SpaceSimCentral

So they have rolled the Artemis moon rocket out to the pad for a countdown test, love to be their in person for the take off .
But I did read that in typical government fashion it's years late and will cost about $4 billion a throw, when they launch.
 

Posted by: @pinback
it's years late and will cost about $4 billion a throw, when they launch.

Madness, to be frank! Much as I want to see a base on the Moon, this ain't the way to go about it.

But I did read that in typical government fashion it's years late and will cost about $4 billion a throw, when they launch.

Yes, but those money return back to American economy!! There is no outsourcing, when you build something like that. And private sector cannot undertake projects of this magnitude!!

Posted by: @captainkal
Yes, but those money return back to American economy!! There is no outsourcing, when you build something like that. And private sector cannot undertake projects of this magnitude!!

I would point to Elon Musk Starship and that the private sector is more than capable of doing something like this and the other problem with government funded projects is that they will just cut it when feel like it.
As an example I would point to the Apollo missions where I think Nasa had two more Saturn 5 rockets ready to go but could not get the funding to launching them.
So if the figure of $4 billion a launch is correct, how long before the US governments says that's it we not paying for anymore. 

I would point to Elon Musk Starship and that the private sector is more than capable of doing something like this and the other problem with government funded projects is that they will just cut it when feel like it.
As an example I would point to the Apollo missions where I think Nasa had two more Saturn 5 rockets ready to go but could not get the funding to launching them.
So if the figure of $4 billion a launch is correct, how long before the US governments says that's it we not paying for anymore.
True, but Elon Musk is rather an oddity, not the usual representative of private sector!! And I believe that he's playing Kerbal Space Program, using real rockets!!!
And at the time of Apollo missions, US was engaged in the Vietnam, another huge money sink!!

The whole Apollo programme was about beating the Russians to the moon, when they got their, the American government lost interest in it and although Nasa had grand plans for space stations, moon bases and trips to mars. The government just reduced the funding and Nasa spent the next 50 years messing about in low orbit with a glorified glider.
Today they are saying the same thing as another space race with the Chinese maybe about to start, how far they get this time before their funding is reduced is any ones guess and that's assuming the Russians don't start WW3.

I see that Aremis is on the pad and ready to go on the 29 of this month for an unmanned moon shot, weather permitting.

Have to say that I'm really excited to this go having been too young to see the Apollo missions.
 

Posted by: @pinback
... too young to see the Apollo missions.

Unfortunately, I'm not too young! <sighs> I watched the Apollo 11 mission in a bar in Spain (not so many people had their own TV then). Grainy black and white television, but it blew me away. NASA have already got a shortlist of landing sites for the later Artemis mission.

Lets hope they stay this time and it's not just another race to beat the Chinese and they really do put a station in Luna orbit and a base on the surface.
Love to able to go to see one take off in person as they say you could feel the blast from the Saturn 5 lift off even from a number of miles away and given that the Artemis is more powerful, it would be an experience.

Posted by: @pinback
Love to able to go to see one take off in person

Yeah... that's one of those boxes I never managed to tick (like flying on Concorde).

Cancelled till Friday, seems to have had a fuel leak.

Cancelled again maybe third time lucky?.

Posted by: @pinback
maybe third time lucky?

Perhaps! Now scheduled for September 23/27 - we shall see!

Now soon-to-be Hurricane Ian has delayed the launch for a third time!
If I was due to fly on that beast, I'd be getting a little twitchy!

Better to play it safe, after all it would not look good to have billion dollars exploded. 

Oh well... back to the VAB. Meanwhile, Ian continues to intensify!

Finally got off the launch pad.

Yeah... big rockets! I do so like a good launch!

Splashdown due today at 17:40 UTC off Baja California. Hope that heat shielding works okay!