NASA's New Spaceship--Rocks, Paper, Scissors...

Check out the nice multimedia package NASA put together to showcase its next generation spaceship.
I've talked about it once before: basically, it's a suped up version of the Apollo system, using shuttle main engines and solid rocket boosters for lift. It has plenty of cool accessories too, like a lander for Moon missions which becomes a permanent living space that can remain on the surface.

The best part is where they say they'll be making two trips to the Moon every year. They also said they'd make twelve trips a year in the shuttle, so you have to take that with a grain of salt.
Just this week NASA head, Mike Griffin, told USA Today that he believes the shuttle and International Space Station were the wrong direction for NASA to go, and if the decision had been his, they would have gone in a different direction.
Of course that direction might have been just as wrong or even worse.

But there's no harm in a little armchair quarter-backing; Apollo program Space technology is fine. It's reliable, pretty simple to operate and build and something just about everyone who's interested in Space technology understands. There's nothing wrong with revisiting what works to get our Space program going again.
But the Shuttle wasn't a complete waste of time. We learned a lot about what we can and cannot do, yet, and what there is left to learn.
If anything we learned a lot about what we should not be doing when it comes to Space exploration. And I believe that's anything that isn't going to last.
The Shuttle has always been a novelty. It was, for a time, a successful novelty, but that time has long passed.
We shouldn't waste another dime on it, yes. But we should never abandon our penchant for trying to reach things that are beyond our grasp.
Never.

NASA Tech Helps FEMA With Katrina Response--Maybe

NASA once again shows its usefulness by demonstrating a monstrous ability to detail effects of Katrina (and now Rita) using a cadre of equipment including several satellites and an airborne laser; A veritable fleet of aircraft have been in the air taking 'before and after' shots of the Katrina and Rita affected areas. They are able to peer through vegetation and ground clutter to mark submerged coastline and inundated property.
This information is then organized, reviewed and sent, along with a situation assessment, directly to FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security where it seems to have been immediately burned into cinders and flushed down the toilet.

It seems to me, with this kind of intelligence on exactly what was going as it was happening, the federal government has no excuse for not getting involved sooner. They had to know the extent of the damage and that local first responders would have been needing saving themselves.
No excuses this time. NASA has the pictures to prove it....

Massachusetts Lawmakers Support Alternative Fuels

You might be wondering, what do hybrid cars and alternative fuels have to do with Space travel? The answer is easy: If we can't work out some of the simple problems we have here on Earth we're never going to get off the ground (so to speak.)

It's hard asking people to shell out money for a Space program when we have a million U.S. refugees living in shelters, unable to return to their homes due to storm damage, but we can't stop moving forward.
We also can't ignore the problems we have been plagued with for so long.

More than twenty-five percent of U.S. domestic oil supply was disrupted by Rita. Luckily it missed most refineries and platforms. But how many times will we be that lucky? Are there really any people out there who think we've seen the last storm to hit the Galveston area? Don't be ridiculous!
The hurricane season has just started. We will be lucky if we don't have another Galveston/Houston/NewOrleans strike by November.
And then what? President Bush suggested we "conserve" gas...

Not since Marie Antoinette declared "let them eat cake!" has a leader shown just how disconnected they were from their people.

I say, let us start to find our own solutions to the energy crisis. I don't want to use oil and gasoline any more! And if I have to vote out every incumbent legislator to make that happen, so be it.
We need leaders committed to real change, not figuring out ways to make it easier on the "good ol' boys."

Massachusetts is leading the way. It's up to the rest of us to follow...

Energy Initiatives: 'Taxing SUVs Into Oblivion'; The Air Car; Wind Power

I feel very comfortable saying the automobile was one of the worst things ever invented.
Millions have died as a result of accidents, faulty equipment and system failure, they have caused our society to be built around solitary travel as opposed to mass transit systems (for instance, the purchasing and shutdown of all cable car companies by the auto industry circa 1900) and now they have impacted global politics by forcing our nation's reliance on a fuel source located in places we would normally not have relations with, i.e, totalitarian dictatorships.

