Here is a stupid piece on space.
I don’t even know where to begin.
Example: Try to logically parse this sentence:
"A NASA spokesperson confirmed to Salon that those contracts have a fixed maximum value, yet the companies get their payments when they achieve milestones."
What does "yet" mean in this context?
— Rand Simberg (@Rand_Simberg) January 21, 2018
On the other hand, this is a good antidote to the idiocy.
I haven’t gotten around to reading it, but Bob Zimmerman has, and he’s not impressed.
Just few in from San Jose. May go walk up the hill to see the Delta launch from Vandenberg in half an hour, but I suspect there’s too much moisture in the air. It was fogged in at the beach when we landed.
Light posting because I decided at the last minute to fly up to San Jose for the workshop at NASA Ames. Been listening to lunar stuff all day. Highlight: a talk by Jack Schmitt, the only geologist to walk on the moon, and the second to last to walk on it, a little over 45 years ago. And with the death of John Young a few days ago, only one of five remaining moon walkers. He’s looking pretty good at 82, and I think he stands a good chance of seeing the next person walk on the moon.
France and Germany are studying reusability in rockets. I found this amusing:
The idea for Callisto did come in part as a response to SpaceX, which has now landed 20 boosters and flown five customers on used rockets, but both Astorg and Dittus describe the project as very different.
“It’s not a copy of what SpaceX is doing,” Dittus said. “In some aspects we are also skeptical [about reusability as] the right path, but we will see what is best and then we can come up with ideas of how we proceed.”
Riiiiiiiight.
Meanwhile, Orbital ATK is taking USAF money to try to resurrect Liberty.
When all you have is a hammer…
Did last night’s mission fail? No indication that there was a launch problem.
[Tuesday-morning update]
[Update a few minutes later]
Here’s the story (so far) from Tim Fernholz.
[Update a while ago]
Here‘s a CNBC story. I have trouble believing the satellite cost “billions” of dollars, though I suppose it’s possible; Webb will.
We had dinner with Leonard and Barbara David when we were in Colorado over the holidays. He told me that he’d been working on this piece about whether it’s too big to fail.
I’ve been concerned about the risk for years. I hope it works, but it’s not the approach I’d have taken. The next big telescope will be assembled in space, not launch origami.
Haven’t seen a story to link yet, but my Twitter TL is full of announcements that he’s departed earth for the final time. Flew in every NASA spacecraft except Mercury, first man to orbit the moon solo, and commander of the first Shuttle flight.
[Update a few minutes later]
Here‘s the NASA press release.
Are they “normal“?
If it’s exploration for exploration’s sake, probably. But if it’s for creation of wealth, I’d expect things to happen faster.