Who says little boys are the only ones allowed to play around in the dirt?
Seriously though, we actually had a valid scientific reason for doing a test without the jet deflector in place. Honest.
We uhh…needed to know if a jet deflector was really necessary for testing, and if it was actually doing any good. And after the first test when we only bored a little hole in the ground, we figured that of course it was the prudent and scientifically sound thing to do to try it again for longer and see how deep the hole would go…
Apparently about 18″ deep in about 10 seconds of total firing:
Come on. Be honest. If you had a supersonic post hole digger, you’d do the same thing.
Have I ever mentioned that I love my job?
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Jonathan Goff
President/CEO at Altius Space Machines
Jonathan Goff is a space technologist, inventor, and serial space entrepreneur who created the Selenian Boondocks blog. Jon was a co-founder of Masten Space Systems, and the founder and CEO of Altius Space Machines, a space robotics startup that he sold to Voyager Space in 2019. Jonathan is currently the Product Strategy Lead for the space station startup Gravitics. His family includes his wife, Tiffany, and five boys: Jarom (deceased), Jonathan, James, Peter, and Andrew.
Jon has a BS in Manufacturing Engineering (1999) and an MS in Mechanical Engineering (2007) from Brigham Young University, and served an LDS proselytizing mission in Olongapo, Philippines from 2000-2002.
Latest posts by Jonathan Goff (see all)
- NASA’s Selection of the Blue Moon Lander for Artemis V - May 25, 2023
- Fill ‘er Up: New AIAA Aerospace America Article on Propellant Depots - September 2, 2022
- Independent Perspectives on Cislunar Depotization - August 26, 2022
Lol great post ^_^
Absolutely not fair man. I feel like you’re rubbing it in…the fact that you are making all this flamey stuff and I have been stuck in rocket limbo. 🙁
Boo-hoo!
Joseph
Ahhh hell!
Well, at least I am in California now…a lot closer than I was before and a better place for a space lovin’ physicist fresh outta grad school.
Granted, I am in the San Joaquin valley south of Fresno but not near enough to where the ACTION is really taking place.
Gotta take those small steps though.
Joseph
If you can get those things to cut through the amalgamated stone layers you’ve got another market in Vegas.
I used to wake up to workers with the big air-pressure hammer vehicles (thump, thUmp, THUMP!) as they pounded through a few feet of the stuff to put in swimming pools for new houses.