I feel better just having said it. try it, you'll feel better too.
What's really sad is the amount of money wasted each year on re-designing a failed concept. Do we want to remain fossil fuel society forever? That's impossible.
We must support alternative forms of energy and we must do it now. No more advancing the infrastructure to support oil and natural gas. Let's instead follow the lead on most industrialized nations in the world and support solar and wind.
It's simple really: Countries that address this problem now will be better able to handle what's going to come down the pipe later.
Being depended on fossil fuel also makes us reliant on technology that is almost two centuries old! That's crazy! Most of us don't keep our computers longer than a few years, to say nothing of all the other things we replace with new designs, like 8-tracks to CD players to MP3; Beta Max to VHS to DVD to whatever they finally release next year.
Why do we have such a problem getting away from automobiles? I have no idea...Of all the ideas for a replacement I've seen I like the air-pressure version. Like the air car, by Moteur Developpment International or maybe the Korean version by Energine Corporation will be better, hard to tell without driving one. (Learn more about air-cars here.)
California and a few other states are trying to make something happen, but it's gonna take all of us pushing for a change to finally make it happen.
But check out this essay by Arnaud De Borchgrave of UPI. He makes some very valid points we should all consider, regardless of where we live.

Who knows, maybe ten years from now companies like Southwest Windpower (who in 2006 plans to release new products for home electric production) will be what BP and Shell are today, only without all the drilling and tanker spills.

Australia Leading Developer of Autonomous Robots

Check out what they're coming up with Down Under: Robots that think for themselves, working together in groups to accomplish complicated tasks. Like ants or bees.
The Australian Center for Field Robotics (ACFR) is a part of the Center for Autonomous Systems (CAS) along with the Artificial Intelligence Group from the School of Computer Science and Engineering at The University of New South Wales and the Mechatronics and Intelligent Systems Group from the faculty of Engineering at UTS.

When it comes to field robotics, they have three of the four elements covered: Earth, air and water are represented and surely fire is being creatively mulled over as I write this.
Their research robots are involved in mining operations, undersea exploration and rescue, tracking and analyzing air-based imagery data and even a robot you can program at home from a component based system.

There's some pretty cool goings on in the land Down Under. And it's not just kangaroos and koalas; boomerangs and crocodiles. Apparently it's servos and gyros, systems and software and a touch of good old-fashioned human ingenuity.

First Brazilian Astronaut--Colonel Marcos Pontes--More Than Ready To Fly

Lieutenant Colonel Marcos Pontes has got to be chomping at the bit to get into Space. He will be Brazil's first astronaut and its first steps back from a near complete disaster launch disaster in 2003 that claimed 21 Brazilian Space scientists--more than half their Space team.
Pontes has been ready to fly since 2000 and was scheduled to fly in 2001, but a series of budget cuts (brought about by a national economic crisis) forced Brazil to cease development of parts for the International Space Station, thereby forcing a delay in Pontes' trip to Space. Thankfully, yet again the Russians will come to the aid of someone in need of a trip, for a reasonable price of course.
Brazil had what was once considered one of the very best national Space programs. Following nearly a decade of budget cuts and the devastating launch pad explosion of 2003 it's place has fallen nearly to the bottom.
Pontes' trip to ISS will surely provide a boost of optimism to the nation and the scientists who continue to labor for a foothold in Space.

There is also a lesson here for citizens of other nations: How quickly it is your nation can fall behind when it does not consider the full impact of its Space program.
Brazil may spend the next decade getting back to where it was a decade ago, while other nations, such as India and Japan, develop even more advanced capabilities.
Being without a shuttle fleet puts America at a serious disadvantage. I hope this problem is quickly, but safely, rectified.

Malaysia to Hold Astronaut 'Idol'-type Competition

This isn't the first time I have mentioned the Malaysian Space Program or their search for an astronaut. This is simply an update on that program. Looks like they're getting down to the final few and are looking to make the short-list.
According to a story at Space.com they have whittled the original 11,275 candidates down to just 854, of whom 146 are women.

These hundreds will endure a rigorous series of physical fitness tests until their numbers have been reduced to 10 or less. Those few will have their complete biography, statistics, et. al, posted on the Web for citizens of Malaysia to choose from. The two most popular will be sent to Russia in January where they will train for their mission to International Space Station in 2007.

By far the very best thing about the Malaysian Space Program is their desire to loft national delicacies into Space. Brilliant!
What could be better than helping to make the place feel more---human?
Technology is nice, not to mention necessary, when you're talking about human exploration of Space, but let's not forget why we are doing it: To spread our culture, the human experience, as far and wide as we possibly can.

