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Sums it up rather well - from the government end. OTOH SpaceX's Elon Musk is a visionary who wants to use commercial launch to pay for his dream of going to Mars.

That is why SpaceX has the Falcon X and Falcon XX super-heavy and Merlin 2 engine concepts, and also why Dragon was designed for beyond Earth orbit from the get-go; why else use a heat shield capable of re-entering at almost 40,000 mph? Not at all necessary if low orbit was the ultimate goal.

good signs, but how long till we get to Mars on Musk's funding? No, as sad as that is, this calls for government intervention on a global scale. it's time to pool efforts across space agencies. Private industry can help and contribute, they can take over LEO for sure and even further, but going to Moon/Mars/Asteroids etc should be a public concern, not something left to corporations. Especially since none of these enterprises are big enough to sustain such massive undertakings. if you told me GE or Wal-Mart or Foxxcon are going into space exploration then yeah sure, but SpaceX...i'm not convinced, those guys need government funding to literally get off the ground.

GE is in aerospace. Not as a launcher, but certainly as a satellite component manufacturer including solar panels. WalMart is a retailer, not a manufacturer of technologies.

The best way forward is exemplifed by NAUTILUS-X; NASA etc integrating commercial technologies like Bigelow's into beyond Earth orbit (BEO) missions. An evolved Dragon could be the return vehicle and stripped down provide the basis for a lander using their vertical landing thrusters, and Ad Astra could supply VASIMR plasma propulsion modules. Poof.

On the other hand, SpaceX and Carnegie-Mellon university have sheduled the launch of a lunar rover on a Falcon 9 in a couple of years. Like most big Earth telescopes, the funding will be private. If had been around a block 2 Falcon 9 could have flown both Mars rovers in a single launch.

UPDATE:

Falcon 9 Heavy has been renamed to Falcon Heavy. By the time it flies in 2012 Falcon Heavy will have the largest mass to orbit of any launcher in the world.

Falcon Heavy Demo Flight: 2012

Location: Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 4-East (former Titan IV pad)

Dimensions -

Height: 56.4 meters (180 feet)

Width: 11.5 meters (38 feet)

Depth: 3.6 meters (12 feet)

Fairing: 5.2 x 13.9 meters (17.06 x 45.6 feet)

Engines - (all but Raptor use kerosene/LOX)

1st stage: 27 Merlin 1's (9 per core)

2nd stage: 1 MVac (Merlin 1 vacuum, re-startable)

Future 2nd stage: 1 Raptor hydrogen/LOX (higher performance)

Performance -

Thrust: 15 million Newtons (3.375 million lb/ft)

Mass to LEO: 32,000 kg (70,548 lbs)

Mass to GTO: 19,500 kg (42,990 lbs)

LEO = Low Earth Orbit

GTO = Geostationary Transfer Orbit

Falcon Heavy

falconheavy2011-1.jpg

Fairing (1/4 section)

falcon9-fairing.jpg

used Wal-Mart as an example...they have far greater resources than all space organizations and companies in the world combined. plus don't forget they buy Weyland-Yutani by the events of Alien Resurrection...

thanks for the Space X update. looks nice but i've already made it clear i'm disappointed with this tech. i know there's forward movement and i understand what you describe as the way ahead is likely the best we're going to get in the near future, but still....i feel all of this should have been done decades ago. well, no crying over spilled milk, must be positive...i'm hoping Curiosity will be a big one for NASA and that by this time next year we'll be clearer on the details of an upcoming manned Mars mission...one can hope like i often say.

  • 4 weeks later...

Interesting quote from NASA administrator (former astronaut & USAF General) Charles Bolden in Aviation Week -

>

?NASA does not need a 130-metric-ton vehicle, probably before the next decade,? Bolden says. ?We know we?re going to need it if we?re going to an asteroid, and we?re definitely going to need it if we?re talking about going to Mars. But we will take a lesser capability in an earlier heavy-lift system so that we can get the job done. . . It means some of the traditional rocket companies (read:Lockheed & Boeing) that want to sell me a 130-metric-ton vehicle but don?t want to evolve it, they may lose because there is some other company that wants to give me the capability that I need right now that can be evolved to what I need down the road.?

>

That sure sounds like he's talking about SpaceX's evolvable Falcon X/Falcon X Heavy/FalconXX archetecture. The first need for a 130+ metric ton launcher would boil down to the NAUTILUS-X deep space exploration ship. That is what we need to go to Mars'and beyond.

