Nasa, Ares and the gratuitous Monty Python joke

In summary, Nasa is facing more problems with it's Shuttle replacement. The Ares-V looks like it is too heavy for the road to the launchpad, and there is a concern that a collapsing roadway might cause the Ares to - fall over burn down and then sink into the swamp.
  • #1
mgb_phys
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Nasa is facing more problems with it's Shuttle replacement. following Ares-I being too small to lift anything the Ares-V looks like it is too heavy for the road to the launchpad.
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/08/21/314931/nasa-faces-budget-busting-crawlerway-rebuild-for-ares-v.html

There is a concern that a collapsing roadway might cause the Ares to - fall over burn down and then sink into the swamp.
(And they said I were mad to build a space centre on a swamp...)
 
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  • #2
Obviously time to get the ouija board out to consult dear old Wernher...

Pity they destroyed the designs for the Saturn V back in the 70s...

"Oh, we'll never need those ever again"...:rofl:
 
  • #3
zeitghost said:
Pity they destroyed the designs for the Saturn V back in the 70s...

:biggrin: It is an ex-rocket! :biggrin:​

Ay'up mgb_phys! :smile:

Swamp? :approve: That were luxury!:rolleyes:

We 'ad to build our space centre inside a collapsed mine-shaft three miles under t'North Sea! o:)
 
  • #4
This thread should be renamed "Nasa, Ares, and the gratuitous use of duct tape."
Seriously though, the only reason they got rid of the Saturn V rockets was they weren't expensive enough. Oh and they wouldn't carry military satellites back down to earth.

Only the government could make something reusable much more expensive than something disposable.
 
  • #5
chayced said:
Only the government could make something reusable much more expensive than something disposable.

Things that are reusable normally are more expensive than disposable ones. :wink:

CS
 
  • #6
stewartcs said:
Things that are reusable normally are more expensive than disposable ones. :wink:
Yes, the trick with the shuttle was making each reuse cost more than a disposable one!
 
  • #7
FYI -

http://sites.nationalacademies.org/deps/DEPS_041874

Division on Engineering and Physical Science
Space - Reports and Report Summaries

Review of NASA's Exploration Technology Development Program: An Interim Report (ASEB)

Released 04.10.2008

To meet the objectives of the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), NASA must develop a wide array of enabling technologies. For this purpose, NASA established the Exploration Technology Development Program (ETDP). Currently, ETDP has 22 projects underway. In the report accompanying the House-passed version of the FY2007 appropriations bill, the agency was directed to request from the NRC an independent assessment of the ETDP. This interim report provides an assessment of each of the 22 projects including a quality rating, an analysis of how effectively the research is being carried out, and the degree to which the research is aligned with the VSE. To the extent possible, the identification and discussion of various cross-cutting issues are also presented. Those issues will be explored and discussed in more detail in the final report.
Perhaps the final report was just released.
 
  • #8
mgb_phys said:
There is a concern that a collapsing roadway might cause the Ares to - fall over burn down and then sink into the swamp.
(And they said I were mad to build a space centre on a swamp...)
I found nothing gratuitous about that. It pertained to the topic and it was damned funny.

...But the 4th rocket...
 

1. What is NASA?

NASA, or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is a US government agency responsible for the nation's space program and for conducting research and exploration in space.

2. What is Ares?

Ares was the name given to a series of rockets that were developed by NASA as part of the Constellation program, which aimed to send humans back to the moon and eventually to Mars. However, this program was cancelled in 2010.

3. What is the Monty Python joke referencing?

The Monty Python reference is to a famous sketch from the British comedy group's TV show, where a group of knights argue over the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow. In this context, it is poking fun at the complicated and technical names given to rockets and spacecrafts.

4. Why is the Monty Python joke associated with NASA and Ares?

The joke became associated with NASA and Ares when the Ares rockets were named after the Greek god of war, which is similar to the name of the Monty Python sketch, "The Quest for the Holy Grail". The joke was often used to make light of the serious and complex nature of space exploration.

5. Is NASA still using Ares rockets?

No, the Ares rockets were cancelled along with the Constellation program. NASA is now using the Space Launch System (SLS) for future missions, which is a newer and more powerful rocket that can carry heavier payloads and potentially send humans to Mars.

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