Recent comments in /f/Futurology

Darryl_Lict t1_j9wmlcf wrote

Reply to ESA permits four-armed robots to start clearing space debris by Gari_305

This is an important experiment but the article has a dearth of technical information that would be interesting to the casual subscriber to this Reddit. They are targeting the second stage of a Vega launcher which I think is known as a Zefiro 23 with a gross mass of 26,900 kg (59,300 lb) and unfueled mass of 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) and a length of 7.5m.

I assume it's not tumbling or spinning too much as I'd assume they would aim for a relatively easy target although it looks like it's a pretty good size. I also assume that they will just grab the booster and then de-orbit the entire thing.

I'm thinking that it would be cool if you could catch and de-orbit multiple items by having some sort of ejection mechanism. This obviously would be enormously complex and be constrained to searching out debris with similar enough orbits so that you could capture more than one during a mission. In any case I hope it works.

1

jwhildeb t1_j9wlzw4 wrote

Reply to Robots of the future by bigcockinmyasshole

Not sure about the software side, but we're decades away from the hardware seen there. Actuator (motor etc) and battery technology are not dense enough to do those things and still fit in a human shape. Those Boston Dynamics robots are about as good as we can do, and they're bulky and missing a ton of stuff you'd expect like dexterous hand and faces.

13

im_thatoneguy t1_j9wipq5 wrote

Reply to comment by kompootor in The future holds a 25000$ compact EV leasing at 250$ pr month by RolfEjerskov

It's very much the Mediatek vs Apple battle. Apple was eventually forced to sell lower-tier phones but they still make as much in profit as all of their competitors combined even though they don't have the majority of the market share.

What's interesting is that Elon said "FSD" was their answer to economy transportation and that a robotaxi would be next not an economy car. So this is Elon finally focusing back on classic hardware sales not autonomy.

1

farticustheelder t1_j9wi7yt wrote

Reply to Hina Battery becomes 1st battery maker to put sodium-ion batteries in EVs in China by Surur

Sodium is an interesting battery chemistry. First, we are never going to run out of salt, second it is highly recyclable, and third it cheap. Cheap as salt!

I love the A00 designation, it is basically the Wuling MINI EV class of vehicle: top speed 60 MPH, range 100 miles, efficiency 8 miles/kWh...blah, blah, blah! It is roughly the same class of vehicle as a 1960 VW Beetle.

The point I wish to make is that 200 kg of sodium batteries gives a good range, for a light weight vehicle that should stick to city driving, and perhaps the secondary road systems for visits to the 'country'.

A secondary point is to consider hybrid battery packs: sodium ion for range and lithium ion for oomph!, highway driving benefits from 'passing power' after all.

My driving needs could be met with a $5K Wuling MINI EV, something like the GM Bolt EV is overkill for my situation but I predict it will be a best seller as long as Treasury doesn't kill the tax credit.

I'm not sure about the actual numbers but something like the Wuling MINI and the GM Bolt twins should satisfy about 70-80% of the market. Can you imagine the demand for used Bolts when the $4K used tax cred kicks in?

The transition is getting very interesting very fast.

8