The moon is a dead end, we've been there and there isn't any need to keep going there. only as part of a long term space expansion project where a moon base with deep space launching as an inbetween. right now where we need to go is Mars, a moon base would potentially come long after that as the need arises. it if does.

the moon's not a dead end, but i agree Mars is the priority. if i had to choose, i take Barsoom any day of the week. however, the moon has lots of promise. ideally we can start settling both at about the same time.

The moon is a dead end, we've been there and there isn't any need to keep going there.....

I disagree. The moon could be very valuable. A lot of work has gone into ISRU, in situ resource utilization, and much of this work has been done for the moon and Mars.

* a staging area with just enough gravity for long term crew health but low enough for easy departure to an L2 space dock.

* imagery shows lots of water in polar craters, which can be broken diwn into hydrogen & oxygen using solar power. This would be far easier than launching it from Earth for deep space missions originating at L2.

Basically, using ISRU all you'd need to launch from Earth is a bit of CO2 instead of much larger volumes both both fuel and oxidizer - which would likely be a toxic mix of hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide.

The hydrogen would partly be fuel for VASIMR, the oxygen for the crews, and the rest as missiin resources; the CO2 would be added with the remaining hydrogen & processed using solar power to provude methane and oxygen fuel for landers and pods. XCOR has done a lit of work for NASA on the methane engines for this.

Even the astronauts agree the moon is a dead end, going there again doesn't bring us anywhere further, it just repeats what we did 50 years ago.

yeah it could be usefull for a deep space stagign area, as I said, but before that's even an issue, we need to do exploration missions to mars to see if we even need it. and for those, we don't need a moon base.

All the moon talk the agencies and government is doing, it's simply to placate the people who are telling the government to get back into space, since the moon is cheaper than Mars, but ultimately the money they spend going there woudl be wasted for the missions they would be doing. and the money would be far better spent on going somewhere useful, i.e. Mars.

SOME astronauts think Mars first, and some say a more complete exploration of the Moon is in order. Besides, most are not geologists or planetary scientists but "mission specialists" or engineers and in no position to judge science goals. It's like asking a NYC taxi driver or automotive engineer about the geopogy or archaeology of Manhattan.

All we've been to id the equitorial latitudes on the lit side - and even then only ONE geologist made the trip and ZERO planetary scientists. That's hardly a complete analysis.

it should be moon and Mars more or less concurrently. the moon is priceless as a mining outpost, tourism destination, research/proving grounds and even storage. like i said, forced to choose one i'd go with Mars obviously, but i would never insult Luna by referring to her as a dead end...Doc said it, what we've done there so far is like Columbus sighting Florida from Cuba and deciding to go back cause North America was a dead end. it doesn't make sense. i see your point regarding placating the pro-space crowd with cheaper missions, but it doesn't change what the moon has to offer.

The far left rocket is the 360' tall Saturn V moon rocket.

The rest are SpaceX's proposed roadmap. The expected announcement would be for Falcon Heavy, previously the Falcon 9 Heavy.

FH would itself be able to orbit the largest payload of any post-shuttle launcher - previous estimates were 32 metric tons in standard form & more with a hydrogen 2nd stage.

NASA's administrator has made statements that hint he's interested in Falcon X & Falcon X Heavy.

Without knowing details beyond the raw thrust that's hard to calculate. First we's have to know the stage masses (can guesstimate that) and the speed at which main engine cutoff occurs (not so easy.)

Just running a raw lb/f/sec to Imperial HP through the number cruncher gives ~19,000, but that sounds low.

Regarding the announcements - there are already rumors beyond the obvious Falcon Heavy data -

Construction at Vamdenberg

A multi-launch customer (CONAE? [Argentina])

Raptor LH2 stage info

Multi-large satellite bus

We'll see on the 5th, but Gwynne Shotwell's also appearing at Space Access on tbe 7th, so info may come over 2 days.

heh heh i have a feeling something's afoot...the success of both MESSENGER and Starbust seems to have reinvigorated NASA. i think we're going back to the moon this decade!

HawkMan, i hear you, but i'm so desperate for something i'll take gimped moon missions. besides, they're not talking about the same old, read the NASA materials, same for ESA, China, Russia, and JAXA...all talking about moon bases and permanent habitation. remember the technology is a lot better and cheaper now. even your run of the mill space program can get a moon base up and running now with ease, it's just a matter of getting the politicos to fork over the funding.

plus, let me quote Contact: little steps Ellie, little steps...we have to get back up to running speed before we go flying, our space programs have stagnated long enough. i think the realization that space exploration is basically one endless growth industry for the whole world is starting to sink in. or it could just be this beer i'm drinking.

