56
votes
Accepted
Why does the government still fund SLS while SpaceX is cheaper and has the same capabilities if not better?
It is still way too early to make such a judgement.
It's easy to be overly optimistic about the cost of a program. The Space Shuttle was supposed to have dozens of flights each year and be super-...
- 47.6k
55
votes
Accepted
Was "Apollo" an acronym for "America’s Program for Orbiting Lunar and Landing Operations"?
From a pre-launch press release for Apollo 11:
Among the many missions conceived at that time was a manned journey to the Moon and back. Dr. Silverstein himself named it "Apollo" after one ...
- 121k
41
votes
Accepted
How do US citizens vote in space?
The relevant law is Texas Administrative Code Rule §81.35 "Voting from Outer Space" and who's going to vote against that? It is a very small modification of Texas early voting law.
(a) A ...
- 7,976
38
votes
Accepted
Why do Space X starship launches need permission from the FAA?
Because it's required by law (51 USC Ch. 509: Commercial Space Launch Activities) and by FAA regulations (14 CFR Chapter III - Commercial Space Launch Activities, Federal Aviation Administration, ...
- 72.5k
29
votes
Accepted
Why does the U.S. military maintain their own weather satellites?
Note: This answer is based on a source from 2001. It provides a lot of background as a historical overview, but it does not take into account recent changes in the program. Please review the end of ...
- 23.7k
28
votes
What does space have to do with providing "fresh water ... without the need for aquifers or pipes?" as Steven Kwast suggested?
The speech is available in full here: https://dc.hillsdale.edu/News/Latest-News/The-Urgent-Need-for-a-U-S-Space-Force/ It's extremely general and non-technical. He talks about getting water from the ...
- 177k
27
votes
Why do Space X starship launches need permission from the FAA?
To expand a bit on David Hammen's answer, the reasons for the regulations requiring FAA permits for rocket launches are related to public safety (or sometimes the egos of bureaucrats, but mostly ...
- 1,639
23
votes
Accepted
Which regulatory agency (if any) is in charge of investigating civilian rocket anomalies?
FAA again. They license all commercial launches, and are responsible for investigating. The FAA has officially grounded New Shepard, pending review. They will also oversee the investigation.
...
- 121k
21
votes
Did/does the US use statute or nautical miles to decide who gets astronaut wings?
According to an authoritative-sounding post on collectspace here, it's statute (which matches my recollection).
Edit: OP @costrom found an FAA document Fact Sheet – Commercial Space Transportation ...
- 177k
19
votes
Accepted
Is it correct that the US wants to form a new branch in the US Military as US Space Force?
I read in the news sometimes ago that Mike Pence proposed to form a new division in the US Army as US Space Force.
It's not just Mike Pence. It's also Donald Trump, and also members of Congress. The ...
- 72.5k
18
votes
Why does the U.S. military maintain their own weather satellites?
The specific needs of the military may not be served by civilian weather satellites.
Specifically, the DMSP started as a classified program that supported the Corona spy satellite program. Its ...
- 177k
18
votes
Accepted
How close was the U.S. DoD to getting their own space shuttle?
The plan was not for the Department of Defense to have an additional Orbiter built for it. Instead, the Orbiter Discovery (OV-103) was to be dedicated for DOD use and based at the Vandenberg launch ...
- 177k
18
votes
Accepted
Russian "kerosene" versus American "RP-1"
Both the Russian and American space programs use a refined kerosene; the Russian version is called RG-1 and is slightly denser than RP-1. RG-1 and RP-1 formulations are generally interchangeable; ...
- 166k
18
votes
Did/does the US use statute or nautical miles to decide who gets astronaut wings?
Are these statute miles (1609.344 m, 5280 ft) or nautical miles (1852 m, 6076-ish ft)?
TL;DR
Neither. Or rather, it is 50 statute miles, but a statute mile is not 1609.344 meters. That is the length ...
- 72.5k
17
votes
Which regulatory agency (if any) is in charge of investigating civilian rocket anomalies?