And for Malaysians, culture begins with a good meal of "roti canai" (pronounced chen-ai), unleavened lightly fried bread and ``teh tarik,'' or heavily-sweetened milky tea...all of which is currently being developed for consumption aboard ISS. I don't know what that stuff is but it has to taste better than the paste filled tubes the station occupants currently have to choose from.

On behalf of all the astronauts let me say-- Three cheers for Malaysia! Bring on the food!!

DARPA Grand Challenge 2005 Starts Oct. 8

Everybody loves a race! I know I do. The revving engines, pointless waste of natural resources, time and energy just to see who can drive in a big circle faster...
No, wait. That's NASCAR. I'm talking about a REAL race.

The DARPA Grand Challenge is my kind of race. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) hosted the first of what is promised would be an annual series of technological challenges for robotic engineers. First up: Build a vehicle that can navigate an obstacle course without any outside help at all; A completely autonomous, mobile robot.

Last year's prize was $1 million and a military defense contract worth an untold fortune. Fifteen builders made it past the semi-finals and nobody finished the race. In fact, the team that went the furthest still only made it about seven miles. (Read all the details from DARPA Grand Challenge 2004 here.)

This year they upped the prize money to $2 million and hundreds of competitors came knocking, from 37 states and three countries. (Robots.net has posted a copy of the complete rules here.)

I am looking forward to see who wins this year--and believe me when I say there will be a winner. The future looks bright for drone technology. Soon, everybody's going to want one...

NANO Technology on Verge of Commercial Breakthrough

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Nano technology appears ready for it's Close-Up...

Nanotechnologists at the University of Texas at Dallas and their colleagues in Australia (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) are now able to produce transparent sheets of carbon nanotubes that are stronger than the strongest steel sheets. Exactly how strong that is I do not know, but it's gotta be pretty strong!

But what's even more amazing is they can produce 2-inch wide strips of the stuff at a rate of about seven yards per minute. Commercially, wool is produced at around 20 yards per minute, maybe a little faster. That means the stuff will be easy to scale up or down, be easy to test for different uses and able to be mass produced with ease.
Because it is so fast, easy and relatively cheap to make the new transparent nano tech material is already being considered for many commercial applications such as solar cells, flat screen displays and video recorders.

Ray Baughman, director of the University of Texas at Dallas NanoTech Institute suggests windows made with carbon nanotubes could serve as heating elements and antennas. Other applications the researchers are exploring include high-strength composites, super-capacitors, batteries, fuel cells and thermal-energy harvesting cells.
By far the most excited use for the new nano-stuff has to be artificial muscles. Perhaps by combining Muscle Wires (Mondotronics.com) with this new nano-sheeting, artificial limbs can finally make the leap into the 21st Century.

Let me know if you think of any other uses for this amazing stuff, but try to keep the techno-babble to a minimum. I'm not as smart as I pretend to be.

Irish Space Agency: Who Knew?

Granted they are simply one of 15 partners in the European Space Agency (ESA), Ireland still has a full fledged Space program of its own and has been making regular contributions to the advancement of almost all the Space sciences.

Their latest project sounds a little strange to me: Space Synapse's "symbiotic sphere"

I'm not exactly sure what it will do or how it will work, and yes, I did read the article. I read several articles in fact, and I'm still confused. As near as I can surmise, it will serve as some sort of link-up between the astronauts serving aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and people here on Earth.
Whatever it is, a lot of really smart people seem to think it's a good idea. And I happen to believe any idea that incorporates science AND art is worth the expense.

Besides, at the risk of stereotyping an entire nation, maybe the Irish can bring a little luck to the entire Space Industry...

India's Space Program a Shining Example of Potential Benefits for Everyone

India, the world's largest Democracy yet also one of its poorest. Still they find the $600 million dollars they need each year to fund their ever more successful Space program.

Since 1963 the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved ever increasing success in the Space technology business.
They possess a few different types of rockets, some with lifting capability of more than 4000 pounds. They have the ability to build, launch and maintain a vast array of specialized satellites.
Most interesting to me is that most, if not all, Indian satellites have been designed to help the nation's poorest citizens; Everything from local weather reports to telemedicine for the rural masses is available across the nation.
Their national pride and sense of accomplishment has also been bolstered.

