Playing politics with our health.
Category Archives: Business
SpaceX News
Gywnne says that the next landing attempt may be on land.
Today’s EPA Hearing On The Hill
I listened to some of it. Here is Judith Curry’s prepared testimony, and here are Moynihan’s live tweets.
The Democrats were sufficiently unhappy that they abandoned the hearing before it was over. They can’t handle the truth.
[Update in the afternoon]
Before he walked out, Professor Curry assisted one of the Democrats in beclowning himself.
[Update a few minutes later]
Post-hearing thoughts from her. I agree that the economist’s testimony was valuable, too. They basically told the Democrats that what the EPA plans to do would hit the poor hardest. Which is absolutely true.
ULA’s New Launcher
Spaceflightnow has a roundup of articles.
SpaceX’s Latest “Failure”
Thoughts on why it was a spectacular success, from Bob Zimmerman.
By the way, the podcast of my talk on The Space Show is available.
Also, I’ll be on John Batchelor’s Hotel Mars segment tonight, at 6:30 PM PDT.
[Update a few minutes later]
Here’s the video, though it doesn’t show the tipping over.
[Afternoon update]
OK, here’s the best video yet. Looks like they may not get much back. Note the top thruster trying to keep it vertical, but lacking adequate thrust.
@wikkit Poor @TheDroneShip. It must be feeling like Wile E. Coyote. https://t.co/Iq921bbgqF
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) April 15, 2015
[Update a few minutes later]
Whoops. If you missed it, you missed it. They just made it private. But I think plenty of people saw it, so not sure what the point of hiding it is now.
[Update a few more minutes later]
OK, I’ve update with a new one that seems to have come back on line.
[Late-afternoon update]
Slow motion, color corrected. This looks official (I got it from Elon, via Amanda Stiles).
The SpaceX Launch
You can follow live here. Weather is looking good half an hour before liftoff, with no technical issues.
[Update after the launch]
Perfect primary mission, but they landed on the ship too hard to survive, according to Elon.
Ascent successful. Dragon enroute to Space Station. Rocket landed on droneship, but too hard for survival.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 14, 2015
[Update almost an hour post launch]
#Falcon9 first stage approaches Just Read the Instructions. pic.twitter.com/XzmnYslNlc
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 14, 2015
#Falcon9 first stage approaches Just Read the Instructions. pic.twitter.com/XzmnYslNlc
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 14, 2015
[Update a little over an hour after the launch]
Thoughts from (SpaceX investor) Steve Jurvetson.
[Update a while later]
Lee Billings has the story over at SciAm.
[Update a while more later]
And here‘s the Space News report.
The ULA Atlas/Delta Replacement Announcement
The webcast from Colorado Springs should be starting in a few minutes.
CBS’s New Host Of Face The Nation
…is just another Democrat operative with a byline. I actually heard him interviewed on the CBS evening news last night, and realized that I’d never heard of him. Which is a sign, I guess, of how seldom I waste time watching CBS “news.”
Tomorrow’s Landing Attempt
Hans Koenigsmann at SpaceX just said in a press conference that he (or someone) is estimating a 75-80% chance of success, with the redesign of both the Falcon and the drone ship. And the pad-abort test is tentatively scheduled for May 2nd. Which is the final day of the Space Access conference. Cool, if it happens. It will give us something to talk about.
Monday Space Events
If weather and other circumstances permit, SpaceX is flying to ISS on CRS-6, with another landing attempt, and in Colorado Springs, Tory Bruno will be announcing the design details and name of their Atlas replacement.