Baikonur to the ISS faster than London to NY

[Fenderman]

Two Russian cosmonauts and one American – have managed to knock 45 hours off their usual transport time, making what was a 50 hour journey in just under six hours.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/...ational-Space-Station-in-under-six-hours.html

Of course, that doesn't include the time taken to prep' the flight and crew

 

[FB]

Why did they have to circle the Earth 30 times previously?

 

[Fenderman]

Pick an answer:

a) Congestion at the ISS spaceport
b) They thought they were on the M25 trying to get to Heathrow
c) Fun
d) Covert spying missions on the way
e) They didn't know better
f) siffert_fan used to need more sleep
g) no idea

 

[FB]

Maybe they were collecting Air Miles previously but NASA has withdrawn from the program.

 

[Fenderman]

... or now they're using a rocket instead of a bus.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Why did they have to circle the Earth 30 times previously?

Because my ex wife was giving them directions....

 

[Mephistopheles]

London to New York = 3462 Miles

Earth to the Space Station = 220 Miles

It doesn't seem such a big deal now does it.....

 

[Fenderman]

Don't forget the pleasure trip orbital circumnavigation of the globe to Earth-gaze, Mephistopheles

 

[The Pits]

Would it not be something to do with timing, and matching orbits and velocities?

 

[Brogan]

I suspect it's that and due to improved design and capabilities of the spacecraft.

 

[Fenderman]

I suspect those are the real, if less humourous reasons.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Is because they went for the RAC satnav instead of the Tomtom?

 

[Fenderman]

Ah! Got it! They read about the Active Reverse Space Equaliser(ARSE) – device that temporarily distorts time and space to create a wormhole through which car B can effectively pass through car A, thereby becoming car A. in the F1 2112 Technical Glossary and pinched the idea for taking a short cut.

 

[Mephistopheles]

Is that why Webber got the ARSE in Malaysia....

 

[Fenderman]

Yup. He seems to have been more prone to ARSE failures than his team-mate. For sure.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I knew there had to be a scientific reason for it....