Interestingly enough, India has a long, rich history of rocketry beginning in the early 18th century. There's more information here, if you're interested.

And those of you who wonder why we should be shelling out money to NASA for silly Space trips, consider this: We already outsource work to India. Do you want to outsource the Mars Mission too? Just food for thought...

Of course The Space Ace fully supports all Space programs, public and private; Anything that gets us into Space...

X-Prize Cup: Tickets On Sale Now!

The X-Prize Cup will be held Oct. 9, 2005 at Las Cruces International Airport, Las Cruces, New Mexico, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tickets are just $6 for adults and $2 for students (ages 13 to 18), kids 12 and under get in free! That's quite a deal, especially when you consider what's going to be on display: Some of the world's first privately designed Spaceships.

My wife and I took our daughter to see the travelling circus last month. It cost us $20 per adult, $10 for our daughter (who is 2) and all we saw we're some tumblers, a balancing act and a clown on a miniature bicycle. Nobody flew anywhere in anything. It was a big let down and left little money from the entertainment fund remaining for popcorn or cotton candy.
Compared with the thrill of seeing actual Spaceships; meeting the engineers and designers and everyone else involved with creating ships that will travel through SPACE, the circus was a crock.

So, don't waste your money on the ordinary---take a trip to Las Cruces next month and check out what's coming over the horizon. I don't think anyone who goes will come home disappointed.
Unlike the circus....

In case you're still not sure if it's going to be worth your time, check out some of the Spaceships that will be on display...

Masten Space Systems Latest X-Prize Cup Sponsor

Are you ready for the upcoming X-Prize Cup event? (Oct. 9, Las Cruces, New Mexico)

Masten Space Systems sure is! They have become the most recent sponsor of this year's X-Prize.
Like many other X-Prize contenders Masten is dedicated to reducing the cost of sub-orbital trips to the "bake sale range." Which means rather than buying a brownie in the cafeteria you could ride a rocket to Low Earth Orbit and watch the sun rise over the horizon of the planet.
Ok, maybe not that cheap, but not tens of millions of dollars either. Someplace at the halfway mark.
The cool thing about the ships currently being developed at Masten (besides their cost) is that they all land vertically (on their tails) "much like the rocket ships in early sci-fi stories."
There is an abundance of research available of Vertical Take-Off and Landing Spaceships, in fact Russia's Klipper is based on the Delta Clipper designed for NASA a decade ago but long since abandoned for cost reasons. The point is, the system works just fine and looks pretty neat, too.


Organizers anticipate "tens of thousands" of spectators in Las Cruces this year, but it still remains to be seen if there is enough actual public interest to keep the event annual. I would like to think people are practically jumping out of their shoes with anticipation (As I am) but we won't know until it gets here.

With support from companies like Masten, success is much more likely, even if it's not yet fully assured. Of course when it comes to Space exploration, nothing is a sure thing except an occasional failure.

Thousands of Hurricane Rita Evacuees Stranded Along the Highway

CNN is reporting thousands of motorists are now stranded along Texas roadways after being trapped in monsterous traffic jams while attempting to evacuate in the face of Hurricane Rita.

I feel our country's weak infrastructure is more plainly visible in the light of natural disasters. For instance, no mass public transportation means thousands--tens of thousands--of the nation's most vulnerable citizens, the poor (hell, the Middle Class for that matter) and the elderly on fixed incomes have been especially hard-hit.

The people you saw living like animals in the New Orleans Convention Center were there because they did not own cars. And as we all know, if you don't own a car in America, you're screwed.

It's time to change that too....

Skycar Could Help Ease Hurricane Rita Evacuation Woes

The butt of countless jokes in the scientific community for more than fifty years, Dr. Paul Moller continued working on his Skycar--a vehicle which could potentially replace the automobile and free us all from the bounds of gravity--until he had a fully operational mock-up completed. Yes, it actually does fly.
But still there was doubt whether anyone would ever want, much less actually need one for anything. (Although, the US military obviously thinks they're a good idea--they're buying at least a few.)

Fast forward to the impending destruction of hurricane Rita, with sustained winds of 140+ mph. Lines of traffic snake out from Houston and Galveston as thousands of residents try to flee, only to be trapped on the highways, jammed in like lines of sardine cans.