*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***

SpaceX: Something Big Is Coming

Elon Musk to Hold Press Conference in Washington Tuesday

WASHINGTON ? Elon Musk, CEO and Chief Technology Officer of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), will hold a press conference on Tuesday, April 5th at the National Press Club in Washington to discuss his company?s latest venture.

EVENT:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to Talk About the Next Big Thing

TIME:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 11:20 AM

DATE:? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

LOCATION:? ? ? ? ?National Press Club, Zenger Room

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Washington, DC 20045

Can?t make it in person?

The press conference will be webcast live at:

http://www.visualwebcaster.com/spacex

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    • Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 Ergonomic Office Chair review: The Ikea of chairs by Steven Parker I've reviewed a few gaming chairs over the past three years or so and generally found them to score well in our reviews. SIHOO reached out asking if I was interested in taking a look at their flagship chair, the Doro C300 Pro V2. I never got the chance to check out its predecessor, but the V2 is described as an "Adaptive Ergonomic Chair." It became available to buy in April of this year. Let's get things rolling with a closer look at the specifications and features. Specifications Doro C300 Pro V2 Model Ergonomic Materials Mesh Back and Seat; Soft PU Coated Armrests Height adjustability 45.5 - 53 cm / 17.5" - 20.9" Seat (w+d) 52 x 43 - 47 cm / 20.5" x 16.9" - 18.5" (adjustable) Backrest 52 – 60 cm / 20.5" - 23.6" (adjustable) Lumbar support Mesh built-in (adjustable) Armrest adjustability 8D Bionic Armrests Rocking angle 105°, 120°, 135° (fixed) Neck support Mesh built-in (adjustable) Net weight 27.3 kg / 59.64 lbs Weight support 150 kg / 330 lbs Colors Black, White Warranty 5 years (upon registering) Price $499.99, $539.99 Introduction At first glance, it looks like a chair that in another life wants to be a Herman Miller; It certainly looks like my Aeron Remastered, but the Doro C300 Pro V2 has quite a few more features and costs quite a bit less. SIHOO says that it is made up of a "DynaCore" system that tracks your movement and synchronizes the headrest, backrest, lumbar support, and armrests as you shift, twist, or recline. They also say that the "SyncroFlex Backrest" molds to your spine, which kind of describes how the mesh fabric works in most ergonomic chairs, but anyway. Below are the meat and potatoes measurements for the chair. Here is the same tech sheet, but in inches. Durability I would be remiss to not talk about the various durability testing this chair underwent before coming to market, as this is claimed on the product page. First of all, the chair is BIFMA-, SGS-, and TÜV-certified. As for durability, the tests undergone were: 100,000 Castor cycles tested 120,000 Armrest cycles tested 120,000 Recline cycles tested 120,000 Gas lift cycles tested 60,000 Armrest durability cycles tested 120,000 Rotation cycles tested Nothing about weights testing, though. Now that's all disclosed, now onto my own personal findings. Assembly The Doro C300 Pro V2 came in two large boxes (1) (2), and everything was packed very well, protecting the different parts of the chair. In the box, there is a folded sheet that explains the 12 steps to assemble it; they are: Remove the bottom cover on the aluminum base; Insert the five legs into the aluminum base and use ten screws to fasten them; Insert the castors into the legs; Replace the bottom cover on the bottom of the aluminum base; Place the Class 4 Hydraulics gas cylinder into the aluminum base; Screw the bottom part of the arm rests, taking care of the orientation using two screws on each side; Use three torx screws to fasten the footrest to the bottom of the seat; Fasten the backrest to the seat using four torx bolts; Fasten the armrests to the backrest using four Torx bolts (two on each side), taking care to note the orientation; Place the chair onto the Class 4 Hydraulics gas cylinder; Insert the headrest into the top of the backrest; Use two torx screws to fasten the headrest to the backrest. There's also an online guide you can refer to. Carefully unpacking the two boxes took around 15 minutes because almost everything is wrapped in plastic and protective foam; the chair assembly itself took around an hour. I say in the above assembly steps to take note of the orientation, because it's not obvious which way around the bottom portion of the armrests go, and although there is an L and R on the bottom of the armrests, it also wasn't clear from the instructions which was actually left or right, facing the chair, or in the seated down orientation? Anyway, I ended up putting the bottom portions on the wrong sides, and after securing one of the armrests, I discovered that although it was on the correct side, the armrest base could rotate a full 360°, but not when bolted to the chair, so I had to remove it, rotate it, and then bolt it back on. Truly an Ikea experience! Also, to complicate things further, although all the parts are labeled from A to X (yes, that's 24 parts) unhelpfully, these letters do