3197: Cost Savings
| Cost Savings |
 Title text: Unfortunately, my scheme to trick NASA has now taken over a decade longer than planned and has run way over budget. |
Explanation
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This is one of 62 incomplete explanations: This page was created by an OVER-BUDGET ORBITER. Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page! |
This comic depicts a fictional scheme by Cueball to dupe various representatives at NASA into doing a menial task for him; specifically, building an ordinary shed in his yard. Initially, it appears he is suggesting various ways to improve the cost/hassle of launching a satellite into orbit, but soon the suggestions get more and more absurd, each one getting closer and closer to "Ditch the satellite idea and build a shed in my yard."
The title text is a humorous reference to the many, many project delays and unforeseen expenses that occur over the course of sending a rocket into space. It implies that Cueball has been attempting this endeavor to build a NASA shed for long enough that it mirrors the setbacks a team would experience if they were actually sending a satellite to orbit.
Transcript
| File:Ambox warning green construction.svg | This is one of 37 incomplete transcripts: Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page! |
- [Cueball is standing in front of a framed graph on a wall, pointing at it with a short stick. The graph is a bar graph with steadily decreasing bar heights. Hairy and Megan, seated, are looking on from behind a desk.]
- Cueball: By lowering the planned satellite orbit, we can reduce the size of the launch vehicle required.
- Cueball: We can reduce costs further by eliminating the satellite entirely in favor of an aerial platform.
- Cueball: Some equipment could be moved to a ground-based facility, reducing required aircraft time.
- Cueball: Additional savings could be...
- [Caption below the panel:]
- I'm trying to get NASA to build a shed in my backyard.
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Anyone wanna store some items in my garage? They'll be there... forever! King Pando (talk) 22:41, 21 January 2026 (UTC)
Anybody know why the random explanation button bias towards the 3000's heavily?
I first thought the joke that we could do anything StarLink does cheaper, simpler, more environmentally friendly and without risking Kessler syndrome by using terrestrial technology (i.e. cables and antennas) if we could just get our heads out of our asses. The shed punchline was a bit of a letdown. --Coconut Galaxy (talk) 07:40, 22 January 2026 (UTC) Add comment
