James Webb Space Telescope launch delayed for the umpteenth time

[captaincranky]

@wiyosaya You've probably have already seen this but I'll put it up in case anyone who's interested hasn't.

Ariane 5 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The intriguing thing about the design, is that has has exactly the same engine configuration as the space shuttle..!

The main engine is liquid fueled, (Oxygen & Hydrogen) with the two side boosters being solid fuel. It makes you wonder how the ESA has gotten, (as of now 98 launches), with only a partial mishap. Which wasn't an explosion, but rather lost telemetry, and an off course insertion of a double satellite launch.

 

[wiyosaya]

@wiyosaya You've probably have already seen this but I'll put it up in case anyone who's interested hasn't.

Ariane 5 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The intriguing thing about the design, is that has has exactly the same engine configuration as the space shuttle..!

The main engine is liquid fueled, (Oxygen & Hydrogen) with the two side boosters being solid fuel. It makes you wonder how the ESA has gotten, (as of now 98 launches), with only a partial mishap. Which wasn't an explosion, but rather lost telemetry, and an off course insertion of a double satellite launch.

@captaincranky Given Ariane 5's first flight was in 1996 and the Challenger Disaster was in 1986, the o-ring problem was corrected by then. So, IMO, there should be no problems there.

As well, the Columbia disaster was, as far as they know, due to missing or cracked heat tiles, which Ariane 5 does not rely on, so no problems there either.

I am willing to bet that Ariane 5 was designed and flown with an abundance of caution. I am sure you know what is said about the link to success with the ability to delay gratification.

Unfortunately, those design flaws got great news coverage and it looked like the shuttle, and its launch system were by then to who knows how much of the public and politicians (likely) that fancied themselves as knowing better than NASA.

It looks like correcting a design flaw has worked out well for Ariane 5, and in this case, the JWST. With whatever lead to the cancellation of the shuttle program (and I am not saying loss of life is trivial in anyway) it makes me wonder whether the US has lost some of its understanding that to make great strides sometimes, unfortunately, requires great sacrifice, and is often worth the cost.

I am sure that you are able to imagine where we would be now if the US had given up on the Apollo program after the Apollo 1 disaster. There's an adage I think is appropriate - Experience is the best teacher, but she sends enormous bills.

 

[wiyosaya]

@captaincranky I posted this link in the comments to another JWST story, however, I think it is worth repeating here just in case anyone who wants to has not seen it yet. IMO, its a great story about what was required to build JWST. https://www.hajim.rochester.edu/news/2021/2021-11-07-webb-telescope.html

IMO, its an amazing engineering feat. Here's to its success, hopefully.

 

[captaincranky]

It looks like correcting a design flaw has worked out well for Ariane 5, and in this case, the JWST. With whatever lead to the cancellation of the shuttle program (and I am not saying loss of life is trivial in anyway) it makes me wonder whether the US has lost some of its understanding that to make great strides sometimes, unfortunately, requires great sacrifice, and is often worth the cost.

The US public has devolved to a bunch of self involved snowflakes, more likely to watch this *********** than a missile launch any day of the week:

Here's some interesting reading about where our culture may be headed

Universe 25: The Mouse "Utopia" Experiment That Turned Into An Apocalypse

Universe 25: The Mouse "Utopia" Experiment That Turned Into An Apocalypse

www.iflscience.com

 

[captaincranky]

I am willing to bet that Ariane 5 was designed and flown with an abundance of caution. I am sure you know what is said about the link to success with the ability to delay gratification.

"He who pulls out and runs away, gets to pull out from another one day"? No wait, that's not it. :

 

[wiyosaya]

The US public has devolved to a bunch of self involved snowflakes, more likely to watch this *********** than a missile launch any day of the week:

Here's some interesting reading about where our culture may be headed

Universe 25: The Mouse "Utopia" Experiment That Turned Into An Apocalypse

Universe 25: The Mouse "Utopia" Experiment That Turned Into An Apocalypse

www.iflscience.com

Interesting read. Its not quite the same, but when I had bird feeders in the back yard after I moved into my wife's house, the birds house sparrows would sit on the feeder and chase other birds away. I eventually took them back down, and I swear the variety of birds we get is more than when we had the feeders - of course, though, we don't put any chemical crap on our lawn.

Yes, pageantry, fealty to the orange one, insane greed, lust, maybe all those people who advocate populating another planet are right. My fear in that, though, is that humanity would just take all its problems with them, even if unwittingly, and it would all happen again.

 

[captaincranky]

Interesting read. Its not quite the same, but when I had bird feeders in the back yard after I moved into my wife's house, the birds house sparrows would sit on the feeder and chase other birds away. I eventually took them back down, and I swear the variety of birds we get is more than when we had the feeders - of course, though, we don't put any chemical crap on our lawn.

Did you know that the English starling is considered an, "invasive species".

Fun Fact: Here in Philly, it's illegal to feed birds, but not cats. To see anything other than sparrows, starlings or pigeons, I have to go to the wildlife preserve next to PHL There's red tails and ospreys there. I think the red tails serve to keep gulls and pigeons out of the jet intakes. Oh, you can see gulls at the local Shoprite parking lot. (Which is next to the wildlife preserve).. .

Chemical crap on your lawn isn't so bad, unless of course you live in Florida and have an orange parrot out back, walking in circles and repeating, "I am the president, I am the president"...et al. Then perhaps you might want to dial it back a bit. BTW, what's a "lawn"?

My fear in that, though, is that humanity would just take all its problems with them, even if unwittingly, and it would all happen again.

More than likely. It falls generally under the "not being to change the nature of the beast" concept. Or, as the California hipsters would explain it, "like fer sher dude".

 

[captaincranky]

it makes me wonder whether the US has lost some of its understanding that to make great strides sometimes, unfortunately, requires great sacrifice, and is often worth the cost.

Urban Dictionary: Snowflake

A very sensitive person. Someone who is easily hurt or offended by the statements or actions of others. This has nothing to do with politics. Snowflakes can be liberal or conservative. Whether it is a compliment or an insult is a matter of opinion and depends on the context.

www.urbandictionary.com

Well that and, I was at McGuire AFB standing under a B1B, looking up in utter amazement, thinking to myself, "I wonder how many food stamps this thing cost, and it was well worth every penny"

Sadly, I missed its overfly, which had to have been spectacular..