In light of his previous speech, I expect that Obama will attempt to appease the comet for this morning’s attack on our European allies’ spacecraft.
Category Archives: Space
Congratulations To ESA
My twitter feed’s been exploding with tweets about the comet landing. Unfortunately, the harpoons apparently didn’t automatically deploy, so they don’t yet have a sure grab to the surface, which could make sampling operations difficult. The surface seems to be softer than expected. But they’re still working the problem.
This is good news for asteroid miners, though.
.@martinselvis2 @ESA_Rosetta Philae has returned volumes and many papers can already be written! This mission is GREAT for asteroid mining.
— Chris Lewicki (@interplanetary) November 12, 2014
[Update a few minutes later]
OK, hearing that they managed to anchor with the ice screws, so maybe harpoons are redundant now.
The Asteroid Retrieval Mission
Lee Billings describes the ARM policy mess.
It’s a mission they came up with for an overpriced, non-existent and unnecessary rocket looking for a mission. And note this rationale:
She and other NASA officials note that the advanced propulsion required for ARM would be enabling technology for a broad range of future missions and that ARM would be a crucial test for many deep-space activities crucial for someday reaching Mars. And it would do all this while keeping astronauts sufficiently close to home so that if something goes wrong, they could attempt an emergency return to Earth.
Safety is the highest priority.
Virgin Galactic’s Part-Time VP Of Safety
This seems like something that the NTSB will find interesting.
Interstellar
Peter Suderman reviews his review.
[Update a while later]
And here‘s John Nolte’s review.
[Sunday-morning update]
Five reasons why Interstellar is a conservative film.
I think that it helps to view it as allegorical, and not try to take the science too seriously.
[Bumped]
Siebold Speaks?
Doesn’t sound like he’s going to be able to tell NTSB much about what happened. I’d like to get his impression of the vibration environment with the new engine.
In Which I’m Cited At ThinkProgress
I’m pretty sure this is a first.
I should note, I really don’t “worship” Branson. I have a lot of problems with him. My piece was more of a reaction to Kluger’s bashing than a defense of him per se.
Why Space Tourism Matters
Thoughts from Holman Jenkins. I like the idea of naming errant asteroids after senators.
[Second link should get you through the paywall]
Sir Walter Raleigh And Sir Richard Branson
How well does the historical analogy work?
Interstellar: Fantastic Visuals
…with an “undercurrent of cheesiness.” It looks like, as with Gravity, it will be beautifully annoying.