Astronomy / The Universe

[Maple Leaf]

2 hours ago, ri Alban said:

🤔... Wait a minute. 😠

 

No Hearts supporter, obviously. 

[JFK-1]

NASA continues to target launch of its Artemis I mission from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:04 a.m. EST, Wednesday, Nov. 16.

 

There is a two-hour launch window for the agency’s first integrated flight test of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft.

 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

 

[Gizmo]

11 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

That's an incredible shot for an amateur.  Well done.  If I had taken that I'd be chuffed as hell. 

 

Thanks man. The stuff folk dedicated to astrophotography get is absolutely mind blowing. 

[Gizmo]

2 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

NASA continues to target launch of its Artemis I mission from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:04 a.m. EST, Wednesday, Nov. 16.

 

There is a two-hour launch window for the agency’s first integrated flight test of its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft.

 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

 

Fingers crosssed this time.

[Cade]

1 AM EST is 06:00 GMT, so a nice early morning for us UK-based space nerds.

[ri Alban]

15 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

That's an incredible shot for an amateur.  Well done.  If I had taken that I'd be chuffed as hell. 

His neighbours don't have black out blinds for nothing.

[Cade]

Feckin Chinese strike again.

 

The upper stage of their latest rocket has broken up into more than 50 pieces which are now a danger to satellites.

 

They are either unable or unwilling to make their upper stages save some fuel for a de-orbit burn to get themselves into a lower orbit so they're out of the way of satellites before breaking up or burning up when falling back to earth.

 

[JFK-1]

12 hours ago, Gizmo said:

Fingers crosssed this time.

 

It could be quite a show. Night launch that will be seen from a hundred miles away. Plus it's so powerful it will be rattling windows at least 20 miles away. I will be watching.

[Cade]

SpaceX conduct another test of their Super Heavy booster, this time firing 14 (out of 33) engines at once.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by Cade

[Cade]

Plenty livestreams of NASA's SLS launch attempt to be had.

 

 

[Cade]

Good article on what to expect come 6am tomorrow

 

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/11/artemis-i-launch-nov/

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by Cade

[JFK-1]

Looking good to go. Weather dependent now.

[Cade]

[Cade]

All systems "GO"

 

[ri Alban]

[Cade]

Holy shite, it worked(!)

 

$2 billion all used up with nothing re-usable.

$23 billion total programme cost so far.

[JFK-1]

This is going to trigger a space race with China. This is the first step to establishing a permanent presence on the moon just like we have a permanent presence in orbit on the ISS. But I don't see moon base sharing, I see a land grab for the best bits developing.

 

It may be possible to create new superior alloys there in the low gravity and perhaps also employing the free prefect vacuum. Might also be able to create purer drugs and other chemicals.

 

There are spots which have permanent shade and that's useful if you want to build something large. Pretty toasty when the sun is shining directly on you. Such spots would be strongly favoured.

 

I foresee the building of something that will become very large, Perhaps building with blocks something like shipping containers of various sizes. Grooved and can slide together in close contact with each other creating a joint and a seal.

 

You make doors between each block so as you add more you're creating a larger working/living space all the time. These blocks could even be stacked on top of each other to become a gigantic tower with many working/living levels.

 

In the lower gravity it might become very high before weight became an issue. And you would expect such a block like structure to be highly stable given there are no moon quakes and no wind or rain to move anything. The very ground it stands on will never move an inch.

 

Another thing is we don't know what's below the surface up there. Pretty much all we know comes from the surface rocks so somebody is going to have to build a large rig and drill deep to see what's down there.

 

There may ultimately be hundreds or even thousands of humans on the moon at any given time. Free uninterrupted solar power all day long to power industries and living quarters.

 

I don't if there are any rules so to speak about declaring I got here first this nice shady big patch of moon dirt with valuable minerals in it is mine. And so are any other patches I choose before anybody else gets there.

[Cade]

 

[JFK-1]

All launches should be at night with clear skies. It should be a rule.

[Unknown user]

4 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

This is going to trigger a space race with China. This is the first step to establishing a permanent presence on the moon just like we have a permanent presence in orbit on the ISS. But I don't see moon base sharing, I see a land grab for the best bits developing.

 

It may be possible to create new superior alloys there in the low gravity and perhaps also employing the free prefect vacuum. Might also be able to create purer drugs and other chemicals.

