Michael Listner says it isn’t dead yet.
In a couple weeks, I may be making an announcement that could help kill it, though.
Category Archives: Space
Smart Diplomacy
The administration has been played (again) by North Korea. I doubt that it is a satellite launch, but it’s actually a lot easier to launch a satellite than to deliver a warhead (which is what they really want to learn how to do).
[Update mid afternoon]
A missile launch would be “a deal breaker for the administration.” Yeah, right.
Stu Nozette
…is likely to get thirteen years. He’ll be seventy or so when he gets out, assuming he doesn’t get out early.
A Commercial Space Reminder
You have one more day to call your Congressperson to get them to request full funding for commercial crew.
Pilotless Air Cargo
This is probably inevitable. If it doesn’t happen by then, or sooner, it will be due to regulatory inertia at the FAA. It will probably take longer for pilotless passenger flights. Regardless of the actual safety level, I think that a lot of people are going to still feel more comfortable if there’s someone in the cockpit whose ass is on the line along with theirs.
Of course, we’ll be doing some market experiments in suborbital in the next few years. Virgin Galactic has redundant pilots, XCOR has a single-string one, and Armadillo is automated.
Crowd Sourcing A Rocket Startup
Paul Breed is looking for ideas.
SpaceX Is Opening Up Space
…but no trip for you!
A Successful Test Jump
From over seventy-thousand feet:
Baumgartner is gearing up for an even bigger leap — his so-called “space jump” — from 120,000 feet (36,576 m) this summer. The current record for highest-altitude skydive is 102,800 feet (31,333 m), set in 1960 by U.S. Air Force Captain Joe Kittinger.
Baumgartner hopes his attempt will also set several other marks. He is chasing the record for longest freefall (estimated to be about 5 minutes and 30 seconds from 120,000 feet), and he hopes to become the first person to break the speed of sound during freefall.
At some point, this raises the question: at what point does a space suit become a very small, tight-fitting supersonic aircraft?
Another question. If someone wanted to try this from (say) an Armadillo vehicle, would the expectations of safety during ascent be the same as (again, say) someone doing a research experiment? Or someone who just wanted to enjoy the view?
“It Would Be Cool To Be Born On Earth…”
“…and die on Mars. Hopefully not at the point of impact.” Quote du jour from Elon Musk.
Happy Birthday, SpaceX
The company was founded a decade ago. Interesting (and probably just a coincidence) that it was founded on both Albert Einstein’s birthday, and Pi Day.