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LexusLand t1_jcdiqw3 wrote

Reply to comment by jivatman in Virgin Orbit pauses operations for a week, furloughs nearly entire staff as it seeks funding by Realistic-Cap6526

RELATIVITY is only feasible competitor with launch capabilities.

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CurtisLeow t1_jcdxitm wrote

Relativity hasn’t done an orbital launch yet, let alone prove that they’re a viable competitor. Even one or two orbital launches doesn’t prove much, as Virgin Orbit demonstrates.

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FrameRate24 t1_jce4ikl wrote

People need to remember relativity is a 3d printing company wich happens to have a rocket on the side, with the pace of growth of additive manufacturing relativity has a shot at actually doing something, but I'll eat a 3d printed hat if relativity's rockets are more than just tech demonstrators for their printers ten years from now.

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[deleted] t1_jcg3pua wrote

Yeah agreed. That's the big difference with relativity. Even if their rockets don't end up mattering they still have, by far, the world's most advanced 3d printing capabilities. Thats marketable regardless of how their rocket is doing

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seanflyon t1_jcdx7h6 wrote

Stoke looks good to me, but of course they have not proven much so far. I also would not rule out Firefly.

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CarbonIceDragon t1_jcdwvz4 wrote

What about Firefly? They've technically made it to orbit if only briefly and not the one they wanted, which while not a success at least shows progress over companies that haven't gotten even that far, and if I recall correctly also have some kind of deal to sell some of their engines to Northrop Grumman?

Relativity sounds very cool with their 3d printing thing and I really want them to be successful especially on account of that probably leading to some interesting technological development, but surely trying new things like that also makes them a somewhat less safe bet than companies using more conventional rocket building techniques?

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Aceticon t1_jcetnwd wrote

Making it to orbital height briefly is not making to orbit, it's just a balistic trajectory that happens to have a high enough apogee.

It takes more energy (possibly much more) than that to actually "make it to orbit" a state which amongst other things has the noteable characteristic that things don't just fall down from it immediatelly after reaching it (they can, over time, end up falling down from lower orbits were there is drag from the top of Earths athmosphere, but when things just go up and the fall back down again they haven't made it to orbit)

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CarbonIceDragon t1_jcg4gv1 wrote

I'm aware of that, but didn't their rocket's second flight make an actual orbit, just one so low that the satellites ended up deorbiting in the next few days? Or have I been misinformed about this?

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Xeglor-The-Destroyer t1_jchfrf9 wrote

No you're correct. They did make orbit on their most recent launch, just lower than the intended one.

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Ruseriousmars t1_jce1u0w wrote

"Technically made it to orbit if only briefly." No need for an explanation but all I thought of upon reading that is the humorous "only a little pregnant" :)

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