Rapid Unplanned Disassembly

[Brian Roth]

As a nerdy kid who grew up during the USA's Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs era, I've continued to follow all the current events in the progress of space flight.

I had fingers crossed for Elon's launch this week and had a chuckle when the ultimate failure was called a Rapid Unplanned Disassembly. I thought it was an oddity of wording from SpaceX....but Nooooooo!

https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/10022/who-coined-the-phrase-rapid-unscheduled-disassembly
Years ago, I experienced a RUD of an electrolytic capacitor when testing an old piece of vacuum tube gear. Yes, I used a Variac to ramp up the AC mains. It seemed happy for more than a few minutes....then BANG. Scared the crap out of me!

Acronyms such as this one are SO common in government jargon. Look at the many proposed bills in various government chambers. Some aides stayed up all night concocting the names for various bills!

Bri

 

[iomegaman]

On some levels I appreciate that Musk is trying to push the envelope...engineering does not always follow sound science but science should always follow sound engineering...in this case there seems to be rumors that Musk pushed the launch to coincide with a "420" sort of meme/joke/I dunno...I refuse to engage the poli-ticks here...but there is a certain carelessness that having billions of dollars to toss about here that seems unhelpful...

Maybe I'm misinformed...but regardless the unscheduled disassembly is at minimum wasteful...on other metrics it might even be harmful...from what I have seen there will need to be repairs made to the launch pad itself, not to mention other things...thats some seriously bad engineering if you ask me.

As far as the use of the acronym...kudos for the team for using it...but it might make it harder to take this venture seriously.

 

[Brian Roth]

I totally missed the "420" date choice! lol

However, the original launch was planned for 4/17 and was scrubbed.....

Bri

 

[JohnRoberts]

I appreciate that he is very open about his failures. Rockets tend to blow up. That's why the do unmanned tests.

Space travel seems to be a game for gentlemen with deep pockets (Musk, Bezos, Branson). They seem to be spurred on by competing with each other. I guess Bill Gates never got the bug.

JR

 

[iomegaman]

I appreciate that he is very open about his failures. Rockets tend to blow up. That's why the do unmanned tests.

Space travel seems to be a game for gentlemen with deep pockets (Musk, Bezos, Branson). They seem to be spurred on by competing with each other. I guess Bill Gates never got the bug.

JR

I am unconvinced that actual "space travel" is possible...at least not for a very long time...and it's not just the travel technology that is prohibitive...humans have evolved over a very long time to have actual gravity fighting against our mortal coil at all times...lots of proof that extended times away from simple earth gravity pose major health problems for astronauts...simple things like vision begin to seriously degenerate in the absence of our ever present 1G...

Seems like I remember that extended space time also alters DNA...
Now travelling in space is a different thing altogether and we've done it and now like you say its for very rich ego's to enjoy...but actually travelling much further than our local luna is at this point encumbered by some basic human physiology roadblocks.

I'm sure they are thinking about them but so far no one has developed anything near artificial gravity other than actual thrust.

 

[JohnRoberts]

Artificial gravity is well demonstrated in science fiction (based on centrifugal force).

One major problem IMO is sub-light speed travel. Another is where would they go?

JR

 

[AnalogPackrat]

On some levels I appreciate that Musk is trying to push the envelope...

There always have been and likely always will be humans driven to explore, expand, DO.

engineering does not always follow sound science but science should always follow sound engineering...

What? SpaceX is mostly engineering AFAIK.

in this case there seems to be rumors that Musk pushed the launch to coincide with a "420" sort of meme/joke/I dunno...

As noted earlier the launch was attempted a few days earlier. I don't believe it was scrubbed after huge publicity and effort (never mind a little negative press) to make it on 4/20.

I refuse to engage the poli-ticks here...but there is a certain carelessness that having billions of dollars to toss about here that seems unhelpful...

From the perspective of someone in a poor country who is struggling to find food and shelter there is a certain carelessness among the relatively wealthy members of this forum having hundreds or thousands of dollars to toss about on superfluous items to make or record music.

Maybe I'm misinformed...but regardless the unscheduled disassembly is at minimum wasteful...

Not your money, not your problem.

on other metrics it might even be harmful...from what I have seen there will need to be repairs made to the launch pad itself, not to mention other things...

Also not your concern.

thats some seriously bad engineering if you ask me.

Big challenges mean big risks. It has been revealed that other SpaceX engineers wanted a flame trench and/or dousing system, but Elon overrode them. Not sure if engineering was at the root of his decision.

As far as the use of the acronym...kudos for the team for using it...but it might make it harder to take this venture seriously.

Better to try and fail than never to have tried at all. Nothing real gets done without a series of learning experiences (a.k.a. failures).

 

[iomegaman]

There always have been and likely always will be humans driven to explore, expand, DO.


What? SpaceX is mostly engineering AFAIK.


As noted earlier the launch was attempted a few days earlier. I don't believe it was scrubbed after huge publicity and effort (never mind a little negative press) to make it on 4/20.



From the perspective of someone in a poor country who is struggling to find food and shelter there is a certain carelessness among the relatively wealthy members of this forum having hundred or thousands of dollars to toss about on superfluous items to make pr record music.


Not your money, not your problem.


Also not your concern.


Big challenges mean big risks. It has been revealed that other SpaceX engineers wanted a flame trench and/or dousing system, but Elon overrode them. Not sure if engineering was at the root of his decision.


Better to try and fail than never to have tried at all. Nothing real gets done without a series of learning experiences (a.k.a. failures).

"From the perspective of someone in a poor country who is struggling to find food and shelter there is a certain carelessness among the relatively wealthy members of this forum having hundred or thousands of dollars to toss about on superfluous items to make pr record music."

This is the only thing I find a need to respond to in the rest of your comments...if you are truly living in the perspective of someone from a poor country struggling to find food and shelter I think your purpose would be much better served looking for a job or maybe creating one with the resources you are currently wasting to engage in lowbrow defense of Elon Mushes billion dollar play rocket.


I'm putting you on ignore since I don't really think you are serious...no one can be serious who is both attacking members from wealthy countries and defending one of the wealthiest egocentric assholes on the planet operating from the same country.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

"From the perspective of someone in a poor country who is struggling to find food and shelter there is a certain carelessness among the relatively wealthy members of this forum having hundred or thousands of dollars to toss about on superfluous items to make pr record music."

This is the only thing I find a need to respond to in the rest of your comments...if you are truly living in the perspective of someone from a poor country struggling to find food and shelter I think your purpose would be much better served looking for a job or maybe creating one with the resources you are currently wasting to engage in lowbrow defense of Elon Mushes billion dollar play rocket.

I'm simply pointing out the flaw in your weak argument. Being married to someone from a very poor country (I've taken many trips there including to the very rural areas), I might have some perspective on relative values.

I'm putting you on ignore since I don't really think you are serious...no one can be serious who is both attacking members from wealthy countries and defending one of the wealthiest egocentric assholes on the planet operating from the same country.

I'm perfectly serious. I didn't "attack" anyone. I disagreed with you and explained why. You seemed to have missed the point entirely. I really don't grok people who can't have a reasonable discussion about topics where opinions differ without getting their feelings hurt. Enjoy your bubble.