7 thoughts on “With The Success (So Far) Of Artemis 2”
Airing his journalistic frustrations in public has served Berger fairly well in the recent past. Thus, it makes all kinds of sense to do so again anent the landers. The answer from the powers, such as they be, and as of now, is – “we’re not prepared to say just yet.”
So Berger can dutifully report that there is no answer of any great specificity to be had just now, pass along the few crumbs of information that are available, add a fairly significant whinge about all of this to the pile of same already piled against the door of the NASA Public Affairs Office and hope the weight of his addition will be the straw that breaks open said door.
Personally, I don’t think there is anyone at SpaceX, NASA, Blue Origin or anywhere else that is going to be able to say anything really credible on the topic of landers until at least the completion of Flight 12 of Starship – and perhaps not even then.
Serene in the knowledge that it is pretty much SpaceX on the critical path, and that there is no other organization on the planet that can proceed faster toward a given end, I await what comes over the remainder of the year with anticipation of current outstanding questions being answered between now and its end.
Or James T. Kirk: “They used to say if man could fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to. Do you wish that the first Apollo mission hadn’t reached the moon, or that we hadn’t gone on to Mars and then to the nearest star? That’s like saying you wish that you still operated with scalpels and sewed your patients up with catgut like your great-great-great-great grandfather used to. I’m in command. I could order this. But I’m not because Doctor McCoy is right, in pointing out the enormous danger potential in any contact with life and intelligence as fantastically advanced as this, but I must point out that the possibilities – the potential for knowledge and advancement – is equally great. Risk! Risk is our business. That’s what this Starship is all about. That’s why we’re aboard her. You may dissent without prejudice. Do I hear a negative vote?”
Even at the time, as a 12 y/o, I thought this was putting it on a bit thick. In fact as that episode winds down, the protagonists commit suicide rather than inhabit android bodies. So much for taking risks for advancement. I doubt Mr. Data would have approved…
Now in my old age I think I would have loved to have seen a spin-off series about the Orion Traders. A slightly different motto: “Let them suck space!”
Watching the NASA YT feed yesterday, with it’s terrible lack of camera feeds or decent resolution, my wife continued to ask: “They spent $44 billion on this?!?”
Airing his journalistic frustrations in public has served Berger fairly well in the recent past. Thus, it makes all kinds of sense to do so again anent the landers. The answer from the powers, such as they be, and as of now, is – “we’re not prepared to say just yet.”
So Berger can dutifully report that there is no answer of any great specificity to be had just now, pass along the few crumbs of information that are available, add a fairly significant whinge about all of this to the pile of same already piled against the door of the NASA Public Affairs Office and hope the weight of his addition will be the straw that breaks open said door.
Personally, I don’t think there is anyone at SpaceX, NASA, Blue Origin or anywhere else that is going to be able to say anything really credible on the topic of landers until at least the completion of Flight 12 of Starship – and perhaps not even then.
Serene in the knowledge that it is pretty much SpaceX on the critical path, and that there is no other organization on the planet that can proceed faster toward a given end, I await what comes over the remainder of the year with anticipation of current outstanding questions being answered between now and its end.
Here is the motto of Artemis II, the politically correct Star Trek Next Generation version recited by actor Patrick Stewart.
To ‘go’, where no one has ‘gone’ before.
You’ve been a really great audience, try the veal and remember to tip your waiter.
Or James T. Kirk:
“They used to say if man could fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to. Do you wish that the first Apollo mission hadn’t reached the moon, or that we hadn’t gone on to Mars and then to the nearest star? That’s like saying you wish that you still operated with scalpels and sewed your patients up with catgut like your great-great-great-great grandfather used to. I’m in command. I could order this. But I’m not because Doctor McCoy is right, in pointing out the enormous danger potential in any contact with life and intelligence as fantastically advanced as this, but I must point out that the possibilities – the potential for knowledge and advancement – is equally great. Risk! Risk is our business. That’s what this Starship is all about. That’s why we’re aboard her. You may dissent without prejudice. Do I hear a negative vote?”
Even at the time, as a 12 y/o, I thought this was putting it on a bit thick. In fact as that episode winds down, the protagonists commit suicide rather than inhabit android bodies. So much for taking risks for advancement. I doubt Mr. Data would have approved…
Now in my old age I think I would have loved to have seen a spin-off series about the Orion Traders. A slightly different motto:
“Let them suck space!”
Landers?
That’ll be another eleventy-billion taxpayer dollars!
Give the contract to Boeing. Lander’s you’ll get. Lunar launchers? Oh! Well, you didn’t say anything about that…
Watching the NASA YT feed yesterday, with it’s terrible lack of camera feeds or decent resolution, my wife continued to ask: “They spent $44 billion on this?!?”
OT: But relevant to Artemis II.
Karl Hallowell’s link to Spoon U over in the Convenient BS thread led me to this gem I’d thought I’d share:
https://spoonuniversity.com/news/whats-on-the-menu-for-the-artemis-ii-crew/