NTSB and FAA share responsibility
You have great timing! Five days ago, FAA and NTSB signed an agreement on this exact issue. You can read the full text of the agreement here (PDF) and the NTSB's ...
- 705
16
votes
How do US citizens vote in space?
As explained in video description of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Emsf_udovU the voting is done electronically
Most U.S. astronauts live in Houston. Texas law ...
15
votes
Why does the government still fund SLS while SpaceX is cheaper and has the same capabilities if not better?
Eh, to begin with this statement isn't accurate.
SpaceX ... has the same capabilities if not better?
Falcon Heavy as stands can't replace SLS and launch Orion on the required orbit without ...
- 3,991
13
votes
Accepted
What does space have to do with providing "fresh water ... without the need for aquifers or pipes?" as Steven Kwast suggested?
The article says that the page has been adapted from Kwast's speech, so it's possible someone transcribed something wrong or misunderstood. Taking an excerpt:
With the right vision and strategy for ...
- 19.9k
13
votes
Accepted
Why do Astro/Cosmonauts refer to things as Russian or American?
It is because the two programs are separately managed and tracked to an extent that would astound the outsider. USOS crewmembers theoretically would have to ask for permission to use a Russian ...
- 177k
13
votes
Why does the government still fund SLS while SpaceX is cheaper and has the same capabilities if not better?
All the answers are right in their own way. One thing that is not addressed:
The Falcon Heavy is not even remotly on par with the SLS in terms of rocket diameter and payload mass.
According to ...
- 546
12
votes
Are US Space companies favored to purchase subsystems from US only suppliers. Are there any specific laws that dictate this?
Gov't contracts often have a "Buy American" clause which requires them to buy from US companies or Trade Agreeement Act countries.
See FAR Subpart 25.11, and 52.225-1, 52.225-3, and 52.225-5.
See the ...
- 327
12
votes
Why does the government still fund SLS while SpaceX is cheaper and has the same capabilities if not better?
Part of it is leveling employment. The government is fond of large projects that require multi-year ramp-up and ramp-down and massive up/down swings in employment need.
Suppose in 2019 you're hiring ...
11
votes
Accepted
What Soviet signals (if any) attempted to scramble communication and sabotage Apollo missions?
The Americans did worry about the possibility of Soviet interference. The navigation computer was could be updated from the ground, but this was only done after confirmation via a voice channel:
...
- 124k
11
votes
Accepted
Can I make a completely ITAR-free spaceship?
No
Here's what ITAR says about launch vehicles
Category IV - Launch Vehicles, Guided Missiles, Ballistic Missiles, Rockets, Torpedoes, Bombs, and Mines
(a) Rockets, space launch vehicles (...
- 7,728
11
votes
Was "Apollo" an acronym for "America’s Program for Orbiting Lunar and Landing Operations"?
Some early rocket programs:
Mercury
Gemini
Saturn
Apollo
Atlas
Thor
Juno
Athena
Jupiter
There's a definite naming pattern...
- 1,092
11
votes
Is there such a thing as a "rocket license" in the US?
In the USA you must be at least 18 years old for the following, so that video may be incorrect.
For example HPR Level 1 Certification by the National Association of Rocketry or NAR provides ...
- 11.5k
11
votes
Accepted
How many politically appointed positions are there at NASA in toto?
There are four positions in NASA that require Senate confirmation:
Administrator,
Deputy Administrator,
Chief Financial Officer, and
Inspector General.
Even though Inspectors General do need ...
- 72.5k
11
votes
Who decided that a <1 in 10,000 probability of contaminating the europan ocean by a viable Earth microorganism was legally and ethically sufficient?
I'll start with what COSPAR wrote in 1964, emphasis mine:
COSPAR "accepts, as tentatively recommended interim objectives, a sterilization level such that the probability of a single viable ...
- 72.5k
10
votes
Accepted
How does the US's 2008 debris cloud compare to India's 2019 and China's 2007 contributions?
There are some great excerpts from the ODPO (Orbital Debris Program Office) at NASA Johnson that describe the results of ASAT operations by China (Fengyun-1C in January 2007) and the U.S. (USA-193 in ...
- 596
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible