There are many lessons to be drawn from the programmatic disaster that is the Shuttle program. Unfortunately, many of the most popular ones are wrong. Alan Boyle has apparently succumbed to one of them, when he writes:
Of course, it takes a lot of innovation to replace a manned spaceship capable of putting almost 30,000 pounds of cargo into orbit. I
We heard about the launch scrub just as we were pulling into Titusville. We headed back down the coast, but took A1A all the way, so it was a longer, but more scenic trip.
I find it a little ironic that the part that failed today was one of the components that Mike wants to keep ad infinitum, while there was no problem with the Orbiter, which he wants to retire. I may have some further thoughts on this at TechCentralStation, if I can work up the gumption for a piece, but unfortunately, because I lost any productivity today to this futile expedition, I’ve got three other deadlines breathing down my neck in the next couple days.
I just got a call from Bill Khourie (pronounced ‘curry’), Director of OSIDA who let me know that they are putting their finishing touches on Oklahoma’s spaceport application with FAA AST and environmental impact statement and are targetting December 2005 for approval for horizontal takeoff horizontal landing vehicles. He said they would be delighted to be approached by the vertical crowd and would be pleased to welcome them assuming AST says OK.
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Wednesday, 15:30 CDT: One of the vertical crowd emailed me and said that they already approached OSIDA some time ago and “would be pleased” might not be enough to get a new AST spaceport application filed.
Over at The Space Review today, Jeff Foust has a more detailed critique of the “Abbey-Lane” Report, a document that I didn’t have a very high opinion of. Also, Craig Carberry has a rundown of the political prospects for NASA and the Vision for Space Exploration in the context of the 2008 elections. He repeats a popular myth, though–a common one:
…it was a Republican president who initiated the new vision, and back in 2000, the Republican platform called for
I got this message from Ned Abel Smith of Virgin Galactic this morning.
Hope all is well. Only 2 of us made it into the office this morning due to the Suicide attacks on London, but have heard that everyone is accounted for. Very scary.
He also answered my question about where deposit money goes:
All moneys are not kept in escrow and therefore any deposit received is backed by Virgin Holdings Ltd.
This project is so exciting because its so real and anyone that has the opportunity to become a Founder or Pioneer with us is incredibly fortunate. I have attached your Terms and Conditions to be printed and signed.
Here are the terms and conditions Ned mentioned:
Mike Griffin has been calling for using nuclear power for Earth’s rocky Moon exploration rather than Jupiter’s Icy Moon exploration. Anti-nuclear activists should propose a cost-effective non-nuclear alternative.
Here’s an old idea for lunar nighttime power worthy of rediscovery: laser illumination of solar cells from Earth.
Mike Griffin has been calling for using nuclear power for Earth’s rocky Moon exploration rather than Jupiter’s Icy Moon exploration. Anti-nuclear activists should propose a cost-effective non-nuclear alternative.
Here’s an old idea for lunar nighttime power worthy of rediscovery: laser illumination of solar cells from Earth.
Mike Griffin has been calling for using nuclear power for Earth’s rocky Moon exploration rather than Jupiter’s Icy Moon exploration. Anti-nuclear activists should propose a cost-effective non-nuclear alternative.
Here’s an old idea for lunar nighttime power worthy of rediscovery: laser illumination of solar cells from Earth.
Since the dawn of history, mankind has feared comets. Now they have reason to fear us. Pretty spectacular fireworks for the 4th of July.
Sorry about the late warning–I just found out myself. There’s supposedly a segment on the topic tonight–CBS, at 7 PM EDT. Hopefully the story won’t be “fake, but accurate.”