 

There are spots which have permanent shade and that's useful if you want to build something large. Pretty toasty when the sun is shining directly on you. Such spots would be strongly favoured.

 

I foresee the building of something that will become very large, Perhaps building with blocks something like shipping containers of various sizes. Grooved and can slide together in close contact with each other creating a joint and a seal.

 

You make doors between each block so as you add more you're creating a larger working/living space all the time. These blocks could even be stacked on top of each other to become a gigantic tower with many working/living levels.

 

In the lower gravity it might become very high before weight became an issue. And you would expect such a block like structure to be highly stable given there are no moon quakes and no wind or rain to move anything. The very ground it stands on will never move an inch.

 

Another thing is we don't know what's below the surface up there. Pretty much all we know comes from the surface rocks so somebody is going to have to build a large rig and drill deep to see what's down there.

 

There may ultimately be hundreds or even thousands of humans on the moon at any given time. Free uninterrupted solar power all day long to power industries and living quarters.

 

I don't if there are any rules so to speak about declaring I got here first this nice shady big patch of moon dirt with valuable minerals in it is mine. And so are any other patches I choose before anybody else gets there.

The best bits of what? The moon?

[Maple Leaf]

7 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

This is going to trigger a space race with China. This is the first step to establishing a permanent presence on the moon just like we have a permanent presence in orbit on the ISS. But I don't see moon base sharing, I see a land grab for the best bits developing.

 

It may be possible to create new superior alloys there in the low gravity and perhaps also employing the free prefect vacuum. Might also be able to create purer drugs and other chemicals.

 

There are spots which have permanent shade and that's useful if you want to build something large. Pretty toasty when the sun is shining directly on you. Such spots would be strongly favoured.

 

I foresee the building of something that will become very large, Perhaps building with blocks something like shipping containers of various sizes. Grooved and can slide together in close contact with each other creating a joint and a seal.

 

You make doors between each block so as you add more you're creating a larger working/living space all the time. These blocks could even be stacked on top of each other to become a gigantic tower with many working/living levels.

 

In the lower gravity it might become very high before weight became an issue. And you would expect such a block like structure to be highly stable given there are no moon quakes and no wind or rain to move anything. The very ground it stands on will never move an inch.

 

Another thing is we don't know what's below the surface up there. Pretty much all we know comes from the surface rocks so somebody is going to have to build a large rig and drill deep to see what's down there.

 

There may ultimately be hundreds or even thousands of humans on the moon at any given time. Free uninterrupted solar power all day long to power industries and living quarters.

 

I don't if there are any rules so to speak about declaring I got here first this nice shady big patch of moon dirt with valuable minerals in it is mine. And so are any other patches I choose before anybody else gets there.

 

Interesting scenario.  We can't overlook the fact that transporting anything to the moon will be prohibitively expensive for the foreseeable future.

 

"Free uninterrupted solar power all day long to power industries and living quarters."  That's true for only certain times of the month.  The rest of the month it's total darkness all day long.

 

[JFK-1]

17 hours ago, Smithee said:

The best bits of what? The moon?

 

Yes. Some spots will be more desirable than others for a variety of reasons including shaded areas. They have already been examining craters which offer shade close against the crater walls.

[JFK-1]

14 hours ago, Maple Leaf said:

 

Interesting scenario.  We can't overlook the fact that transporting anything to the moon will be prohibitively expensive for the foreseeable future.

 

"Free uninterrupted solar power all day long to power industries and living quarters."  That's true for only certain times of the month.  The rest of the month it's total darkness all day long.

 

 

 

I think you can settle in spots which have non stop sunshine for up to two weeks minimum.  Which in the long run doesn't really matter anyway because they would be building chains of solar arrays carrying cables to transport the energy anywhere. There will always be sun drenched panels collecting energy. 

 

Imagine say a square mile of solar panels, and imagine blocks of them scattered around.  What i'm trying to imagine is what that might look like from the Earth.

[JFK-1]

This is a quote from a NASA science administrator.

 

The focus for Artemis will also be different. Back in the 1960s, Apollo was primarily part of a Cold War power race between America and the Soviet Union.

 

Artemis is an international effort led by Nasa including the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) and the European Space Agency (Esa).

