FortKnox's Journal: One Step Closer to Reusable Rockets

One of the larger hurdles that reusable rockets have seen is the destruction the heat causes when in use. Scientists have developed a new thermal plating that hopes to eliminate that problem. The plating is called 'Adaptable, Robust, Metallic, Operable, Reusable TPS', or ARMOR for short. With talk of returning to the moon or landing on Mars, reusable rockets would give NASA a little breath of relief in the funding department...
Addendum: This is being posted on /., but I'll keep it here since there are already comments in it.

Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

[TechnoLust]

Rockets give off a LOT of exhaust. Maybe we could hook one up to a quantum afterburner [slashdot.org] and REALLY save some money.

Re:Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

[FortKnox]

Sorry..> I've been in a goofy mood this week. The subject of your post threw me off. Have you seen Pinky & The Brain?

"Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I think so brain, but how will we get the pantyhose on the monkey?"

Try to take over the world!

[TechnoLust]

I love P&TB! Although I must say I like Animaniacs more. That was quite possibly the funniest show ever made. The jokes worked on so many levels. Kids, teens, and adults could all watch the same show, all laugh, and ALL get something DIFFERENT out of it. It was brilliant. I love the one where the go to "school."

"Yakko, can you conjugate?"
"I never even kissed a girl!"
"No, No, No! It's easy. Here, I'll do it with you."
"Goodnight, folks!"

"Let's move on to math. Wakko, can you multiply?"
<hundreds of Wakko clones appear>"How's this?"

"Let's move on to Literature. Dot, what can you tell me about the poets of the 18th century?"
"They're all dead."
"No, no, no!"
"OK, they're all living."
"No, no, no!"
Yakko: "Now we're getting into Philosophy!"
"Grrrr!!!!!"

Moon

[AnalogBoy]

With china being the first of the "Second Generation" of spacefairing contries, i'm sure they will go to the moon.. and im pretty sure it will start another space race. I, for one, would LOVE to see us regain the pioneer, adventure spirit we seem to have lost.

I agree!

[FortKnox]

Man, to live through the space race would be excellent. The competition would do NASA and the government well!

If we still had that spirit you talk of, we'd have the ISS done, and building a spacestation on the moon...

Re:I agree!

[AnalogBoy]

Yeah, and we'd have a ship on its way to mars right now instead of a satellite, too, i bet.

Personally, i'd love to see a saturn 5 take off. The incredible power behind that machine would be breathtaking.. Much more dramatic than the ho-hum shuttle launches.

Speaking of shuttle.. We definately need a new launcher. The shuttle is 70's technology. Even Baraun (sp) is better than ours - its tank, if i remember correctly, is reusable! I remember seeing a diagram that showed where it would break apart and fall in segments..

I also like the idea of using the spent volumes of external fuel tanks as a orbiting platform.. there has to be SOME use for it..

I'd love to go into space.. I'm large enough to carry small pebbles in orbit around me, and bend light though. So no seat on the shuttle for me!

Re:I agree!

[FortKnox]

If we get into another space race, we might see space... we'll be old but we just might...