Timelapse of SpaceX employees working on the Crew Dragon for Demo-2 during yesterday’s Commercial Crew update.
https://twitter.com/thejackbeyer/status/1182724084108390400?s=21

Submitted October 11, 2019 at 10:24PM by thesheetztweetz
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Elon Musk says that NASA is free to share all SpaceX IP with ‘anyone it wants’
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Submitted October 12, 2019 at 04:14AM by lardieb
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<b>A Proposed Mars Sabatier Fuel Plant for Starship: Community Content</b>
&#8203;<a href="https://i.redd.it/d3ciqotaobs31.png">https://i.redd.it/d3ciqotaobs31.png</a><strong>Intro</strong>Hi everyone, here is my rendition of a Sabatier Fuel Plant that could be implemented after SpaceX starts landing on Mars. This is full of information, so I wanted to give a rundown of the systems here, and answer some FAQ so the same questions don’t keep getting asked. It goes without saying, but I would like your thoughts and feedback on how to improve this or implement it in the future.This is part of a project I am working on with my old engineering student team at the University of British Columbia. They are called UBC Mars Colony, and you can check them out here. <a href="https://ubcmarscolony.ca/">https://ubcmarscolony.ca</a>The team is working on developing the modular reactor units, as well as coming up with the total mass, power, and cost estimates, as well as a realistic timeline for implementation and creation of the entire system. Right now, they are in the early research and development phase, starting with a smaller scale lab size reactor, and working upwards to the full scale design. As well, the team will be exploring the resilience of the catalyst in response to day and night thermal cycles.&#8203;<strong>Why</strong>Earth based space travel limits possibilities since it has a large gravity well. Mars has one-third the gravity of Earth, and comparing escape velocities, Earth’s is 11 km/s and Mars’ is 5 km/s. If we look at the ratio of energy that it would take to reach the escape velocity from Earth, and divide it by the Energy it would take to get to Mars, (121 / 25) &#8771; 5, so that means it takes 5 times as much energy to leave Earth’s influence as it takes to leave Mars’ influence, and that doesn’t even include air resistance (of which Earth has lots). Thus, if people want to explore space, a cheaper way would be to launch rockets from the surface of Mars.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_velocity#List_of_escape_velocities">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escape_velocity#List_of_escape_velocities</a>Furthermore, colonists on Mars could conceivably want to return to Earth someday. Bringing fuel for a return trip back to Earth would be extremely costly: taking many launches and orbital refuellings to make that possible. Thus, production of fuel on the surface of Mars is a no-brainer, yet I have not seen concrete plans as to how to achieve this, in terms of mass, power, cost, and launches, etc. Accordingly, designs for a sabatier fuel plant should be discussed and evaluated now that a feasible plan to send highly capable rockets to Mars is happening (see Elon Musk for details).&#8203;<strong>Basics</strong>Sabatier Reaction CO2 + 4H2 &rarr; CH4 + 2H2O <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier%5C_reaction">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabatier\_reaction</a>Exothermic reaction &#8710;H = &minus;165.0 kJ/molRequires temperature between 300-400 deg Celcius. Mars averages -60 °C and goes from 20 to -153 °C [<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate%5C_of%5C_Mars%5C%5C%5D(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Mars%5C)">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate\_of\_Mars\\](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Mars\)</a>Uses catalysts, either nickel or ruthenium&#8203;<strong>Rationale</strong>I wanted to create a feasible system that can be transported by a rocket, set up by astronauts, and then operate semi-autonomously with no physical contact until at least the next 2-year launch window. The goal is to produce enough fuel to return a rocket such as Starship back to Earth within this timeframe.For this reason, I wanted to create a system of modular reactors, considering that a single large plant could fail, and probably couldn’t fit through the bay doors in the first place.Furthermore, a modular design could allow for upgrades, and an increase in capacity if more launches wanted to happen.The intent was…

30k new Starlink satellites positions filed by FCC to the ITU. All starting with "USASAT-NGSO-3"
https://ift.tt/31efR1F

Submitted October 13, 2019 at 11:41PM by hackz
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Tim Dodd: "How big of a solar field will it take to run an ISRU plant on Mars?" Elon Musk: "Depends on total system efficiency & how long the propellant plant can run to refill Starship, so 1 to 10MW as a rough guess"
https://twitter.com/Erdayastronaut/status/1183119630061178883

Submitted October 14, 2019 at 06:34AM by PhysicsBus
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Starship Launch Animation
https://youtu.be/C8JyvzU0CXU