"This is not about flags and footprints," says Thomas Zurbuchen, Nasa's Associate Administrator for Science. "It's about building a sustainable presence on the Moon and to set in place the foundations for a moonbase and future missions to Mars."

[JFK-1]

On 11/11/2022 at 12:18, Gizmo said:

Here's a shot from a recent foray out in the dark. It's quite difficult this type of photography, the randomness of when we get clear skies doesn't help. 

 

Are you using any type of software to acquire a target area? And stay on it?

[Unknown user]

3 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

 

Yes. Some spots will be more desirable than others for a variety of reasons including shaded areas. They have already been examining craters which offer shade close against the crater walls.

I think that's crazy optimistic, I don't see anything like that happening for some time yet.

[JFK-1]

3 minutes ago, Smithee said:

I think that's crazy optimistic, I don't see anything like that happening for some time yet.

 

Judging from what I have read about it I think it might be more accurate to call it crazy ambitious. In September 1961 Kennedy made his man on the moon before this decade is out speech.

 

At the time that seemed crazy ambitious and I have doubts they would actually have done it inside that decade if Kennedy had not been assassinated. There was that and of course cold war Russia factors. They did it in slightly less than 8 years after Kennedy making the speech and I see similarities here.

 

There is no assassinated president to drive them but there is a major geopolitical advantage in a world with a shifting power structure., this could be the ultimate high ground so to speak. If you can get down there and find ways to exploit moon materials to build with before anyone else that's truly major.

 

They have already made plans to ring the moon with mini satellites and build a space station like the ISS around it.

 

My speculation on that that is it's a significantly major effort to do what? Lift rocks off the moon? Obviously not so the purpose has to be a staging area for transport to the surface whether it be cargo or humans. It will be added to modular style like the ISS as required.

 

I don't think the technical challenges of building some sort of modular style structure on the surface are much greater than those faced by the Apollo planners with their technology. I would be surprised at this stage if they don't have something worthwhile on the surface before this decade is out.

 

    

[Unknown user]

5 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

 

Judging from what I have read about it I think it might be more accurate to call it crazy ambitious. In September 1961 Kennedy made his man on the moon before this decade is out speech.

 

At the time that seemed crazy ambitious and I have doubts they would actually have done it inside that decade if Kennedy had not been assassinated. There was that and of course cold war Russia factors. They did it in slightly less than 8 years after Kennedy making the speech and I see similarities here.

 

There is no assassinated president to drive them but there is a major geopolitical advantage in a world with a shifting power structure., this could be the ultimate high ground so to speak. If you can get down there and find ways to exploit moon materials to build with before anyone else that's truly major.

 

They have already made plans to ring the moon with mini satellites and build a space station like the ISS around it.

 

My speculation on that that is it's a significantly major effort to do what? Lift rocks off the moon? Obviously not so the purpose has to be a staging area for transport to the surface whether it be cargo or humans. It will be added to modular style like the ISS as required.

 

I don't think the technical challenges of building some sort of modular style structure on the surface are much greater than those faced by the Apollo planners with their technology. I would be surprised at this stage if they don't have something worthwhile on the surface before this decade is out.

 

    

 

I'm thinking more of the geopolitical situation, none of the big players seem to be anywhere near the kind of stability and expendable cash required to do what you're talking about, and things aren't getting better.

[JFK-1]

20 minutes ago, Smithee said:

 

I'm thinking more of the geopolitical situation, none of the big players seem to be anywhere near the kind of stability and expendable cash required to do what you're talking about, and things aren't getting better.

 

You may be right, I couldn't say, I suppose it could be cancelled. But as it stands the first elements of a moon orbiting space station are planned for launch in 2024.

 

 

[Unknown user]

1 minute ago, JFK-1 said:

 

You may be right, I couldn't say, I suppose it could be cancelled. But as it stands the first elements of a moon orbiting space station are planned for launch in 2024.

 

 

Which is a really long way away from building on the best bits of the moon.

[JFK-1]

3 minutes ago, Smithee said:

Which is a really long way away from building on the best bits of the moon.

 

And again you may be right, but what's a really long way in your opinion? I can see a scenario where this progresses faster than the 8 years it took to think about it then put a man on the moon. In part because our technology and knowledge is so vastly superior to theirs.

 

And partly because Apollo was an entirely US government project while now we have ESA and even independents building heavy lift rockets. Previously the sole domain of nations states, and very few of them.

