Editing 2087: Rocket Launch
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: See "booster separation" above. This marks the point where the second stage (the "main stage") is ejected. | : See "booster separation" above. This marks the point where the second stage (the "main stage") is ejected. | ||
; {{w|GPS}} silenced so it will stop saying "Make a U-turn" | ; {{w|GPS}} silenced so it will stop saying "Make a U-turn" | ||
− | : Again, this is fictional. While some rockets do make use of signals from the Global Positioning System ("GPS"), no rockets are known to use the navigational devices that incorporate GPS readers and street maps, providing directions - often with optional text-to-speech - along the Earth's surface. Some such devices are notorious for getting confused | + | : Again, this is fictional. While some rockets do make use of signals from the Global Positioning System ("GPS"), no rockets are known to use the navigational devices that incorporate GPS readers and street maps, providing directions - often with optional text-to-speech - along the Earth's surface. Some such devices are notorious for getting confused in extreme situations (such as the high Mach numbers that rockets achieve); constantly uttering "make a U-turn" would be one such confusion, and any device in such a confused state might well be silenced for being more annoying than helpful. Navigation of this nature is neither necessary nor useful on a rocket, which will have its entire route from ground to orbit computed before launch, and piloting typically left entirely to computers given the precise timing required. |
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; Reunification (of boosters) | ; Reunification (of boosters) | ||
: Another fictional step. Discarded stages fall back into the Earth's atmosphere, either hitting the ground (or, more often, water) or burning up because of the heat-up resulting from high compression of air in front of them while re-entering thick layers of atmosphere at extreme speed. The booster and main stage would not be on a course to come anywhere near each other, and would not have enough fuel to change their course (running out of fuel being why they were discarded in the first place). Even if they did, landing for reuse (as {{w|SpaceX reusable launch system development program|SpaceX has attempted}}, often successfully) would be far more likely than a mid-air reunion. | : Another fictional step. Discarded stages fall back into the Earth's atmosphere, either hitting the ground (or, more often, water) or burning up because of the heat-up resulting from high compression of air in front of them while re-entering thick layers of atmosphere at extreme speed. The booster and main stage would not be on a course to come anywhere near each other, and would not have enough fuel to change their course (running out of fuel being why they were discarded in the first place). Even if they did, landing for reuse (as {{w|SpaceX reusable launch system development program|SpaceX has attempted}}, often successfully) would be far more likely than a mid-air reunion. | ||
; Pilot panics, copilot takes command after struggle | ; Pilot panics, copilot takes command after struggle | ||
− | : Another fictional step. Astronauts are not the sort of people who panic easily, nor struggle with their crewmates. More importantly, in any modern rocket the "pilot" is not a human being, but a computer incapable of panic{{citation needed}} (as in the human emotion). It is possible that part of the flight computer could fail, causing redundant failsafes to take over, but the process could not correctly be described as a "struggle", and in any case this sort of failure is uncommon enough that it is not part of a "typical" rocket launch. | + | : Another fictional step. Astronauts are not the sort of people who panic easily, nor struggle with their crewmates. More importantly, in any modern rocket the "pilot" is not a human being, but a computer incapable of panic{{citation needed}} (as in the human emotion). It is possible that part of the flight computer could fail, causing redundant failsafes to take over, but the process could not correctly be described as a "struggle", and in any case this sort of failure is uncommon enough that it is not part of a "typical" rocket launch. |
; Pursuit phase | ; Pursuit phase | ||
: Fictional. This assumes the (nonexistent) reunified booster would have enough fuel to pursue the top stage of the rocket, and a reason to do so. See "Reunification". This might be a reference to {{w|Pursuit guidance}}. The comic indicates that a fight ensues with only one of the pair continuing to orbit. | : Fictional. This assumes the (nonexistent) reunified booster would have enough fuel to pursue the top stage of the rocket, and a reason to do so. See "Reunification". This might be a reference to {{w|Pursuit guidance}}. The comic indicates that a fight ensues with only one of the pair continuing to orbit. | ||
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:[The remaining trajectory, indicated with dashed-lines and question marks, continues towards the right and off the edge of the page.] | :[The remaining trajectory, indicated with dashed-lines and question marks, continues towards the right and off the edge of the page.] | ||
:: Winner proceeds to space | :: Winner proceeds to space | ||
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{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
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