Editing 2148: Cubesat Launch
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
− | + | {{incomplete|Created by a launch accident investigator. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} | |
− | The comic begins with [[Megan]] telling [[Cueball]] that being officially part of a CubeSat launch is | + | A {{w|CubeSat}} (aka U-class spacecraft) is a miniature artificial-satellite with cubic dimensions of 10 cm × 10 cm × 11.35 cm (~ 4 in × 4 in × 4.5 in), and masses of about 1.33 kg (2.9 lbs) per unit. CubeSats are put into orbit from the International Space Station or launched as secondary payloads. As of January 2019, at least 900 CubeSats have successively achieved orbit, and at least 80 have been destroyed in launch failures. They typically function as Earth observation satellites, amateur radio emitters as well as testing prototype small-satellite technology. |
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+ | The comic begins with [[Megan]] telling [[Cueball]] that being officially part of a CubeSat launch is very expensive, but she has an idea for a much cheaper alternative: use a fishing line on a drone to attach to a rocket just before launch, with the CubeSat attached to the other end of the fishing line so it gets pulled into space. | ||
In reality, this plan would fail for multiple reasons. | In reality, this plan would fail for multiple reasons. | ||
# Security would presumably prevent the drone from reaching the rocket. | # Security would presumably prevent the drone from reaching the rocket. | ||
− | # Even if Megan were to pilot the drone past security undetected, the launch would have been scrubbed as soon as any observer noticed the drone near the rocket and | + | # Even if Megan were to pilot the drone past security undetected, the launch would have been scrubbed as soon as any observer noticed the drone near the rocket and tell Mission Control, who would order a countdown halt and stop the rocket launch, which prevents Megan from launching her CubeSat in the first place - after which Security would locate the drone's user and take her into custody. |
+ | # The unshielded CubeSat would likely be destroyed by aerodynamic forces. | ||
# The drone would not be able to attach itself to the rocket in a way that would remain secure. | # The drone would not be able to attach itself to the rocket in a way that would remain secure. | ||
# The fishing line would not hold - either the rocket exhaust would sever it, or the force from the CubeSat, gravity, and the acceleration of the rocket would become more than its tensile strength could withstand. | # The fishing line would not hold - either the rocket exhaust would sever it, or the force from the CubeSat, gravity, and the acceleration of the rocket would become more than its tensile strength could withstand. | ||
− | + | # Precise weight is an important number during launch. The extra weight of the drone, the fishing line, the air drag from the drone, and the CubeSat all would combine to put more downward force on the rocket. This unexpected extra weight would not have been calculated and could turn the rocket off-course, along with making it spend more propellant in countering the forces exerted this way. This may result in the rocket not achieving the planned orbit, and may have to orbit at a lower altitude. | |
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− | # Precise weight is an important number during launch. The extra weight of the drone, the fishing line, the air drag from the drone, and the CubeSat all would combine to put more downward force on the rocket | ||
Upon realizing her plan, Cueball immediately responds with "uh-oh", indicating his concern, but Megan assures him that it will be fine, before piloting the drone towards the rocket. She successfully connects the drone to the rocket, and the rocket lifts off. | Upon realizing her plan, Cueball immediately responds with "uh-oh", indicating his concern, but Megan assures him that it will be fine, before piloting the drone towards the rocket. She successfully connects the drone to the rocket, and the rocket lifts off. | ||
− | Whatever her plan was, it goes wrong almost immediately. The unexpected force on the rocket from the side causes it to tilt and go off course. Perhaps if the rocket's control software employed {{w|adaptive control}} techniques, it could have maintained control in the presence of this unexpected force | + | Whatever her plan was, it goes wrong almost immediately. The unexpected force on the rocket from the side causes it to tilt and go off course (implied that it's not due to the comparatively small force of the CubeSat, but because Cueball is standing on the fishing line). Perhaps if the rocket's control software employed {{w|adaptive control}} techniques, it could have maintained control in the presence of this unexpected force. Megan and Cueball get tangled in the fishing line and are carried away. While the fate of the rocket is not shown, it is likely that its unplanned {{w|Attitude_control|attitude change}} would activate the automatic termination sequence or result in manual activation of the destruction protocol. |
