Random Thoughts

[Molandfreak]

Is there an April 1st thread on the site?

Check the date.

[LilianaUwU]

Is there an April 1st thread on the site?

what are you, a cop?

[The_Ginger]

Is there an April 1st thread on the site?

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=31290
is the best I could find

[kphoger]

Is there an April 1st thread on the site?

what are you, a cop?

He identifies as a "steward".

[mgk920]

Today I'm identifying as the male version of an HOA 'Karen'

Mike

[Max Rockatansky]

Today I'm identifying as the male version of an HOA 'Karen'

Mike

So an HOA Chad?

[kphoger]

It would be hilarious if, in three hours, NASA broke in on news coverage of the Artemis II launch and shouted, 'APRIL FOOLS!' and then everyone just drove home.

[Max Rockatansky]

I can't believe this site is still active:

https://dzlsabe.com/

[kphoger]

I can't believe this site is still active:

https://dzlsabe.com/

Well, here's where his garage space used to be:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/PQaddHg9VxEwsnma6

[Takumi]

I can't believe this site is still active:

https://dzlsabe.com/

Well, here's where his garage space used to be:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/PQaddHg9VxEwsnma6

His "new" location on Oakley doesn't look any better. (edit: actually that location doesn't appear to even be on Oakley, but it was amusing. Oakley just looks to be houses and a restaurant.)

[kphoger]

His "new" location on Oakley doesn't look any better. (edit: actually that location doesn't appear to even be on Oakley, but it was amusing. Oakley just looks to be houses and a restaurant.)

If he's even still there.  I know the property was listed for sale/lease as of 2022.  I'm not aware that it's actually been sold since then, though.

[mgk920]

It would be hilarious if, in three hours, NASA broke in on news coverage of the Artemis II launch and shouted, 'APRIL FOOLS!' and then everyone just drove home.

 

Mike

[kphoger]

Another random thought.  Everyone is supposed to be excited about a mission where astronauts get really close the Moon but don't quite reach it before heading back home.

— This is the first time we've sent men to the Moon since 1972!
— But you aren't sending them to the Moon.  They're staying on board.

[1995hoo]

Another random thought.  Everyone is supposed to be excited about a mission where astronauts get really close the Moon but don't quite reach it before heading back home.

— This is the first time we've sent men to the Moon since 1972!
— But you aren't sending them to the Moon.  They're staying on board.

I think what's more remarkable is that it's the first time a manned mission has gone beyond low earth orbit since Apollo 17 in December 1972. While that was before I was born, it feels kind of mind-boggling that in all that time nobody has gone more than a few hundred miles up.

[mgk920]

Another random thought.  Everyone is supposed to be excited about a mission where astronauts get really close the Moon but don't quite reach it before heading back home.

— This is the first time we've sent men to the Moon since 1972!
— But you aren't sending them to the Moon.  They're staying on board.

I think what's more remarkable is that it's the first time a manned mission has gone beyond low earth orbit since Apollo 17 in December 1972. While that was before I was born, it feels kind of mind-boggling that in all that time nobody has gone more than a few hundred miles up.

And the Apollo 8 mission (which this the equivalent of) was in very late 1968 . . .

Mike

[vdeane]

Another random thought.  Everyone is supposed to be excited about a mission where astronauts get really close the Moon but don't quite reach it before heading back home.

— This is the first time we've sent men to the Moon since 1972!
— But you aren't sending them to the Moon.  They're staying on board.

I think what's more remarkable is that it's the first time a manned mission has gone beyond low earth orbit since Apollo 17 in December 1972. While that was before I was born, it feels kind of mind-boggling that in all that time nobody has gone more than a few hundred miles up.

Yeah, I was thinking the same.  Couldn't help but shed a tear at the launch, even though I'm skeptical of whether humanity leaving Earth is actually a good thing for the rest of the galaxy given how we tend to act towards those we consider different/lesser and consume through resources like there's no tomorrow.