not appear on the parts themselves or the package with the bolts, screws, and washers. There's also a pair of protective gloves in the box, but I think they were made for much smaller hands than I have. Even my friend, who is 5.1, had difficulty putting them on. Once assembled, I needed to sit down. Anyway, as I said, it looks quite similar to my Herman Miller. And here is the back of it. If you look at the product page and on Amazon, it seems like a lot of thought has gone into the chair itself and what it's capable of, but there is no mention at all about the castors, and this is an area where I think the chair trips up quite quickly. I found it difficult to move the chair in any direction. I asked a friend who came to visit me earlier this week to test my findings, and she said that the wheels were "no good," so it definitely isn't just me. I am 6'2 myself and a big guy, I work from home and gained a few pounds from mostly staying in and the hell away from other people. However, the Doro C300 Pro V2 is rated for up to 150kg (330lbs), which in my case is used well within its max rating. Ergonomics The number of adjustments you can make, right up to setting it in nap mode — which I haven't fully tested yet — is what you'd expect from a premium chair. Yes, you can go up and down (max 7.5 cm adjustment), rock back and forth (with tilt adjustment), and lock the chair between three stages of 105°, 120°, 135°, which is not quite as flat as the AndaSeat I tested at 160°. Some thought has also gone into the "8D" armrests, too, which are cushioned but quite firm; you'll only know it if you press hard into the PU-covered tops, which give about half a centimeter, but it's enough to ensure your skin won't get awkwardly stuck to it in warmer (or sweatier) conditions. It almost feels like plastic and is very easy to keep clean. However, the armrest positions move far too easily, and I am not sure what that "elbow" function is. Maybe it is good for a short person with short arms, anyway, I never used it and kept it flat at all times. There are eight levels of adjustment for the armrests, they are: backwards, forwards, swing left/right, height up and down, tilt, and 360° rotation, which can be handy for desk clearance. As I said, the armrest pads shift far too easily, which could give off an ergonomic vibe, but who wants the armrest sliding when you are shifting weight? The height adjustability does lock into place when lifting and adjusting. Comfort This is ultimately what it boils down to at the end of the day, right? Quite a lot of reviews praise the comfort of this chair, and I don't disagree that the mesh seating is quite comfortable. I am used to the material from my daily Herman Miller. However, the backrest cannot be locked into place, and this is actually a feature; as you shift or recline yourself on the chair, the backrest moves with your body. It took some getting used to. The lumbar gives ample support, but I would have preferred an adjustable one built into the seat base, as this causes the backrest to move up and down at will. Again, as with my previous chair review, this chair is also rated for tall people, but nowhere in the product documentation does it say how tall. Being 6'2 myself, I'm happy to say that the backrest is tall and wide enough, and thought has been given to being able to adjust the neck rest, but as others have mentioned in their reviews, people as tall as 6.2ft is about the limit for the neckrest. Conclusion What I didn't like The footrest is rated for 15kg (33 lbs), which to me seems a bit light, and after looking online, it seems like a chair footrest for adults must be at least twice that rating. In all honesty, they are just hollow metal tubes, so it is not recommended to let a kid sit on them. I also feel like it doesn't really go out far enough for my height, so that kind of puts the dampener on me being able to use it regularly. I'll just have to continue to use my subwoofer as a footrest! I do not like the armrests being able to shift around as easily as they can, and they are a little too forward-positioned in the chair to comfortably sit close to my desk, because even in the lowest height position, they don't allow me to go under the desk like is possible with my Herman Miller. I also feel like this chair could have been delivered partially constructed, especially the armrests on the seat, and why the aluminum base wasn't already pre-constructed (without the castors) is baffling, considering it would have fit in one of the two boxes that way. The instructions also need to be clearer. On the pamphlet, there's an A to X listing (which is also used in the steps), but none of the physical parts use this lettering system! What I did like I'll be honest, I haven't used it for very long, just one week, and seating comfort is subjective after all! Any spills wiped straight off it, the stitching, and the lines look great, not a fray to be seen or stitch out of place. It looks kind of cool, too. My favorite feature of these seats is the nap mode. While you're not lying completely flat, it leans far back enough to make you easily doze off after a heavy gaming or working session. Overall, this chair offers plenty of comfort features. The MSRP does vary quite a bit depending on the region, at £549.99 in the UK, and €580 in Europe, and $599 before tax in the U.S. However, shipping is free, which is a bonus for such a heavy item. Is it worth it, though? At three years' warranty, I think it's a decent deal. Another firm out of Germany sent me a free replacement hydraulic gas spring for a chair that failed after almost four years, so it was well outside its two-year warranty. My advice is to always try, as you might have the same luck I did. If I could fault it at all, it would be the constant shifting of the armrests and backrest. Where to buy Although the footrest variant normally costs $539.99, it has been discounted to $469.99 on the official website in Black or White. In fact, the non-footrest variant is only $40 cheaper. On Amazon, it currently costs more at $499.99 links below. Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 for $469.99 (official website) Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 for $499.99 at Amazon US SIHOO provided a free sample without any review or pre-approval. Good to know This Amazon link is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
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    • Price Drop: Save 86% on Microsoft Office 2021 Professional Plus lifetime digital license by Steven Parker Today's highlighted deal comes via our Apps + Software section of the Neowin Deals store, where you can save 86% on a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for Windows. This bundle is for families and small businesses who want classic Office apps and email. It includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote. A one-time purchase installed on 1 Windows PC for use at home or work. Lifetime license for MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, & OneNote One-time purchase installed on 1 Windows PC for use at home or work Instant Delivery & Download – access your software license keys and download links instantly Free customer service – only the best support! Microsoft Office Professional 2021 (for Windows) includes: Microsoft Office Word Microsoft Office Excel Microsoft Office PowerPoint Microsoft Office Outlook Microsoft Office Teams Microsoft Office OneNote Microsoft Office Publisher Microsoft Office Access No faffing about with subscriptions, just classic apps that don't expire. Good to Know ONE-TIME PURCHASE INSTALLED ON 1 DEVICE Redemption deadline: redeem your code within 30 days of purchase Access options: desktop Full versions No subscriptions – no monthly/annual fees Version: 2021 Updates included* *Support for this version of Office ends on Oct 13, 2026 A lifetime subscription to Microsoft Office 2021 Professional normally costs $219.99, but this deal can be yours for just $29.97, that's a saving of $190. For full terms, specifications, and license info, click the link below. Get Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for just $29.97, or learn more Although priced in U.S. dollars, this deal is available for digital purchase worldwide. Support queries If you have queries or need support for any of the Neowin Deals, please use the contact form here. Neowin Deals are managed and sold by StackCommerce who represent Neowin on an affiliate basis. Why we post these deals We post these because we earn commission on each sale so as not to rely solely on advertising, which many of our readers block. It all helps toward paying staff reporters, servers and hosting costs. So for those that keep moaning and complaining, be thankful we're still online for you to even do that. Other ways to support Neowin Whitelist Neowin by not blocking our ads Create a free member account to see fewer ads Make a donation to support our day to day running costs Subscribe to Neowin - for $14 a year, or $28 a year for an ad-free experience Disclosure: Neowin benefits from revenue of each sale made through our branded deals site powered by StackCommerce.
    • The only reason I want to know where you from is because if you are not from the U.K, then why should you care what we in the U.K do or don't do? Racist I am not, I am fed up with the amount coming over here and feel they can come over here and think we need to support them. Do you know how much it costs this country to support these people coming over here? Even when we give them a place to live it is not good enough. We had a barge that was being used to house immigrants, oh but that was not good enough. A mate said to me at the time, when he was homeless, he would have been happy to live on the barge, instead of ending up sleeping on a bench on the beach. I am not scared to say what my family heritage is, unlike you who is scared to say where they are from or where they live. Father side U.S, mother side Wales, still have family living in the U.S. A mate who sadly died a few years ago, had a load of people from different races recording in his studio, I got on with all of them. Skin colour don't bother me, where they are from don't bother me. Religion don't bother me as long as they don't push it onto me and it is not crazy stuff. I am not religious. But if you are not living in the U.K, then why should you care if we are in the E.U or not? This the problem, too many people poking their noses into where it don't belong. But you believe what you believe, if you think I am racist, then be it, I really do not care. Just grow a pair
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