What a difference if we had all embraced Moller's new technology, his shiny red volantor. I could see people waiting until the last few hours before landfall, tracking the storm on CNN, knowing exactly where the most danger was, before they evacuated to anywhere in the United States-- not overcrowding other locations in the affected region. This would eliminate the need to evacuate EVERYONE who could potentially be threatened five days before we know exactly where the hurricane will make landfall.

I can see the video on CNN: As the dark storm clouds coming rolling across the horizon, thousands of little aircraft, like swarms of honey bees pouring from a hive, would fly up from the garages and mini-hangars of the city below and flitter far and fast, away from the dangerous winds and storm surge without the need for jammed-up highways and over-booked hotels.
And please don't ask "what if the engines fail?" because we have had automatic parachute safety systems for airplanes (including commercial airliners) for more than a decade. Yes, the ENTIRE airplane has it's own parachute...

Too bad people are afraid of change. Change is what this country needs, in a big way.

Even as Rita and Katrina pound our infrastructure, destroying power lines, levees and refining capability, people talk of "rebuilding" and "putting everything back the way it was." I say--Wait! Stop! Before you do something stupid, let's consider our options.
Seems to me this is the time to re-think everything:

1. Let's bury our power lines this time so they are less susceptible to wind and storm damage.

2. Let's get away from a fossil-fuel based system of power generation too. Almost 40 percent of the country of Portugal is powered from solar generation, requirements of the Kyoto Treaty--something the U.S. refused to sign, but the EU did not. Let's force businesses and homeowners to install solar panels on their rooftops. Every little bit helps. Keep the costs low by requiring minimums based on income and the gain in free energy would be enormous!

3. Wireless communication capability should be required of all U.S. municipalities. How can we expect our government, local, state or otherwise, to protect us if nobody knows what is going on? This is the year 2005, we should be able to maintain clear lines of communications at all times by now. In 2001, dozens of fire fighters and police officers died at the World Trade Center because they could not be alerted of dangers; their radios did not work.

We need to stop thinking like it's 1899. We have the technology to make our country great, to make human civilization better than it ever has been before. But we need to embrace change to make that happen, not stick our heads in the sand and refuse to budge.
This is the greates nation on Earth. It's time we start acting like it.

If You Don't Support Space Exploration You're A Jackass, and Other Truisms

You might think, faced with such obviously dire circumstances as Katrina and the war in Iraq, politicians would finally face the facts of their own corrupt ineptitude and at least make an attempt at creating a just society, with fair laws protecting the weak and the poor, providing for the downtrodden, sick and injured.
Instead I already see the finger pointing, name calling, blame-dodging, unchivalrousness that have become the hallmarks of the U.S. governmental branches.

The Highway Bill has so much pork in it the whole thing should have never been approved in the first place, the wealthy have begged for recent tax breaks (including the repeal of the inheritance tax) afforded them to be reversed and the soon-to-begin Prescription Drug Benefit has been loudly proclaimed a failure by members of President Bush's own administration, and yet I already hear some people talking about how pointless NASA is and how the Space program is a perk, something we should have only in times of economic prosperity.
"Cut NASA for the extra money! It's a waste of taxpayer money."

I say HOGWASH! People in the USA better wake-up and smell the technology: Space exploration is the only future we have. Soon, almost every industrialized nation on the planet will have some form of Space fleet.
Do you really want to live in the only country without one?

Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) Supports NASA Grand Vision, Says, 'Space Exploration Vital For Earth'

It's amazing, in the wake of the devastation in the Gulf, the Congress is sitting around Commending NASA for its 'Return to Flight' program; saluting the astronauts, engineers, et.al., responsible for the most recent launch, without discussion of the fact the fleet was grounded less than 24-hours after launch.
I just finished watching it on C-SPAN. It was an admirable display of mostly pork-belly politics, with one exception: Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-NY.
He is Chairman of House Sciences Committee and a big supporter of NASA. Among the blathering, scripted, monotone salutes, it was nice to listen to someone speak who actually knew what they were talking about. Boehlert understands the vital role NASA plays in our national security. Especially in this time of extreme budgetary crisis we need guys like him to speak up and remind everyone else.
He said the exploration of Space was important for "Finding better ways to do things for the most vital planet in the universe; The one we live on."
He commended NASA for "providing a constant source of inspiration" for America's school children. Parents should understand the technological advantages the U.S. Space program provides and Boehlert was mindful of that, specifically thanking all U.S. taxpayers for carrying the burden required.
And he was careful to remind everyone the cost of allowing that burden to slip, or to drop it entirely. The U.S. Space program, he said, had always helped the nation stay ahead in the world community; it made us true world leaders. Losing that now, especially in light of the ever expanding global economy and the former third-world nations now threatening to overtake it, namely China and India, would be devastating to our economy. We cannot remain isolated, it's too late for that. The only choice is to forge ahead, and lead the way into the future. And that will take a large investment of funds; a true commitment of resources, regardless of the cost.
"If the U.S. hopes to maintain it's position in the international market, it's got to do better," Boehlert said.
I couldn't agree more.

