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The static test fire of the Falcon Heavy, already delayed several times in recent days, has now been delayed due to the U.S. government shutdown:
SpaceX will be unable to test fire its three-core Falcon Heavy rocket at Kennedy Space Center due to the government shutdown, further delaying checkout operations ahead of the rocket's demonstration flight, the 45th Space Wing said Sunday.
"Due to the shutdown removing key members of the civilian workforce, the 45th Space Wing will not be able to support commercial static fires taking place on KSC," the Wing said, further noting that launch operations at KSC and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station are also on hold until the shutdown is resolved.
SpaceX teams have fueled the 230-foot-tall Falcon Heavy rocket at pad 39A at least twice ahead of the static test fire, which is essentially a test before the test – engineers will examine data from the 12-second firing of the rocket's 27 Merlin main engines before giving the all clear to launch on its premiere mission.
General article about Falcon Heavy.
Previously: SpaceX to Attempt Landing Three Falcon Heavy Boosters on Pads
Elon Musk Says Successful Maiden Flight for Falcon Heavy Unlikely
Falcon Heavy Prepares for Debut Flight as Musk Urges Caution on Expectations
SpaceX Successfully Tests Falcon Heavy First Stage Cores
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy Rocket Sets Up at Cape Canaveral Ahead of Launch
Falcon Heavy Readied for Static Fire Test
U.S. Government Shutdown Starting on January 20, 2018
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Snotnose on Tuesday January 23 2018, @03:35AM (3 children)
Shutting down the government hurts everyone except for the assholes who do it, namely Congress. By my optics the Dems lost out big here, they were willing to deny 6 million CHIPs kids coverage in order to get 600k illegal aliens a green card. I know it's more complicated than this, and I am far from a Trump supporter, but it looks to me like Schumer et all lost big on this one.
What would I do?
1) No more continuing resolutions. If Congress can't come up with a budget then last year's budget takes effect with a 5% cut across the board on all spending. They pass a budget the next day? Tough shit, last year's budget with the 5% cut has another 364 days to run.
2) Congresscritters in office when the government shuts down lose all government privileges. No gym. No pay. No security. No access to their office (it's closed). No private drivers. No cafeteria. No per diem (and they never get any ofthat back).
3) If the government shuts down the top 3 leaders of both parties in congress (12 total: 3 R and D from the senate, 3 R and D from the house) go to prison for the duration. Strip search, mug shot, striped shirts, general population, the whole 9 yards.
I'm not even gonna go into why trying to fix immigration with a goddam budget bill is beyond stupid.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 23 2018, @07:11AM (1 child)
You get what you vote for America. The more polarized you vote, the more polarized and gridlocked your government becomes until eventually you end up with a fascist government after Reichstag Fire started by the "democrats". And your President, the so-called "Great Dealmaker" is anything but.
Votes Matter.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 23 2018, @10:01PM
You know, I wouldn't have believed that the D team would be the one to start a Reichstag Fire a few years ago. I mean, I hardly ever vote D or R, but fuck, has it become obvious how they work together.
But just on the horizon, the misogynerd narrative, #MeToo, OMG Russia, and net neutrality are about to collide. See how the D team lays the groundwork. The R team will go to war, because it's what the R team is used for. The D team will give some faux anti-war crap here and there, but they'll be in full support of the enactment of martial law and final destruction of the idea of inherent human rights. After all, they're paving the road to hell by playing good cop on net neutrality to the R team's bad cop, while they put the tools in place for total internet censorship with the misogynerd narrative and #MeToo and OMG Russia! oh yeah and OMG encryption.
There is one thing I really wonder about. All those congresscritters who had to take a bullet for #MeToo. Collateral damage? Inner party politics?
This species disgusts me.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 23 2018, @10:40PM
Congress has to pass a budget to give to the President to sign. The one appropriation they always pass without a hint of partisan bluster is the Legislative Branch appropriation. That one always passes and is signed before the beginning of the fiscal year. What that means is that when there is a government shutdown because there isn't a funding bill, that doesn't affect them because they got their money. I think the simplest change that should be made (to do it right would require a Constitutional Amendment, but the House/Senate leadership should make it a rule if they had any sense of honor) is that the Legislative appropriation should be the last appropriation passed. Since everyone, including the President and the Supreme Court judges, can't get paid until Congress appropriates the money (Article 1, Section 8), Congress shouldn't get paid until everyone else does.
The downside to this is that a good deal of them in the Senate would be ok with this because they are more or less wealthy. There are a fair number of people in the House who would be hurting going without a paycheck for long periods of time, though.