3197: Cost Savings

Cost Savings

|< < Prev #3197 (January 21, 2026)

Title text: Unfortunately, my scheme to trick NASA has now taken over a decade longer than planned and has run way over budget.

|< < Prev Random Explanation

Explanation

40x40px

This is one of 62 incomplete explanations: This page was created recently. Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

Transcript

40x40px

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. Hairy and Megan, seated, are looking on from behind a desk. The graph is a bar graph with steadily decreasing bar heights. Cueball:

"By lowering the planned satellite orbit we can reduce the size of the launch vehicle required."

"We can reduce costs further by eliminating the satellite entirely in favor of an aerial platform."

"Some equipment could be moved to a ground-based facility, reducing required aircraft time."

"Additional savings could be..."

The caption at the bottom says, "I'm trying to get NASA to build a shed in my backyard."

  Add comment        Create topic (use sparingly)       Refresh 

Discussion

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?

20 manual iterations, beginning 20260122 1440Z. 0-999 25%, 1000-1999 30%, 2000-2999 40%, 3000-3197 5%, 3000-3999 projected 25%. n is too small, but I don't perceive a bias. 98.97.38.200 14:50, 22 January 2026 (UTC)

I've also felt this 66.210.7.66 16:02, 22 January 2026 (UTC)

See "explain xkcd:Community portal/Miscellaneous#Random Explanation Button bias towards newer articles" for some of the prior chat about this. 82.132.246.68 18:47, 22 January 2026 (UTC)

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)

Saturn the Titan lives, and He has commanded us to create a ring system for Planet Earth so that He can feel more at home here. Recreant. 98.97.38.200 14:59, 22 January 2026 (UTC)

"NASA ... certainly cannot be conventionally ordered to build a shed on a needy citizen's property." Wait, what? Haven't you been following the trajectory of the 47th Presidency of these Untied States in North America? 98.97.38.200 15:03, 22 January 2026 (UTC)
        Add comment