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VTOL enthusiast in AU. My jet pack (for now) is a powered paraglider. I enjoy temporary Zero-G. Drone mapping since 2014. SpaceX & Tesla fan. Real name Richard.

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@FelixSchlang Exciting! 🍿

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@FelixSchlang Do these static fires put the pad under even more stress than a launch? Longer duration of the close proximity blast. On the other hand, a launch results in structures higher up getting blasted…

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@FelixSchlang Wow, that’s going to be so epic to watch live!

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@AJamesMcCarthy Quite a shock to see something so huge move like that. My brain’s intuitive reaction is NO WAY!! But that’s what 7.6 km/s looks like !!!

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@CJHandmer I love the smell of hydrazine in the morning 🚀

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@FelixSchlang @teslaownersSV

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@FelixSchlang @teslaownersSV What an epic photo! Blows me away that you can get so close. Would be even better if you could get a shot with the full stack!

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Interesting!
I asked Grok about this, and it said:

Two Space Shuttle missions tested a tethered satellite system — basically a satellite on a super-long conducting cable — to study how it interacts with Earth’s magnetic field and ionosphere for things like generating electricity in space.

The first one, on STS-46 in 1992, only got the tether out about 840 feet before it jammed. The second, STS-75 in 1996 on Columbia, got it out to almost 12 and a half miles when the tether suddenly snapped due to an electrical arc that melted it. The satellite floated away trailing the cable. Both were technically failures at full deployment, but they still gathered useful data on plasma physics and tether dynamics. Pretty wild experiment.

[VERTIGUY @vertiguy]

@Astro_Clay On Gemini 11, they tethered the capsule to an unmanned Agena vehicle and got the whole lot spinning to make a tiny bit of artificial gravity.
It would be awesome to see 2 Starships try it. If anyone’s going to do this, it’s probably SpaceX 🚀

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@FelixSchlang Can’t wait!

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@FutureJurvetson Using steam as the energy carrier, whether for fission or fusion, has always seemed so “19th century“ to me…

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@DJSnM MAH
Mobile Aquatic Habitat
Since it’s an aquarium on wheels!

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@Astro_Clay Thanks for sharing. I like how you capped it off by respectfully using his native tongue!

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@Astro_Clay @NASA @csa_asc You must have had enormous trust in the arm operator!

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This is awesome. And clearly getting some aerodynamic lift from the roof and floor when in forward flight!

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@Jordanguidry6 @FelixSchlang Lawn Chair Larry might be up for it!

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@DrKnowItAll16 @SawyerMerritt Ha!
Indeed, my RHD Australian brain, in heuristic/shortcut thinking mode, instinctively thought “driver” upon seeing that photo!

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@FelixSchlang Incredible 👍

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@FelixSchlang *never

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@FelixSchlang The F9 boosters are getting so reliable that it’s almost approaching the reliability level where they could carry a human!
OK, probably pointless, too many G’s, and still not safe enough, but it’s amazing that their crash rate is so low. I bever expected that!

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@FutureJurvetson @mayemusk @elonmusk Wow - they even included the hexagonal tiles!