapter and he supports Rishi"
Jesus!!!!!! These two just need to hate fuck. Would be better than 6 weeks of this.
Shades of the Clinton v Obama debates, also a slick privately educated non white male v a stiff white woman educated in public/state schools
Sunak has already lost, hasn't he? So what does he have to lose? Other than machine gun the Truss bullshit. Yes he is ranting a bit. But she is talking so much shit. And its loads of fun to watch.
Big point scored by Truss, Mason quotes a book she co-authored, calling the British people skiers, Truss points out that bit was written by Raab who is supporting Sunak...
Sunak better-prepared but domineering - I wonder if he's overdoing it
I cant stand Truss and this is my least preferred head to head but Sunak is the wrong man at the wrong time. Filthy Rich guy saying no help for you until i say so is totally out of the question as a way forward.
Sunak correctly calling Truss' bluff on Solvency II: she does indeed have no idea what it means, and reforming it absolutely will not help drive investment in places like Stoke-on-Trent.
I think Truss is winning - Rishi is coming across as too combative and frenetic. He is making Truss come across as calm and measured even though she’s talking rubbish.
There's a bit of a "Please stop picking on interrupting me" vibe coming from Truss though
Chris Mason now throwing Britannia Unchained at her calling the audience workshy scum. "But I wrote the chapter on education. Dominic Raab wrote that chapter and he supports Rishi"
Jesus!!!!!! These two just need to hate fuck. Would be better than 6 weeks of this.
Shades of the Clinton v Obama debates, also a slick privately educated non white male v a stiff white woman educated in public/state schools
Letting Rishi savage her may work out. She could end up winning with the sympathy of the public behind her. If shes confident of beating him in the vote its not the worst idea ever. Shes saving those for policy.
Comments
The engineers were
1) pumping around multiple tons of a known monopropellant. AKA an explosive.
2) they were unaware of the pressure/temperature issues documented in the literature about said propellant.
3) they had no temperature measurement or control on the propellant tanks
4) they had done no worst case (or any case) study to work out a safe zone.
5) they did their tests with people nearby. For no requirement or reason.
6) it was a blazing hot day in the desert, and they had no idea what that was doing to their test rig.
EDIT - do you mean those idiots who were running a giant blow torch they called a rocket motor, while trying to kill themselves? Complete with hiding behind a small hummock of earth about 6 feet from their “test”?
I’ll stop there…
The latest poll from SKOP has fieldwork from 8th to the 11th so quite old already.
Changes from the last election:
Social Democrats: 31.5% (+3.2)
Moderates: 18.5% (-1.3)
Sweden Democrats: 16.6% (-0.9)
Left Party: 10.3% (+2.3)
Centre Party: 6.2% (-2.4)
Liberal Party: 6.1% (+0.6)
Christian Democrats: 5.7% (-0.6)
Greens: 3.6% (-0.8)
With the 4% threshold, all bar the Greens would get seats in the Riksdag. The Social Democrats would be in a strong position but it would be back to the old hunt for coalition partners.
Although Phase-al (Faisal) has just chopped her off at the knees.
I'm one of the 1,000 or so ordinary voters taking part in this poll.
Rishi doing 90% of the talking.
But these two are supposedly the same party.
Lower long term ?
The Tories are completely out of ideas and out of time. This is literally like 2010
Jesus!!!!!! These two just need to hate fuck. Would be better than 6 weeks of this.
Every statistics textbook I have ever read has started, Take a random sample....
Epic trolling from Labour hahahaha
She has certainly got my organ functioning.
Tory member, asian heritage, muslim, and a few others.
picking oninterrupting me" vibe coming from Truss thoughThanks a fucking bunch.
Penny could have scored big here with the right pitch.
http://www.worldgovernmentbonds.com/country/united-kingdom/
Edit: try this:
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/statistics/yield-curves
If you want your home repossessed after mortgage rates go through the roof vote Truss !
So possibly a vote winner for older Tory party members...