[kphoger]

I'm skeptical of whether humanity leaving Earth is actually a good thing for the rest of the galaxy given how we tend to act towards those we consider different/lesser and consume through resources like there's no tomorrow.

I'm pretty sure that sending men to the Moon won't hurt any aliens' feelings.

[kphoger]

Besides, they made sure to have a diverse crew, just to ensure the Moon Men don't get any wrong ideas.

[1995hoo]

Besides, they made sure to have a diverse crew, just to ensure the Moon Men don't get any wrong ideas.

On the news the other night, one of the anchors referred to a "crewed mission," rather than a "manned mission," presumably because of the inclusion of a female astronaut. The terminology is accurate, of course, but it threw me off at first because my mind heard it as a "crude mission," which had me picturing astronauts flying through space giving the middle finger and mooning out the capsule windows.


I still wonder how NASA actually plans to accomplish a moon landing in 2028. They intend to use a SpaceX Starship as the lunar lander—unlike Apollo, the astronauts will not have the lunar lander as part of their capsule and are instead intended to dock with a Starship vehicle in lunar orbit. Starship hasn't yet shown the ability to land back on Earth (much less the Moon), nor has SpaceX proven that it can send up what are essentially tankers to dock with, and refuel, the lunar landing craft in Earth orbit before sending it on to lunar orbit, which is a necessary step because apparently its huge size means that if they tried to fill it with enough fuel to reach the Moon before launching, it would be too heavy to launch.

[gonealookin]

With the Buffalo Bills moving into a new stadium for this upcoming season, they're selling off some memorabilia from the old place, originally known as "Rich Stadium" when it opened in 1973 (O.J. Simpson's 2000-yard season) and most recently "Highmark Stadium".  Directional signs, seat backs, etc.

If you have 5 grand lying around and want a real piece of football tradition, here's a wonderful choice:

https://highmarkstadiummemorabilia.com/products/highmark-stadium-authentic-bathroom-trough-pickup-only-pre-order-1

Own a one-of-a-kind piece of Buffalo Bills history with this authentic urinal trough from Highmark Stadium. Removed during stadium renovations, this rare and unconventional collectible captures the raw, unfiltered spirit of game day in Orchard Park. Perfect for die-hard fans, collectors of unique sports memorabilia, or anyone looking for a true conversation starter, this item represents decades of unforgettable moments shared by all fans. The trough measures length 8 ft width 16 inches and depth 16 inches.

The trough shows visible wear, staining, discoloration, and signs of heavy use consistent with its time in a high-traffic public stadium. It has not been cleaned, restored, or modified in any way, preserving its original condition and authenticity.  This item is pickup at Highmark Stadium only in next couple of weeks.  We'll contact you once available for pickup.

[Beltway]

Besides, they made sure to have a diverse crew, just to ensure the Moon Men don't get any wrong ideas.

On the news the other night, one of the anchors referred to a "crewed mission," rather than a "manned mission," presumably because of the inclusion of a female astronaut. The terminology is accurate, of course, but it threw me off at first because my mind heard it as a "crude mission," which had me picturing astronauts flying through space giving the middle finger and mooning out the capsule windows.

Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston was renamed Johnson Space Center in 1973. The first female astronaut was in 1978.

NASA's first class to include women -- including Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Rhea Seddon, and Shannon Lucid -- was selected in 1978, five years after the name change.

So the center stopped being called the "Manned Spacecraft Center" before NASA ever selected a woman astronaut.

[Beltway]

Artemis II isn't a lander‑integration mission, but that doesn't make it purposeless. NASA's architecture is different from Apollo's, so the sequence of tests is different too. Apollo had a single stack launched on one rocket; Artemis uses separate launches, commercial landers, and a high‑inclination lunar orbit. That means Orion's deep‑space life‑support, navigation, comms, and crew operations still need a dedicated crewed test flight, even if the lander isn't ready yet.

It's also not accurate to say Artemis II "should" test NRHO insertion. The mission profile was deliberately chosen to stay within Orion's certified envelope and maintain a free‑return option for crew safety. That's a design choice, not a mistake.