Submitted October 14, 2019 at 08:26PM by fissionforatoms
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NASASpaceFlight.com Article: SpaceX renovating former Falcon 9 test stand at McGregor
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Submitted October 14, 2019 at 11:15PM by IanAtkinson_NSF
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SpaceX filing with the FCC: "Authorize Starship suborbital test vehicle communications for SpaceX Mission 1569 from the Boca Chica launch pad."
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Submitted October 15, 2019 at 06:13PM by MingerOne
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Watch Paul Wooster, Principal Mars Development Engineer, SpaceX, speech on October 19th, 7:00pm Pacific Daylight Time live via webcast!
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Submitted October 15, 2019 at 06:31PM by EdwardHeisler
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Future Direction for the “New” Space Industry … from the Eyes of Old Space
Interesting article by Sandra Magnus in SpaceNews:https://spacenews.com/op-ed-the-space-industry-a-closer-look-at-the-new-ecosystem/The article hits on a key theme – a paradigm shift for space….from government controls to open private / government interactions in space … to … a large ground swell of interest in space across the globe and … the natural evolution of humans beyond Earth.The article describes new space activities as: “New entrants are proposing everything from space hotels, human transportation systems, man-tended laboratories, in-space manufacturing, energy harvesting, asteroid mining, fueling depots, Earth imagery, small satellite constellation-based internet services and the list goes on.”Yes SpaceX activities are in the above list….Key question that is raised…. “How to manage the evolving of such a diverse, dynamic ecosystem of space participants to achieve our collective goals.”From the eyes of “Old Space” where it controlled just about all entry into Space …. This wave of “New Space” activities presents a challenge, loss of control and more importantly the power to control the future agenda and direction of Space activities. Think of space mining, use of natural resources on the Moon, Mars and beyond….The article summarizes “The time is ripe for a platform which convenes the entire global ecosystem, not just the Aerospace industry, with the aim of facilitating the necessary conversations, targeting outcomes and tracking resolution of critical issues. Working together, coherently as a broad community of interest in space, we can succeed.”Thoughts from the SpaceX “New Space” community?

Submitted October 15, 2019 at 08:10PM by WindWatcherX
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SpaceX sees U.S. Army as possible customer for Starlink and Starship
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Submitted October 16, 2019 at 11:25PM by ethan829
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Politico - NASA paid SpaceX for safety review after Musk smoked pot
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Submitted October 17, 2019 at 03:21AM by Myers112
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SpaceX says 12,000 satellites isn’t enough, so it might launch another 30,000
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Submitted October 17, 2019 at 07:39PM by Spekulatius2410
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Reevaluating the idea of leaving Starships on Mars
A few days ago u/Col_Kurtz_ made a post advocating that starships sent to Mars should stay there as permanent structures. Some minor side issues took the topic off into the weeds but I think there is still a case for it: n+2:Where n = cargo Starships eg. 5 + 1 more cargo + 1 passenger variant. Once on Mars the Raptor engines, avionics and anything else of value SpaceX need for future Earth launches are striped from the 5 ships, put in number 6 and sent back to Earth. The passenger class ship serves for evac incase of need. Livabilty:Starships are readymade, erected pressurised structures with what will be proven life support systems already in operation. Suggestions of 18m diameter variant ships in the coming future makes for potential very usable living and working spaces. As radiation requires shielding, a 3D printed cladding of Martian soil could be erected to provide this. Coincidentally the video from the winner of NASA’s Mars habitat competition concluded a starship shaped standing cylinder maximises structural strength, usable living space and is “inherently the most printable shape [...] the smaller footprint aids in the printers reduced requirement for mobility”. Theoretically the nose cone could be removed, a printing arm attached and the the ship would effectively cocoon itself within its soil derived radiation shielding. Optimisation:Continuing with the 5+2 starship scenario, each ship would be equipped with the basic requirements to maintain the crew in optimal health over course of the journey but within each hold would be dedicated outfit for the in field operations so all ships once on Mars lose their berths and ship 1 installs its cargo load to become the dedicated crew living space. Ship2 becomes the laboratory, ship 3 the grow house, 4 the hangar, 5 the engineering bay etc. Rather than attempting to build and test ISRU “in the field” on Mars, much of the system would be hard installed into ships on Earth and flown out to be assembled much more easily on Mars. A flying Stirling engine, a flying co2 extractor etc. After all the simplest solution is often the best Cost savings:There are a lot of memes about “flying water towers” and “built in a field by welders”, but I think this is real game change that the switch from carbon composites to steel can allow. Going from $130/kg to $2.50/kg makes it so economical that you don’t save much flying the rocket body back. The labor and materials are cheaper than the fuel and the transport time. Less rockets coming back equals much lower demands on ISRU, and once you decide certain ships will only be decelerating and landing through Martian atmosphere, the door opens for furthe potential efficiency gains (altered heat shielding reqs etc). If it can be shown it’s easier to strip valuables off of ships on Mars and send them back to Earth than it is carrying habitation in the hold to Mars and constructing up there its a worthwhile exercise. Without the valuables its just a water tower, and once you can afford for the mass of the rocket itself to become part of the permanent infrastructure up there then you’re left with a massive efficiency win. Really could be SpaceX’s ace in the hole. Any obvious flaws?(Sorry to post twice, wasn’t sure which sub was more appropriate)

Submitted October 18, 2019 at 03:46PM by xfjqvyks
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SpaceX starts construction of another Starship rocket in Florida
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Submitted October 18, 2019 at 05:57PM by Abscess2
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Paul Wooster, SpaceX Principal Mars Development Engineer talks at Mars Society Convention 2019
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Submitted October 20, 2019 at 10:00AM by Zyj
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Interview with local residents near Texas site. [Dutch]
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Submitted October 21, 2019 at 04:39PM by DutchDom92
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Elon Musk on Twitter: Sending this tweet through space via Starlink satellite
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1186523464712146944

Submitted October 22, 2019 at 08:04AM by OccupyMarsNow
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Julia Bergeron: "...both fairing recovery ships have nets! GO Ms. Chief and GO Ms. Tree are displaying their gear for all to see at the north dock this morning."
https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1186645227274211328

Submitted October 22, 2019 at 04:38PM by PhysicsBus
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SpaceX To Build Cities On Mars And Moon, Lead Engineer Confirms
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Submitted October 22, 2019 at 03:43PM by EdwardHeisler
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SpaceX plans to start offering Starlink broadband services in 2020
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Submitted October 22, 2019 at 10:52PM by jclishman
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