Recent comments in /f/space

codesnik t1_j656mfa wrote

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GSte2022 t1_j6551bq wrote

'Metals' (any atom with equal or more than three protons) are heavier then hydrogen or helium. So 'metals' are slower then H or He with the same kinetic energy. That means that over time the heat density becomes less along the expansion vector. This effect spreads the heat over a bigger volume and lowers the heat(energy) density, making that area cooler.

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Chairboy t1_j650r8l wrote

That's... almost correct? NASA has limited decision-making power over what research gets funded. Congress makes those decisions and outside of some small projects that can be funded through programs that give them flexibility, NASA does not really typically choose-choose what to research.

They're a great government agency and they enable cool things, but... their decision powers are pretty tightly regulated and controled.

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OnlyMortal666 t1_j64tiqy wrote

Well, anywhere other than low Earth orbit isn’t instant. Even that has latency.

If “magic UDP” existed, I’d still put it in Alpha Centauri. Results of the survey may well drive us to go there by “some magic” technology.

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