Does the UK ban its citizens from going into space?

Someone better tell Sir Richard.

Does the UK ban its citizens from going into space?

Someone better tell Sir Richard.

This is an idea that’s been around for decades, but Alan Boyle has a story on the latest advances in space suits, and what may be coming down the technological pike. It’s long overdue.

[Update a couple minutes later]

Clark Lindsey has more, with more links.

An interesting comment (number fourteen) by “anonymous” over at Space Politics:

The other interesting rumor from that same post is:

Thirty-eight years ago, Apollo XI left Cape Canaveral, and headed off to the moon. Friday is the anniversary of the landing. I’ll be at the Space Frontier Conference, but for those who aren’t doing that, you have all week to plan a Friday-night celebration and commemoration of the epochal event.

Brian Swiderski has taken our advice, and started a blog on space. Like most of his previous commentary on space (and little of his “progressive” commentary on anything else), it’s worth a read. It could be particularly useful for him and Ferris Valyn to educate the left on the benefits of space and spaceflight, and shoot down a lot of the egregious nonsense about it from that sector, by people who can speak their language:

Everything is a playground for the rich–that’s why most people find becoming rich desirable. However, in this case “conspicuous consumption” may result in a virtuous circle of cost reductions and greater investment, which would increasingly open space to the general public. To have the wealthy pay for the infrastructure of future generations is at the core of progressive economic values, and it makes little sense to be offended when doing so occurs voluntarily.

No, I have no idea why Horowitz is leaving the agency. I do know, though, that the story about “spending more time with the family” is usually code for something else. He obviously knows things about The Shaft that the rest of us don’t, but it’s not obvious that he’s a rat leaving a sinking ship. On the other hand, it’s certainly possible.

Also, I’ve heard rumors that one of the names in the DC madam’s little black book was a high-ranking NASA official, but again, no particular reason to believe that it’s him, even if they’re true.

Either way, as Thomas James notes, it would be nice if he’d take his toy with him, but it’s unlikely.

[Update a few minutes later]

Chair Force Engineer, who has been speculating about Orion’s mass issues, has further thoughts.

Neil Armstrong doesn’t make many public appearances, but when he does, they’re invariably in keeping with the demeanor of a national hero. I was fortunate enough to see him speak at the USC commencement a couple years ago, and he gave a great speech, that wasn’t about him, but was about the graduates and their future.

According to this story, he was also recently an inspiration to some kids in Israel:

Asked what lasting value the flights to the moon had, Armstrong responded they showed that “the human species, all of us, is not forever chained to the planet Earth.” He added, “I hope that man continues to expand his and her presence in space in the years ahead.”

Armstrong had advice for youngsters who want to be an astronaut one day: “That requires getting a very good education, particularly in the fields of science and mathematics.”

Israel’s only astronaut to take part in a space flight, Col. Ilan Ramon, was killed in the disintegration of the Columbia space shuttle on Feb. 1, 2003, along with the other six crew members. But Armstrong had only warm words about space travel.

“How does it feel to be inside a space ship?” a small girl asked him. With a huge smile, Armstrong replied, “You would like it.”

Asked if he would take a second chance to go back to the moon today, Armstrong jumped to his feet and said, “Of course,” and embracing the questioner, a teenage boy, asking him if he would like to come along.

Armstrong left Israel Tuesday evening without talking to reporters.

Smart move.

Dan Schmelzer provides a little tour of Wallops Island and its environs, with pictures.

I’ve never been there, and found this interesting:

As you may know, SpaceX and NASA are in preliminary discussions for the Falcon 9 to launch from Wallops for International Space Station servicing missions. After visiting the area around the spaceport, it strikes me that the rocket is large for launching as close as a couple miles from inhabited areas. I do not think that Wallops has launched a rocket even close to the size of the Falcon 9. Also, the infrastructure in the surrounding area — such as roads and railroads — don’t appear to be suitable for large rockets. I guess SpaceX would have to barge its rockets in. But if SpaceX does launch from Wallops, it would be quite a sight to see.

I wonder if they’ve done the quantity-distance calculation? While politically, it makes a lot of sense to use Wallops (it gives Senators Mikulski and House Majority Leader Hoyer reason to support it), the FAA may not allow them to do it if it’s too close to populated areas. We’ll see what happens with the launch license application.

I also wonder if the local residents know what they’re in for acoustically, since they’re used to much smaller rockets.

Ferris Valyn has a new set of links up, with an extensive discussion on whether or not so-called liberals are opposed to space expenditures. I think that it’s a pointless argument. Both support of, and opposition to, space spending (and government space spending) are bi-partisan (or rather, non-partisan). Both “liberals” and “conservatives” can have reasons to go either way. Of course, it’s silly to oppose VSE simply because George Bush proposed it, but many otherwise sensible people (at least on space issues) seem to do so.