This article is typical of reportage on supersonic transports. The explanation of shock waves is terrible (subsonic aircraft compress air in front and reduce density behind as well), and the focus is on the boom, which ignores the cost elephant in the room, which is wave drag, which reduces range below the vital trans-Pacific market, and puts ticket prices through the roof.
Category Archives: Business
A New Titanium Alloy
Adding gold vastly increases strength and hardness. I’d still prefer just regrowing the standard body parts, though.
I wonder what aerospace applications it might have?
Skinny Fat People
This is an excellent example of how simplistic too many people’s (including medical professionals) view of diet, dietary fat and obesity remain. The simply notion that you are what you eat is stupid.
Trump’s Acceptance Speech
I haven’t read it yet, but putatively, this is it.
I should note that I’m living in an empty house in Florida, renovating it for sale, with no access to media, other than over-the-air radio, tethering off my phone for Internet, and leaving garage door open in 90+ weather to hear Sirius on the rental-car radio. I feel like I’m living in the late 20th century.
[Update a while later]
I’m very interested in what Thiel says. I’m listening on NPR.
The High Frontier
The Space Studies Institute is offering it free on Kindle this week, to celebrate the Apollo anniversary. If you haven’t read it, it’s a classic. Actually, it is even if you have read it.
[Update a few minutes later]
Sort of related: Our discussion of Evoloterra last night on The Space Show is now archived.
Puerto Rico’s Crisis
Coming soon to a state near you?
The collapse of recklessly-managed state and local finances on the mainland will create a political crisis of far greater proportions than Puerto Rico’s struggles. Congress should heed Padilla’s advice and start pressuring states and localities to get back on track. It should also develop a framework for managing these meltdowns if and when they do occur (Will assistance be available? On what terms?) as they do occur, so as to avoid extended squabbling and gridlock when the rubber meets the road.
As I’ve noted in the past, a bailout of California should be done only on condition that it revert to territory status, and not be allowed to reenter the union as a single state.
A New Space Company
This was announced in Seattle in June, but in San Diego this week, Michael Suffredini repeated his plan to attach a module to ISS that could be later detached as a free flyer. I wonder where he is in terms of finding customers?
The Commercial Spaceflight Federation
They have a nicely redesigned website. Here’s the story behind it.
Artificial Sweeteners
Seriously, they not only taste bad, but they’re bad for you, and don’t help with weight loss. But they’re big business.
Pleasing The Ladies
New you can use, if you’re a woman — the latest tech in self stimulation.