The Wait Is Over: NASA Unveils New CEV

To paraphrase Bill Murray in the movie, Stripes: NASA is getting themselves an RV!

Check out the plans for the next generation Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) compliments of those engineering giants at NASA.
The amazing part about the entire program (to me at least) is just how similar to Apollo program stuff it is. In fact, Mike Griffin was quoted saying "Think of it as Apollo on steroids"; a heavy-lifting rocket, a command capsule and lunar Lander, all built bigger and stronger then the stuff we used three decades ago, but no less familiar. Cargo travels in a separate launch and docks with the ship once in orbit. Time to the Moon, about three days. Also, the Lander contains a base that remains on the lunar surface to act as a future living space, an idea I thought of just last week, not that anyone bothered to ask me.
NASA announced the new CEV design today to coincide with the release of its plans to place astronauts on the Moon in 2018.

Of course they only briefly mention the fact this ship won't be ready until 2012 and the shuttles will definitely not be running after 2010, if they get back to flight status at all, leaving a two-year gap. So for the first time in FIFTY years, we will be without a Space fleet. For two years we will rely on other nations for access to Space.
The plan makes no mention of a Mars mission and Griffin declined to discuss it.
I can't help thinking we could do it better, faster and not have a gap of two years without a viable Spacecraft, but I am not smart enough to be the one to make that happen.
Maybe one of the engineers who work for Burt Rutan or Elon Musk or any one of the dozens of other teams currently working in the private sector to make Space travel available for all of humanity, not just a chosen few, will think of something better.

Maybe it'll even be one the guys at 4Frontiers Corp. They also announced a grand plan today, but unlike NASA they intend to go to Mars in about 25 years. Not sure how they're getting there yet but they seem intent on going nonetheless.

SpaceX Goes Back to the Future to Create reusable HLV

Taking a cue from NASA technology more than three decades old, SpaceX announced the successful completion of its Falcon 9, Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle, the most cost efficient type vehicle in its class. Launches of say, 21k pounds, to Low Earth Orbit will run in the neighborhood of $27 million, a far cry less than the going rate of closer to $100 million.
Like the old Saturn 1 with eight thrust chambers and the still in use, hugely successful Soyuz manned rocket, with 32 chambers, the Falcon 9 uses a cluster of nine engines. This results in a higher rate of propulsion reliability. Which means, you can lose an engine or two, or three, and still complete the mission.
Right now SpaceX is busy earning a little capital compliments of the U.S. Air Force and DARPA, but their main goal has always been to reduce the cost of travel to space by a factor of ten. The maiden launch of Falcon 1, carrying FalconSat-2 for the Air Force Academy, is scheduled to lift off this fall from their island launch complex at the Kwajalein Atoll, part of the Republic of Marshall Islands.

Way to go Elon Musk! Not too shabby...

Katrina Delays Shuttle Program

Compared to the loss of life and prosperity, the loss of the Shuttle program seems paltry, not worth noticing, but it's no less dire an event.
But a delay in America's return to space could lead to an economic disaster in the coming years. If China or Russia or any of the dozens of other national and private organizations seeking Space travel superiority, surpass the U.S. in the development of Space technology, we will all suffer. Investment will move away from the U.S., to places were the potential profits are not limited to merely Earth-based endeavors. We're talking about a possible loss of trillions of dollars in investment money, to places like Brazil and Japan, who take Space exploration and its possible profits, very seriously.