 

This means a far steadier stream of rockets carrying shit up there than ever before and I see this too as a major strategic advantage for the west because that's what this is. It's an entirely western based space coalition involving NASA and ESA plus the Canadian and I think Japanese space agencies. We can be confident neither Russia or China will ever be invited to join in.

 

And given this is a coalition then unlike Apollo it's not just the US government paying for it, spreading the financial burden. And think of the massive strategic advantage all these heavy lift rockets and even more being built gives us over China. Or anybody for that matter.

 

So with a lot more heavy lift rockets available cargo can be shipped up there faster than the Apollo team ever imagined. I can't remember how long it would take to build a Saturn V, but we not only have a stockpile of rockets we're introducing reusable rockets which will quickly become the norm. That too is a game changer nobody else is anywhere near.

 

I can see them doing this in part because as we all know we are already in a competition with China and for that reason I think it will be considered something of an imperative. I foresee something major and growing on the surface by 2040.

 

Do you see nothing permanent on the surface before this decade is out?

[Unknown user]

30 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

 

And again you may be right, but what's a really long way in your opinion? I can see a scenario where this progresses faster than the 8 years it took to think about it then put a man on the moon. In part because our technology and knowledge is so vastly superior to theirs.

 

And partly because Apollo was an entirely US government project while now we have ESA and even independents building heavy lift rockets. Previously the sole domain of nations states, and very few of them.

 

This means a far steadier stream of rockets carrying shit up there than ever before and I see this too as a major strategic advantage for the west because that's what this is. It's an entirely western based space coalition involving NASA and ESA plus the Canadian and I think Japanese space agencies. We can be confident neither Russia or China will ever be invited to join in.

 

And given this is a coalition then unlike Apollo it's not just the US government paying for it, spreading the financial burden. And think of the massive strategic advantage all these heavy lift rockets and even more being built gives us over China. Or anybody for that matter.

 

So with a lot more heavy lift rockets available cargo can be shipped up there faster than the Apollo team ever imagined. I can't remember how long it would take to build a Saturn V, but we not only have a stockpile of rockets we're introducing reusable rockets which will quickly become the norm. That too is a game changer nobody else is anywhere near.

 

I can see them doing this in part because as we all know we are already in a competition with China and for that reason I think it will be considered something of an imperative. I foresee something major and growing on the surface by 2040.

 

Do you see nothing permanent on the surface before this decade is out?

 

A really long way in terms of any apparent great desire to commit to that specific goal and spending the amounts of money required to do it.

We've been capable of doing stuff for a long time but it's expensive, and takes a massive commitment to that specific end.

But aye, we'll see. All this stuff is fairly interesting for the challenges and tech. I'm aware I don't get excited by it like some do though, I do see it as a waste of resources and effort for the most part.

[Gizmo]

3 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

 

Are you using any type of software to acquire a target area? And stay on it?

I use Sky Safari on my mobile to locate objects, like the milky way bands, for example. 

To stay on anything for over a few seconds without seeing trailing from the earth's rotation requires some form of tracking, like a tracking mount. I can get away with slightly longer exposure times as my camera has a function called astrotracer which can move the sensor to counteract the earth's rotation, making a fairly simple equatorial tracker. 

But you can just take several shorter images and stack them instead. 
 

[JFK-1]

 

Artemis: Nasa expects humans to live on Moon this decade

 

Humans could stay on the Moon for lengthy periods during this decade, a Nasa official has told the BBC.

 

FULL ARTICLE https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63688229

[henrysmithsgloves]

On 17/11/2022 at 11:15, Smithee said:

 

A really long way in terms of any apparent great desire to commit to that specific goal and spending the amounts of money required to do it.

We've been capable of doing stuff for a long time but it's expensive, and takes a massive commitment to that specific end.

But aye, we'll see. All this stuff is fairly interesting for the challenges and tech. I'm aware I don't get excited by it like some do though, I do see it as a waste of resources and effort for the most part.

Most part is the abundance of helium3  on the moon £££££s.

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/Helium-3_mining_on_the_lunar_surface

[Unknown user]

24 minutes ago, henrysmithsgloves said:

Most part is the abundance of helium3  on the moon £££££s.

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Preparing_for_the_Future/Space_for_Earth/Energy/Helium-3_mining_on_the_lunar_surface

I've never heard of it before so I spent a few minutes reading up there.

