Does this mean we are not going to try it? 😥

LEO? LEO?

Once again, I am starting to get a little lost in the thread here. Clearly, the original mission for us here is not LEO, but LMO!

Don't worry Bear, I got your back!

This is our Priority to do list:
1) Sell LCO duties to the highest bidder
I have recently been contacted by "their people" who describes themselves as a consortium of interested parties (C.I.P). Our initial contact resulted in a handshake deal that will provide enough Motor for a dozen strap-ons. These international shakers and movers have privately indicated to me that they have contractually secured the attendance of the one and only "Elvis". (yes, the rumors are true!) They are putting together a world-wide marketing blitz announcing the Return of the King.. As fast as I can convey this news to you, C.I.P. has already designed and printed Launch Day Passes that are of Face Value alone worth an excess of a 7 figure sum. Additionally, as the "Host Club", 25,000 tickets are now in our possession. The Consortium has kindly suggested that several of volunteers from our ranks might privately offer "Same Day Purchase" from the back of the black van that comes to monthly launches. These tickets would be offered to the end consumer at full retail value and a significant handling fee. This Launch Day Event spectator fees will easily finance sufficient payload for our project to exceed 7miles/sec, or in other words; Escape Velocity. The presale of tickets has already secured international bonds that can be converted upon presentation to the help desk at Ace Hardware, (two forms of ids, please).

2) Entertain offers of billboard space on the upper stages.
Note: it may well be required that we form an ad hoc committee to filter out unsuitable advertisements that run counter to our club’s heretofore family-oriented reputation.
Not surprisingly, with our project already viral on major social networks, the Home Shopping Channel, and random flyers placed in Lucky Charms cereal, square footage rates have geometrically exploded on this seller’s market. Along with corporate heavyweights such as Mars candies, Energizer batteries (a potential more lucrative placement on the strap-ons is under consideration), and Oscar Meyer’s “Lunchables”, Sponge Bob Square Pants is negotiating to be our first paying passenger. Furthermore, the internationally acclaimed artist “Christo” has secured a 43 million dollar grant from the National Endowment for the Arts should our ad hoc committee (can this decision be made by Clean-Up Day)? approve his brilliant artistic expression of wrapping the SLS in Pink plastic. The cost savings at Ace for the proposed paint job (coffee included) being scuttled alone could satisfy policy conditions demanded by Lloyds off London.
The remaining issue is the one of parking our pink bird (Project “Flamingo”)? in LMO. Considerable collaboration needs to occur from our equation wizards in guidance to solve this conundrum: http://thecosmicparadigm.blogspot.com/2011/03/storing-fuel-in-low-mars-orbit.html
(I cheated and looked at the appendix on this article- it made it all crystal clear)
Warren is right! The issue is pure and simple, The one thing we are not to supposed to be playing with!

We’re gonna need bigger launch batteries!

And I think, just for the fun, since this could be a memorable event, we should honor our President, (not the club president, (sorry Joe) but El Presidente himself, the POTUS,) should receive the invitation to ride the bird himself, (depending on the size of the nose cone, we might be able to secure places for his family and maybe 20 or 30 of his close friends and associates, wow what an honor!) and be able to plant his/their flag on Mars claiming it for himself/themselves. What do you think? ( You know, that might even help secure additional funding from the VFW and other similar groups like the AFA.) As for timetable, I do not know if I can get the sandpaper by equipment clean-up day. 🙁

The President?

As one of 300 million americans, I am willing to kick in five bucks for each member of my family to send the entire Congress along with the first family. We can counter the additional payload factor by removing the recovery system. With this kind of funding, NCR can complete this project AND pay off the National Debt!

I think I want to feel sorry for the Martians, they did not do anything to deserve this.
Of course in launching this big thing, we might need to slingshot it around the sun to get it to Mars using less fuel and still make it to Mars with this huge payload. IN aiming this thing, what are the odds that we might screw up and accidentlally launch them into the sun instead of slingshotting around the sun? With very limited guidance, I would think this is an unfortunate possibility.
Too bad with the fuel savings, we could not also include the entire POTUS cabinet, and all the administrators of things like the IRS, EPA, OSHA, etc.; they could probably use the vacation, too! 😉

I think we need a fleet, so ALL politicians (all parties included) can go. Lawyers too. (and let's not forget the telephone sanitizers, Nod to D. Adams)

-Ken

Ken, a fleet is an interesting proposal. We could bill it as the worlds largest drag race. We could even invite people from S.F. to participate. Of, course the costs would be enormous and the time involved is rather intense. Do you think we could have it ready by MHM 2012? 🙂

maybe we are thinking backwards.

It is more feasible to send ourselves to escape this terrestrial madness. Our rocket/fleet would be smaller and I would finally get to feel the G-force of Escape Velocity.

I say "all sane hands, abandon ship"!

Who will be left to push the button and how much will they pay? Of course this will mean we will miss MHM and Oktoberfest for a long time. This could also cut into my build time! 🙄

It's guidance, of course--since any rocket fishtailing isn't flying with enough efficency to do what it could, altitude, but also velocity... that puppy'd better be traveling @17-18k mph or it won't stay in orbit. This is fun!

So if it will not stay in orbit, does this mean that the payload will burn up on re-entry? This could make quite a fireworks display. Where should I place my lawn chair? Maybe we could have smores! 8)

We are verging into political terrain here and like my daddy told me, there are 4 things people don't talk about in polite company - religion, politics, personal sex practices, and how much money you make. All those are best kept to yourself. Not to be a party poop, but I don't want to have to put on my moderator hat.

Warren

PS: It is probably inadvisable to talk about your buddy's wife's butt or boobs too, especially in a laudatory fashion.

Darn gov'mnt regulators. Always interfearing with a persons fun. Sune you won't be able to spit without a license! 🙂

So what do we need to remove from the discussion to keep it from verging on the political?
What size chute is this thing going to need if we have to recover it? Is this thing reloadable or is it single use?
Do you know if Jon or John can get us kevlar shock cord big enough? How much powder for the ejection charge or will it be compressed gas? What would NASA use? Will a raven work ? Way too many questions and not enough answers! 😕