The Universal Procrastinational Constant

Physics | Chemistry | Engineering | VC

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

@TurkeyBeaver @SpaceX @jstyer @BobbyPeden1 Some absolutely top notch folks running Texas Test

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

Insane that the runway(s) at most airports far exceed the cost of any single plane that utilizes them. Few exceptions.

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

🧵(2/2)

Deployable Energy: Smaller scale, but incredibly impressive given size of team

Aalo: Seemingly most ambitious and mature design - only a few detours taken relative to a commercially-directed prototype

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

🧵(1/2) In the wake of 7/4 criticality push - a few observations:

Antares: Impressive pace of execution - very Elonic “define, prioritize, and execute” ethic

Valar: Props for integrity of test campaign and style points for power conversion parlor trick

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

@softminus Glomar poasting 💯

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

Two top English language triggers:
-Saying “in lieu of” to mean “because of” instead of “in the place of”
-Saying “circa” to refer to present or future, instead of the past

Both are archaic misuses, which would be fine if they were coming from the mouth or pen of linguists …

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

I like to think the Waymo roof LiDAR is secretly a derivative of the Apache Longbow radome … and that it retains the capability to track 16 simultaneous fire-and-forget targets via a vestigial Fire Control System

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

@KevZag Saw SEALAB-1 last weekend - gangster stuff

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

Depending on how you cut the numbers…not sure even X-59 makes the target here under typical operating conditions

[Eli Dourado @elidourado]

While this is a step forward, I am concerned that this rule in practice only legalizes Mach cutoff flight.

This effectively means we are increasing the speed limit from Mach 1 to Mach 1.15 or so. Furthermore, Mach cutoff is an incredibly inefficient mode of operation, so very few flights will use it.

The 0.11 psf limit is way too strict. I hope that in the final rule FAA adopts a true low boom standard.

[Eli Dourado @elidourado]

While this is a step forward, I am concerned that this rule in practice only legalizes Mach cutoff flight.

This effectively means we are increasing the speed limit from Mach 1 to Mach 1.15 or so. Furthermore, Mach cutoff is an incredibly inefficient mode of operation, so very few flights will use it.

The 0.11 psf limit is way too strict. I hope that in the final rule FAA adopts a true low boom standard.

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

A maniacal sense of urgency (we’ll see…) At the very least, challenging the requirements of complex/exquisite GSE in favor of the fastest path back to flight. Important.

[Dave Limp @davill]

We're not rebuilding the same pad for New Glenn. We're moving to a horizontal/vertical hybrid configuration to get us flying again this year at 36A.  We were already working on something similar for 9x4 at 36B. Let me explain what that means. We mate the stages horizontally in the Integration Facility (IF). Then we bring the integrated vehicle out to the pad, use a crane to perform the vertical breakover, and mate the payload once New Glenn is vertical. This new ConOps has the added benefit of increasing our flight cadence as well.

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

@cwamidon Many have tried - have yet to see one succeed. Maybe they need to be taking bigger swings. Maybe they need to take the Lumina approach until demonstrating a meaningful part of the chain. Maybe the (historically tepid) appetite for private capital here is increasing.

Nonobvious

[Gaurab Chakrabarti @Gaurab]

Apple put $13 million into replacing a material aluminum smelters burn through every 25 days. The first batch of carbon-free aluminum went into a MacBook Pro. Global aluminum production is 73 million tons a year. Hall-Héroult has been the only way to make aluminum since 1886. It has two carbons: the electricity it pulls, and the anode that burns up in the cell. A 415 kg carbon block dissolves every 25 days. That's 1.5 tons of CO2 per ton of metal, before counting the power source. Replacing the carbon anode is one of the hardest materials-science problems in extractive metallurgy. It requires a material that survives 960°C molten cryolite for years without contaminating the metal. Parts per million of iron degrades the aluminum. The replacement is a cermet: nickel ferrite ceramic with a copper alloy binder. Alcoa worked on the materials science for four decades. Rio Tinto had the cell design. Apple brokered the partnership in 2018. Last November, Elysis ran a 450 kA cell at Alma, Quebec. The anode emitted oxygen instead of CO2. It lasted 30 times longer than carbon. The first new aluminum chemistry in 140 years.

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

@whatisnuclear @valaratomics They are familiar with (and possibly inspired by) the KRUSTy architecture - MARVEL has recently demoed a mature architecture for Stirling - it’s easy enough at the single digit MW scale for the sake of a demo - and easiest operating/safety case imo

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

@datarade Don’t show Hadrian 👀

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

Spotted: one spinny boi

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

Will never stop thinking about the Glomar Explorer

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

Space is not inherently winner takes all (or even winner takes most), but I am interested to see what Starfall does for the path of Varda and Inversion - equally - and by extension, what the moat of a Northwood actually looks like in a future where Leo or Starlink want to play

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

A twist I wouldn’t have expected two years ago - the lobbying and gov engagement efforts of (mainly) Oklo and Constellation produced the conditions required for several startups to beat Oklo to reactor demonstration. What a service to America. What a stroke of luck for many.

[The Universal Procrastinational Constant @667e11]

@SantiagoPliego It’s an affectation of the wannabe tech bro Laissez-faire - who are in fact, on the inside, tightly wound and “not that chill.”

A sad cheapening of written language by performative jabronis.