# The Great Ongoing Space Exploration Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** science-math\ **Created:** [November 16, 2020, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703 "2020-11-16T12:18:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 107
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2123 "2025-05-31T09:30:58Z")
If 33 and 1/3 it might be the Ventures performing _Telstar_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/N11I543_0n4/maxresdefault.jpg "Telstar (Stereo)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N11I543_0n4) 😁 ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2124 "2025-05-31T15:20:23Z")
Some of NASA’s budget hits (I see Musk fingerprints) – Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) is zeroed out, meaning no NASA vehicle or launch capability. – Gateway is cancelled with $304M in termination costs – EUS, ML2, RS-25 production restart, and BOLE are cancelled with unspecified termination costs probably well over a billion. – the HLS program will be converted to Mars lander after the initial lunar landing (predicted). That lunar landing is required to occur by the end of Trump’s term (to beat the Chinese) – a new Mars spacesuit program (ostensibly this is the SpaceX suit, as the Axiom suit was already being designed for Mars) – the MSR, JUNO, DAVINCI, VERITAS, OSIRIS, ENVISION, MAVEN, New Horizons, and Franklin Rover science missions are cancelled. – STEM is zeroed out, no more interaction of NASA with elementary, middle or high schools – 30% reduction in NASA civil service workforce – nuclear propulsion is cancelled, but funding is increased for cryogenic propellants, in accordance with SpaceX doctrine. NASA’s policy had been to develop hybrid nuclear-chemical-electric systems since each has advantages for different phases of flight. – the Program Affairs Office is reduced by 60%. This is the media wing of NASA that arranges briefings and media conferences before and after every mission, and responds to media and FOIA requests. > **[FY 2026 Budget Request - NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/fy-2026-budget-request/)** > > Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2025, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2125 "2025-05-31T15:58:51Z")
Time to rename NASA to SCWA: SpaceX Check-Writing Agency ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2126 "2025-06-01T03:55:14Z")
Surprising: > President [Donald Trump](https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump) announced late Saturday that he is withdrawing the nomination of [tech billionaire Jared Isaacman](https://apnews.com/article/jared-isaacman-nasa-administrator-elon-musk-fb4662fac78ed7cecc25e4cdfb6ae46e), an associate of Trump adviser [Elon Musk](https://apnews.com/article/musk-leaves-white-house-doge-savings-trump-666f0c3f890354fe836230826d9faa85), to lead NASA, saying he reached the decision **after a “thorough review” of Isaacman’s “prior associations.”** > **[Trump says he's withdrawing the nomination of Musk associate Jared Isaacman...](https://apnews.com/article/trump-isaacman-nasa-nomination-withdraw-a0b1d23823a06ac7ae1994c930c7786c)** > > President Donald Trump says he's withdrawing the nomination of tech billionaire Jared Isaacman, an associate of Trump adviser Elon Musk, to lead NASA. > Musk was a key factor behind Isaacman’s nomination as NASA administrator and with his backing, Isaacman was able to skip some of the party purity tests that have been applied to other Trump administration nominees. One mark against Isaacman is that he had recently donated money to Democrats. He also indicated opposition to some of the White House’s proposed cuts to NASA’s science budget. > > Musk’s role in the government was highly controversial, winning him enemies both among opponents of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda as well as inside the administration. One source told Ars that, with Musk’s exit, his opponents within the administration sought to punish him by killing Isaacman’s nomination. > **[Trump pulls Isaacman nomination for space. Source: “NASA is f\*\*\*ed”](https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/05/trump-pulls-isaacman-nomination-for-space-source-nasa-is-fed/)** > > “NASA’s budget request is just a going-out-of-business mode” without Isaacman. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2127 "2025-06-01T04:14:36Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > (I see Musk fingerprints) No. You guys are gonna _wish_ there were Musk fingerprints all over this change. Why would SpaceX possibly lobby _against_ a bunch of extra missions? They would be in the lead position to bid on all these things, since they’re the only provider even capable of launching more than a few times per year. Isaacman was highly respected by everyone in the industry, and the AP is being their usual contemptible selves by characterizing him as a “Musk associate.” No, he was a very successful billionaire in his own right as well as a true aerospace enthusiast. Next guy is gonna be a hatchet man, unfortunately. At least Isaacman gets out of it with his hands clean. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2025, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2128 "2025-06-01T23:13:15Z")
