A detailed technical breakdown. Pretty ambitious.
Unless I missed it, there was one important aspect not discussed in trading kerosene versus methane. The latter would be much easier to manufacture on Phobos/Deimos or the Martian surface.
Category Archives: Technology and Society
Russia’s Space Program
It needs NASA a lot more than NASA needs it.
That’s certainly true in the longer term. I don’t know if Putin understands that, though, or cares enough to use it as leverage in Ukraine.
The Path Forward In Space
Dennis Wingo has the 2014 edition. Long but worth a read. I disagree with him on the first flight for commercial crew. I think it may happen as soon as next year.
Space Tourism
Eileen Collins explains why it will be successful.
Our Space Dependence On The Russians
I say it’s time to end it, over at PJMedia.
National Security Launchers
A live blog of the Senate hearing, with Elon Musk and Michael Gass. ULA is running scared, and Shelby is running interference for them, spouting economic lunacy.
Elysium
A brief review of the stupid movie by Lileks:
I made two attempts this weekend to watch “Elysium,” but was hampered by the fact that it was stupid.
There’s actually a little more, but that’s the bottom line.
The Fall Of The Software Commons
…is a myth. Eric Raymond on the history of open source, and the ahistorical knowledge of young programmers.
If Russia Refuses To Fly US Astronauts
My response:
If we really wouldn't fly crew on Dragon as is today, it just shows how unimportant we think that ISS is. @PopMech
— SafeNotAnOption (@SafeNotAnOption) March 3, 2014
Climate Activists Behaving Badly
Roger Pielke on the warm-mongers Internet antics. I look forward to his book.
[Update a couple minutes later]
Related: The president’s (anti)Science Advisor.
The Holdren appointment was just one among an appalling many.