Talk:2746: Launch Window

Looks like Randall posted this one really late this time. 172.70.111.75 05:22, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

Is this about an actual window being open? --172.70.250.189 06:11, 7 March 2023 (UTC) yes, that seems to be the joke. it's actually a pretty good one.

It's definitely quite abstract; I think it's talking about an actual window of the building that the rocket is supposedly "inside" 172.71.30.142 06:14, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

I've added a bit more to the explanation, but I wasn't sure what, if anything, could be said about the 'sunlight' comment... Is it just a joke about the stereotypical "computer nerd/engineer" never stepping foot in the sun, or am I missing something there? Also, could someone please add the characters' names in to the explanation where necessary? I can't remember them well enough to be confident in who's who 108.162.245.186 06:34, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

I think it's more general than nerds (though possibly speaking as a probable nerd myself). Depending upon the local clime, and time of year, while having some Sun can be nice (whether or not it's warm, and it's warm enough for the local bugs) I know that even in the winter mornings, where a few streets I might often walk up face directly into the rising Sun, the glare can be severe and I really need to remember my hat so I can tilt its brim down. Even if it isn't simultaneously dropping water (or ice) on my head at the time.

I get the impression that this launch-building is (like most launch sites) far more equatorial than my 50-odd degrees of latitude, it's probably a fansite equipped with HVAC and though it might still be nice enough to go outside with your packed lunch (bugs excepted) for a while, actually having to work on an external rocket and its launch-pad would not be a matter of moderation and choice to nip back in again because it is too bright (and possibly hot, even in the shade) to be comfortable. Not when the "launch room" had been set up with a nice, predictable temperature and illumination level.

But I don't want to speak for those actually habituated to the great outdoors. ("There's no bad weather, only bad clothing," etc.) Which even some nerds are, when not working on necessarily indoors tasks... 172.71.242.87 13:21, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

I think it's a little of both. Barmar (talk) 20:50, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

I updated the explanation to indicate which character said what. 172.71.154.216 04:23, 8 March 2023 (UTC)

I think there's clearly a play on mission control-type spaces, as shown here, being dark, air conditioned, and insect-free.

Title text should have had someone say that they'd fetch scrubs from the gear locker to do the scrubbing in. 162.158.187.17 21:27, 7 March 2023 (UTC)

Could this be a reference to kernel space program 2. It was very recently released. 172.71.167.198

Doubtful; a reference would have needed to be much more direct. And there's already a comic about it that speaks much more directly. It's likely just a normal XKCD-style STEM joke that happens to be focused on rocketry. 172.70.34.28 03:48, 8 March 2023 (UTC)