On June 21st, 2004, SpaceShipOne made its first journey into space, a test run for the X-Prize-winning flights the following fall. I was there (the top five posts on this page are from Mojave). Jeff Foust has some thoughts on the slower-than-anticipated progress in the industry. Ed Wright and Doug Messier also remember.
Category Archives: Business
When We Created An Economic Boom
…by cutting government spending.
Keynesianism has always been a crock.
Government As Black Swan Generator
But is it really a black swan if it is done purposefully? Of course, with this crowd, it’s hard to tell which consequences are intended and which are inadvertent.
Three Fallacies
…in Obama’s public-sector “stimulus” strategy. Not surprising, since he’s demonstrated himself on multiple occasions to be an economic ignoramus.
A Crowdsourcing Request
I’d guess that all of Obama’s speeches are archived somewhere. Could someone do a search on them and compare the number of times he’s used the phrase “create jobs” compares to the number of times he’s used the phrase “create wealth”? I’m guessing the number of uses of the latter is approximately, or exactly zero. If so, it will be fodder for a rant on his Marxist tendencies. You can guess the theme. In fact, here’s the Twitter version: You can create jobs without creating wealth, but it’s very hard to do the latter.
China’s Space Race
It isn’t with NASA, or any government. It’s with SpaceX and U.S. private industry. Though it’s amusing that the author actually believes that the SLS will be sending anyone to the moon or asteroids.
A Breakthrough In Cancer Detection
…from a fifteen-year old. I found this telling:
For now Andraka is going to continue promoting his breakthrough test, which he says will “completely replace the ELISA test” within a few years. He’d like to explore how to put multiple antibodies on a single test strip to check for a variety of agents in the bloodstream. And what about the rest of high school? Andraka says “hopefully” he will finish North County High School in Glenburnie, Md., but if he does form a company to commercialize the nanotube test strip, he will put high school on hold.
A young man after Peter Thiel’s heart. Some of the most talented people we have have no need for formal schooling. Speaking of which, thoughts on parents who public-school their kids.
The DREAM Decree
The maddening rhetoric versus reality.
Yesterday’s FAA/NASA Press Conference
I only crudely stenographed it yesterday, and didn’t really comment, though others did. But Alan Boyle has the story. It’s a good description of the current state of play, but I don’t necessarily agree with this:
Theoretically, NASA would not have any formal say over the flight of a Boeing CST-100 space capsule that’s launched on an Atlas 5, heading for a Bigelow Aerospace orbital module. But because NASA is expected to be the biggest customer by far for orbital spaceflight services, the space agency would probably play a key role in the development of any private-sector orbital spacecraft developed in the U.S., even if that craft ended up occasionally going someplace other than the International Space Station. Pragmatically speaking, it’s likely that NASA would be to spaceflight standards what California is to auto emission standards, or Texas is to school textbook standards.
“Expected” by whom? I don’t expect that beyond the next five years or so, though I’m sure it’s an accurate reflection of the conventional wisdom. I think that Bigelow-induced traffic will be far greater than NASA’s needs. I also think that if SpaceX does get to full reusability it will both drop launch costs in itself, but that SpaceX’s success will draw competitors into the market to further reduce costs. At that point, NASA’s standards will become largely irrelevant, because one of the ways that people will compete on cost (and safety and availability) will be to ignore them when they don’t make sense.
NASA/FAA Press Conference
NASA and FAA administrators are having a joint press conference. Announcing that FAA will license all flights to ISS, that NASA will be responsible for crew safety for flights with NASA crew, NASA will not be involved in non-NASA flights. Irene Klotz asking why two separate sets of requirements. Bolden says that Phil McAlister may elaborate, but he anticipates that there will be human flights not NASA flights, and NASA would have no involvement. Huerta noting that requirements will be same for both NASA and non-NASA flights (not clear if he’s referring to safety or protecting public). Bolden trying to clarify in response to question from Keith Cowing, McAlister says that non-NASA missions will have no NASA involvement, and FAA will regulate only for public safety until 2015. Alan Boyle: is the MOA going to be published so we can see? How will it work for non-crew flights? New role for FAA for cargo resupply? Answer: MOU link is in press release. Nield: MOU oriented toward commercial spaceflight, cargo already licensed by FAA. For non-NASA missions, will it be like Everest, or will FAA have safety standards? Huerta reiterating all of the FAA responsibility, that do not include crew safety. FAA participation in crew selection? Current regulatory authority only over launch and entry at least until 2015. How many companies selected in CC down select (Bolden said earlier announcement in mid-July)? Two and a half, per recent agreement with Congress. Take them through 21-month process, full funders all the way, half funded as best they could. Following that, an RFP under the FAR under which any company can bid.