Artemis with the interim upper stage does not have enough energy in the stack to LOI and orbit the Moon and then TEI back to Earth.  Artemis won't do that anyhow -- but it will have the capability to sent the crew to the NRHO which will be the lunar staging area for transfer to the lander.

Near‑Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO)  is the planned Gateway orbit and the staging point for Artemis III–V. It is a "balanced on the edge" orbit around the Moon's L1/L2 region.

The comparison to Apollo 8/9 is interesting historically, but the programs aren't parallel. Apollo's order was driven by the Saturn V schedule, the LEM schedule, and Cold War pressure. Artemis is driven by a modular architecture, commercial lander development, and modern safety rules. Different constraints produce different sequencing.

So yes, Artemis II is limited in scope, and yes, it's not a lander‑test mission. But it's still a required step in certifying Orion for deep‑space crewed operations. Whether one thinks it's worth the cost is a separate debate, but it's not accurate to say it "does nothing" or that it's a repeat of Artemis I.

[Scott5114]

Another random thought.  Everyone is supposed to be excited about a mission where astronauts get really close the Moon but don't quite reach it before heading back home.

— This is the first time we've sent men to the Moon since 1972!
— But you aren't sending them to the Moon.  They're staying on board.

I think what's more remarkable is that it's the first time a manned mission has gone beyond low earth orbit since Apollo 17 in December 1972. While that was before I was born, it feels kind of mind-boggling that in all that time nobody has gone more than a few hundred miles up.

Yeah, I was thinking the same.  Couldn't help but shed a tear at the launch, even though I'm skeptical of whether humanity leaving Earth is actually a good thing for the rest of the galaxy given how we tend to act towards those we consider different/lesser and consume through resources like there's no tomorrow.

Humanity acting like that against a more powerful species and getting its ass kicked might be the only thing that might curb that behavior.

[kphoger]

Artemis II isn't a lander‑integration mission, but that doesn't make it purposeless. NASA's architecture is different from Apollo's, so the sequence of tests is different too. Apollo had a single stack launched on one rocket; Artemis uses separate launches, commercial landers, and a high‑inclination lunar orbit. That means Orion's deep‑space life‑support, navigation, comms, and crew operations still need a dedicated crewed test flight, even if the lander isn't ready yet.

It's also not accurate to say Artemis II "should" test NRHO insertion. The mission profile was deliberately chosen to stay within Orion's certified envelope and maintain a free‑return option for crew safety. That's a design choice, not a mistake.

Artemis with the interim upper stage does not have enough energy in the stack to LOI and orbit the Moon and then TEI back to Earth.  Artemis won't do that anyhow -- but it will have the capability to sent the crew to the NRHO which will be the lunar staging area for transfer to the lander.

Near‑Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO)  is the planned Gateway orbit and the staging point for Artemis III–V. It is a "balanced on the edge" orbit around the Moon's L1/L2 region.

The comparison to Apollo 8/9 is interesting historically, but the programs aren't parallel. Apollo's order was driven by the Saturn V schedule, the LEM schedule, and Cold War pressure. Artemis is driven by a modular architecture, commercial lander development, and modern safety rules. Different constraints produce different sequencing.

So yes, Artemis II is limited in scope, and yes, it's not a lander‑test mission. But it's still a required step in certifying Orion for deep‑space crewed operations. Whether one thinks it's worth the cost is a separate debate, but it's not accurate to say it "does nothing" or that it's a repeat of Artemis I.

I love how you argue against things nobody said.

[1995hoo]

I love how you argue against things nobody said.

He felt the need to lecture and "educate" me about the use or non-use of the word "manned," too, when my point was more about the amusing image that came to mind when the news anchor used the word "crewed" and my mind heard it as "crude." I suppose my mental image of astronauts giving the finger and exposing their bare arses to the universe somewhat jibes with vdeane's comment in reply #5015 about "how we tend to act towards those we consider different/lesser."