The concept of 3He as a working fuel source for fusion is currently unworkable and seen as a long shot technology - it's unlikely to work in the real world, a punt and nothing more.

[henrysmithsgloves]

1 hour ago, Smithee said:

I've never heard of it before so I spent a few minutes reading up there.

The concept of 3He as a working fuel source for fusion is currently unworkable and seen as a long shot technology - it's unlikely to work in the real world, a punt and nothing more.

Dunno anything about it myself but can remember them talking about it a while back on the sky at night😉

[ri Alban]

10 hours ago, Smithee said:

I've never heard of it before so I spent a few minutes reading up there.

The concept of 3He as a working fuel source for fusion is currently unworkable and seen as a long shot technology - it's unlikely to work in the real world, a punt and nothing more.

Like most things. There's still people who believe it's possible to  travel back in time. We're only travelling one way in time. A bit like Alien believers, too many mind altering drugs.

[JFK-1]

9 hours ago, henrysmithsgloves said:

Dunno anything about it myself but can remember them talking about it a while back on the sky at night😉

 

I saw a documentary sometime ago which I think was about stellar evolution but had a small section discussing this substance. Some of the things they said about it intrigued me enough to look it up.

 

They call it a primordial nuclide because it's been in existence in it's present form since before the earth or even the sun formed. This stuff was in the interstellar medium of gas and dust the sun and planets formed from and has remained the same ever since.

 

The sun throws off huge amounts of it all the time but It wouldn't survive a passage through our atmosphere, any found on earth is being squeezed out from the interior where it has been since the early stages of Earth formation. It would stop being accumulated before the earth had fully accreted because we had an atmosphere pretty quickly.

 

Apparently it's so abundant on the moon because the moon has no atmosphere and has been bombarded by such particles being thrown off by the sun for billions of years. Resulting in the upper layer being permeated with it.

 

Easily accessible and plentiful, I have no idea of any fuel potential, but it would be very useful indeed if we can come up with something to use it for.

[henrysmithsgloves]

3 hours ago, JFK-1 said:

 

I saw a documentary sometime ago which I think was about stellar evolution but had a small section discussing this substance. Some of the things they said about it intrigued me enough to look it up.

 

They call it a primordial nuclide because it's been in existence in it's present form since before the earth or even the sun formed. This stuff was in the interstellar medium of gas and dust the sun and planets formed from and has remained the same ever since.

 

The sun throws off huge amounts of it all the time but It wouldn't survive a passage through our atmosphere, any found on earth is being squeezed out from the interior where it has been since the early stages of Earth formation. It would stop being accumulated before the earth had fully accreted because we had an atmosphere pretty quickly.

 

Apparently it's so abundant on the moon because the moon has no atmosphere and has been bombarded by such particles being thrown off by the sun for billions of years. Resulting in the upper layer being permeated with it.

 

Easily accessible and plentiful, I have no idea of any fuel potential, but it would be very useful indeed if we can come up with something to use it for.

So it top trumps dilithium crystals🤔😂 dark matter is another mystery,the fabric of the universe,yet  science can't figure it out. Truly on the cusp of great discovery .

[Cade]

Orion abut to enter lunar orbit.

 

It'll spend a few days circling the moon before slinging its way back to Earth with splashdown expected on 11th December.

 

[Gizmo]

On 20/11/2022 at 10:41, henrysmithsgloves said:

So it top trumps dilithium crystals🤔😂 dark matter is another mystery,the fabric of the universe,yet  science can't figure it out. Truly on the cusp of great discovery .

Helium-3:

 

Dark matter:

Whilst astrophysicists have not directly detected dark matter, they did use our knowledge and measuring/imaging tools to calculate that there is missing mass in the Universe. I think that is astounding, that we can infer the existence of a material that does not interact electromagnetically and is pretty much invisible to us. 

And we are trying to figure it out - the LHC when it was switched back on was set to hunt for dark matter. 

 

[ri Alban]

3 hours ago, Gizmo said:

Helium-3:

 

Dark matter:

Whilst astrophysicists have not directly detected dark matter, they did use our knowledge and measuring/imaging tools to calculate that there is missing mass in the Universe. I think that is astounding, that we can infer the existence of a material that does not interact electromagnetically and is pretty much invisible to us. 