> [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > It doesn’t look good for the little lander. Telemetry was lost in the very final stages of its landing sequence They’re about to have another go at it (landing on June 5 19:24 UTC): > [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BVSMXQPeTcw/maxresdefault.jpg "ispace SMBC x HAKUTO-R VENTURE MOON: Live Landing Coverage") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVSMXQPeTcw) Lunar landers haven’t had a _great_ string of luck lately, but there have been some successes and partial successes. Let’s see if they learned their lessons this time. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2129 "2025-06-06T21:55:02Z")
Well, they didn’t make it: > No report on what actually went wrong yet. Suggestions from Doppler measurements are that the landing burn was initiated late and so it slammed into the surface at hundreds of km/h. But no indication why or official confirmation of what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2130 "2025-06-06T23:00:31Z")
TENACIOUS D…OA. (Yes, Discourse, that is "a complete sentence, you worthless fuck.) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2131 "2025-06-07T13:57:39Z")
Fallout from the Trump-Musk feud. > **[Elon Musk threatens to decommission SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft after Trump...](https://www.yahoo.com/news/elon-musk-threatens-decommission-spacexs-121041010.html)** > > A war of words between SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump could lead to significant fallout for U.S.-led space exploration. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2132 "2025-06-07T16:47:33Z")
> As President Donald Trump and Elon Musk [argued on social media](https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-tax-bill-6e7845081259c34db785182c51569c0c) on Thursday, the world’s richest man threatened to decommission a space capsule used to take astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station. > > **A few hours later, Musk said he wouldn’t follow through on the threat.** > **[Elon Musk pulls back on threat to withdraw Dragon spacecraft](https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-spacex-dragon-capsule-e1fa0607a8e69bc2ad1677f5920b5f56)** > > Elon Musk is dialing back his threat to decommission a capsule used to take astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station for NASA. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2025, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2133 "2025-06-07T17:19:44Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > A few hours later, Musk said he wouldn’t follow through on the threat My first thought when reading that was “Bet the shareholders were threatening to revolt” but I admit to not knowing a thing about the ownership structure of SpaceX. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2134 "2025-06-19T13:11:36Z")
The fireworks shows continue. > **[SpaceX Starship Rocket Explodes Before Test](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/19/us/spacex-rocket-explosion-texas.html?unlocked_article_code=1.QE8.0ZRY.tvppdnSDIFzM&smid=url-share)** > > The Starship experienced a “major anomaly” before starting its 10th flight test. Elon Musk’s giant moon and Mars rocket has a mixed record of success. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2135 "2025-06-19T13:21:49Z")
Longer video: > **[SpaceX Starship 36 Explodes During Flight 10 Testing at Starbase](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71AwkBt3_ts%2F)** > > While preparing for a 6-engine static fire test as part of its pre-flight test campaign, SpaceX's Ship 36 experienced an anomaly, resulting in destruction of... ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2136 "2025-06-19T13:39:12Z")
Seems pretty clear that the explosion began inside the aeroshell, rather than venting gas being ignited outside the vehicle. After that, I think all we can say is we got to see a giant space kablooie. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2137 "2025-06-19T15:13:11Z")
It doesn’t look like they even got to the static fire test, though - in a sense - they very much did. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2138 "2025-06-19T20:03:07Z")
That blowed up _real_ good. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2139 "2025-06-19T20:18:08Z")
Pretty sure it was a complete burn. Impressive 1st fireball but I’m a bigger fan of the secondary blast. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2025, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2140 "2025-06-19T21:49:25Z")
Elon hasn’t said anything about it? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2025, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2141 "2025-06-22T02:12:46Z")
" My contract demands payment regardless of results. I’m 2.6 Billion in on a 4 Billion contract. Fuck, I’m just gonna keep on blowing shit up and those monthly deposits are just gonna keep on rolling in. " ( \*\* Satire not a true quote but I’d believe it if someone showed it to me. \*\* ) ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2025, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703/2142 "2025-06-23T03:05:53Z")
Space X isn’t getting paid for test rockets that explode. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703.md?page=106) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-space-exploration-thread/925703.md?page=108)