I also want to point out, this latest set-back is another indication of the faulty Shuttle infrastructure. The craft and the systems used to build, repair and maintain it are not put together well; the slightest change in any part---a factory goes down in some small corner of the country--and we lose our capacity for Space travel.
Just like that. Forget about repairing the external fuel tank to prevent foam insulation from breaking loose, or performing space-based repair work, we can't even get into our factories yet!

Mike Griffin says we'll maybe have a launch before October 2006. That's enough time for Burt Rutan to launch Spaceship One more than 100 times... and enough time for China to launch its second Taikonaut.

For comparison, Russia, cash-poor though it may be, hasn't missed a Space launch in years....

Katrina Reminds Me Why I Do This

You think the federal government will save you? Like they did for the people of New Orleans, right?

I have been glued to my television, newspapers, online resources--watching helpless as people suffered and died, Americans every one, yet somehow suddenly isolated and unreachable--these pitiable, unsaveable masses set adrift from the nation for days, suffering seemingly without end.
Help comes, too late of course. But what else could they do? How fast could they have possibly responded to such an epic calamity? Thousands dead, a million people homeless...one million Americans suddenly scattered across the nation like refugees...1,000,000...1,000,000...1,000,000....
And this was just one little storm. You ain't seen nothing yet. Global warming is not a joke, the number of named storms in the Atlantic has dramatically increased. They have gone through the alphabet five times since they started naming storms in the 1950s. But four of the five happened in the last decade....
The prospect of more, and quite possibly even worse, storms striking heavily populated areas is a foregone conclusion. It's not "if" it's "when"....
It's a bad situation for Humans...Not simply across the ocean, but right here...We have populated huge swathes of the surface of this planet creating plenty of targets for random yet no less severe meteorological events...

Then suddenly I remember why I do this. This right here, now, the thing with all these words streaming from my consciousness....

Why I write this pathetic Blog, this journal of Space exploration, is no secret: It's time Human Beings to expand into Space.
I am afraid for our survival. As a species we are fragile, so fragile as to be considered constantly in danger of elimination.
One little hiccup--a storm--and thousands die, and this from the most developed nation in the world.

Yellow Stone blows, an errant asteroid or just an ordinary solar event that comes a little too close, and we will suffer in huge numbers, far beyond the capacity of any nation to correct. How would we recover, how could we recover?
Let this remind everyone who reads these words, it is no idle threat. The Solar System is a dangerous place, it is time we tame it, conquer it and claim it as territory for Human Beings. Let's spread our civilization, our knowledge; let our cities gleam from every corner of this system so as to offer protection--some protection for all of us, the children of our descendants perhaps most of all, from the dangers that exist.
Or we too could go the way of the dinosaurs...

Spectacular Satellite Images of New Orleans Flooding

Finally! Images of the true scope of the damage left in the wake of Katrina show just how bad the situation really is.

Don't dismiss this as a media-frenzy. This is a true national tragedy and every citizen needs to respond in some way.

Get busy!

NASA Creates Hurricane Bulletin Board for Stennis and Michoud Employees

NASA WATCH is now being used to connect employees of NASA's Stennis Space Center and Michoud Assembly Facility, most likely suffering in the wake of Katrina, with the outside world.

A geo-stationary Skylab facility positioned above the continental USA to track ferocious weather patterns such as Katrina, help search and rescue efforts and coordinate or supplement communications in the affected areas would be better, but the bulletin board is better than a sharp stick in the eye.
I guess.

Where's The Messenger Spacecraft Now?

In case you have a burning desire to know the exact whereabouts of the Messenger Spacecraft, want to build your own model of the little probe or wonder why we are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to explore a scorched and blistered little ball of rock a billion miles from nowhere when we could be spending that money to build the long-promised-but-yet-to-be-delivered lunar base, NASA keeps a nifty little site going. It's here.

I must admit, after reading the Mission breakdown and the explanation of What and Why they are doing what they are doing, I feel better about the whole thing. Scientifically speaking, Mercury holds answers-- and more perhaps even more importantly, more riddles-- to questions about how our Earth came to be.
It's also not to be overlooked that getting to Mercury requires gravity assists from three celestial bodies, no small feat. And the very idea this weary little band of explorers, NASA, has the gumption to continue 'science as usual' while it seems almost everything else is crumbling around them.
Fare thee well, little Messenger. Smooth sailing and champagne all around in 2011.

Check it out. Cheer 'em on.