And we are trying to figure it out - the LHC when it was switched back on was set to hunt for dark matter. 

 

[JFK-1]

6 hours ago, Gizmo said:

Helium-3:

 

Dark matter:

Whilst astrophysicists have not directly detected dark matter, they did use our knowledge and measuring/imaging tools to calculate that there is missing mass in the Universe. I think that is astounding, that we can infer the existence of a material that does not interact electromagnetically and is pretty much invisible to us. 

And we are trying to figure it out - the LHC when it was switched back on was set to hunt for dark matter. 

 

 

I blame Isaac Newton, if he hadn't come up with all that fancy gravity stuff well we wouldn't pestered by this dark matter stuff. Pisses me off that 85% of the universe is missing. What a bloody chunk to misplace.

[superjack]

5 minutes ago, JFK-1 said:

 

I blame Isaac Newton, if he hadn't come up with all that fancy gravity stuff well we wouldn't pestered by this dark matter stuff. Pisses me off that 85% of the universe is missing. What a bloody chunk to misplace.

I'll let my missus know about the missing 85% and tell her it isn't there. Guaranteed she'll find it in the first cupboard she looks in.

[JFK-1]

8 minutes ago, superjack said:

I'll let my missus know about the missing 85% and tell her it isn't there. Guaranteed she'll find it in the first cupboard she looks in.

 

On second thoughts let's call off the search. Isn't the chunk we have left big enough? Looking for more is sheer greed and i'm used to it being missing.

 

But on a serious note if it's a particle and they can find it and actually manipulate it the applications could be staggering and especially so for the one who does it first. This is mere speculation on my part, I don't recall ever reading of or seeing any scientist speculate what i'm about to. Make of it what you will.

 

This stuff if it exists and the majority of the scientific community are in agreement that it does, then it's all around us and we just can't see it. As was mentioned, absolutely no interaction with anything on any electromagnetic level, it interacts with absolutely nothing but gravity.

 

So let's say you could detect and actually somehow capture and amass some of this stuff. Would it be possible to say for example give a military vehicle or aircraft a coating of this stuff?

 

I'm thinking along the lines of would that then make it completely invisible across the electromagnetic spectrum. You couldn't see it and neither could radar.

 

Speculation but if there were any actual possibility of such a scenario you wouldn't be wanting a foe to get there first.

[Cade]

NASA's flickr has some amazing shots of the Artemis/Orion mission as it reaches the Moon.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore

 

 

[henrysmithsgloves]

3 hours ago, superjack said:

I'll let my missus know about the missing 85% and tell her it isn't there. Guaranteed she'll find it in the first cupboard she looks in.

🤣🤣Man, that is so true😳

[henrysmithsgloves]

Found this interesting 👍.

 

[JFK-1]

On 22/11/2022 at 04:07, Cade said:

NASA's flickr has some amazing shots of the Artemis/Orion mission as it reaches the Moon.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasa2explore

 

 

 

I'm looking forward to the splashdown. It's going to come in around 25,000 mph, or 7 miles a second if you like, survival heat shield dependent. There will be a radio blackout when we will have no contact with the capsule for around 3 minutes or so.

 

Presuming the heat shield does it's job which I fully expect it will the next thing will be parachute deployment. The atmospheric entry bleeds off almost all of that 25,000 mph but it's still coming down around 200 mph and if you were in that capsule 200 to almost zero in a second would kill you outright.

 

But I expect that to go fine too and the chute will slow it down to an acceptable 20 mph contact with the water.  Presumably if everything goes to plan the next launch is going to be crewed.

 

And also presumably they will take the same trip to the moon Artemis 1 has for an orbit around then come back.  The launch could be quite an experience for the astronauts presuming none of them have ever been launched on a rocket this size.

 

I recall an anecdote from one of the Apollo astronauts of which there were dozens since there were 17 missions and a 3 man crew in each one. Some went up more than once.

 

This guy had never been launched before while the other two had. They were all hooked up to medical biometrics sensors and when it came to ignition his heart rate registered as soaring while the other two did not change much if at all.

 

What got him was as it ignited then began to build thrust just before lifting off the vibration is phenomenal and the rocket says this guy is swaying wildly. To the extent he was thinking it's going to fall apart and topple over.

 

Of course it didn't but no one had told him this is what it would be like, you're going to think this rocket is going to shake to pieces and fall over.