Megan and Cueball miraculously survive and are brought to an investigative board to explain their actions. Megan attempts to defend herself using flawed logic: something was bound to go wrong sooner or later, so it's not her fault that she was the cause. This logic does not account for the fact that this particular rocket's chance to crash was greatly increased by the drone attempting to connect to it. She isn't totally to blame for the accident anyways, since the launch should have been scrubbed as soon as the drone came anywhere near the rocket, and the failure of Mission Control to do so is negligence on their part, and hence they are more responsible for the failure of the mission than Megan and Cueball as they did not follow proper protocol and allowed the launch to occur under unsafe conditions. | Megan and Cueball miraculously survive and are brought to an investigative board to explain their actions. Megan attempts to defend herself using flawed logic: something was bound to go wrong sooner or later, so it's not her fault that she was the cause. This logic does not account for the fact that this particular rocket's chance to crash was greatly increased by the drone attempting to connect to it. She isn't totally to blame for the accident anyways, since the launch should have been scrubbed as soon as the drone came anywhere near the rocket, and the failure of Mission Control to do so is negligence on their part, and hence they are more responsible for the failure of the mission than Megan and Cueball as they did not follow proper protocol and allowed the launch to occur under unsafe conditions. | ||
− | The title text describes that the supposedly huge | + | The title text describes that the supposedly huge damages they caused were partly covered by the earnings from a water skiing championship, which Cueball and Megan presumably won by being dragged across the water by the rocket. This might be a tangential reference to an incident in the {{w|The Adventures of Tintin|Tintin}} adventure ''{{w|The Black Island}}'', where the {{w|Thomson and Thompson|Thompson Twins}} blunder into and win an aerobatics competition when they compel a mechanic with no flying experience into taking off in pursuit of that volume's antagonists. |
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+ | Additionally, this is not the first comic to discuss CubeSats; they were also mentioned in [[1866: Russell's Teapot]] and in [[1992: SafetySat]]. | ||
− | + | Megan's last sentence in the comic is similar to the topic and title text from [[2146: Waiting for the But]] published only four days earlier. This is probably a coincidence though since sentences in that form are not uncommon for excuses. In this scenario the second part could be along the lines of "...but if one can't afford a spot on a cubesat launch, one needs to take risks." | |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
− | :[Megan is holding a cube attached | + | {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
+ | :[Megan and Cueball talking. Megan is holding a cube attached to a drone by string.] | ||
:Megan: A spot on a CubeSat launch costs a lot, but you can get a drone and a spool of fishing line for cheap. | :Megan: A spot on a CubeSat launch costs a lot, but you can get a drone and a spool of fishing line for cheap. | ||
:Cueball: Uh oh. | :Cueball: Uh oh. | ||
− | :[A wide shot of Megan flying the drone | + | :[A wide shot of Megan flying the drone.] |
:Megan: No no, watch. | :Megan: No no, watch. | ||
:Megan: This is gonna go great. | :Megan: This is gonna go great. | ||
− | :[Wide shot of a rocket | + | :[Wide shot of a rocket launch with drone and string approaching from the right.] |
− | :[ | + | :[Drone attached to rocket.] |
− | : | + | :Off-panel (probably Megan): Perfect! |
− | :[ | + | :[Vapor cloud at bottom of rocket.] |
− | : | + | :Foom |
− | :[ | + | :[Rocket taking off, tilting in the direction of the string.] |
− | :Off-panel | + | :Off-panel: Should it be tilting already? |
− | :Off-panel | + | :Off-panel: Hey, move your leg. |
− | :[ | + | :[Megan and Cueball struggling in tangle of string whilst holding cube.] |
:Megan: Ugh, let go, I can get- | :Megan: Ugh, let go, I can get- | ||
:Cueball: -No, lift your ''other'' arm- | :Cueball: -No, lift your ''other'' arm- | ||
− | :[Three | + | :[Three small panels of rocket tilting increasingly to the right and down as if pulled by the string.] |
− | :[Megan | + | :[Megan and Cueball flying through the air, attached to the string. Two onlookers flee.] |
− | + | :''AAAAAA'' | |
− | :[A disheveled looking Megan and Cueball both with plaster casts on their arms stand before four | + | :[A disheveled looking Megan and Cueball both with plaster casts on their arms stand before four members of an interview panel at a table labeled 'Launch accident investigation board']. |
− | |||
:Megan: Listen. | :Megan: Listen. | ||
:Megan: Space exploration is never going to be completely safe. | :Megan: Space exploration is never going to be completely safe. | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Megan]] | ||
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[[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Hairbun]] | ||
[[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] | [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]] |