Jules Verne’s space cannon was the starting gun in our space travel race. A National Geographic video.
___________________________
Short Link: https://wp.me/p6sb6-vwy
Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.
As part of the Trump administration’s “privatize everything” policy, NASA contracted Boeing, maker of the brilliant 737 MAX, to build the CST-100 Starliner space capsule to shuttle astronauts to and from the International Space Station under the multi-billion-dollar Commercial Crew Program (CCP). The Trump administration wants to replace NASA’s government bloat with the efficiency and precision of private industry. NASA launched the Starliner in December:
“The Starliner spacecraft encountered problems almost immediately after reaching space when its onboard computer, with its time miscalibrated by 11 hours, failed to fire the thrusters that would send the craft on a path to the space station. While aloft, the spacecraft struggled to communicate with the ground. By the time controllers could figure out what went wrong, the spacecraft had burned too much fuel, preventing it from docking with the station, one of its primary objectives.”
— “Boeing admits it failed to test the Starliner spacecraft adequately before its maiden flight,” Christian Davenport, Washington Post
Onward to Mars!
________________________
Short Link: https://wp.me/p6sb6-uzC
Image by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com
Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.
The State of New Mexico gave a needy Brit named Sir Richard Branson $250 million to set up Spaceport America, a facility where rich people can launch into space pleasure jaunts. You know, your typical Public-Private Partnership.
NASA Administrator and former rocket racer Jim Bridenstine, the first non-scientist to head the U.S. space agency, has introduced the first U.S. astronauts since Evel Knievel the Space Shuttle crews retired. These space voyagers won’t be traveling aboard NASA rockets, but will ascend through the firmament atop commercial missiles provided by SpaceX and Boeing.
Another way to think about this: The Trump Administration is providing potential human sacrifices to corporate America and paying them for it.
When Administrator Bridenstine was a Republican Congressman from Oklahoma, he led GOP efforts to commercialize space and prioritize human space stunts missions over scientific discovery. As Executive Director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum, Mr. Bridenstine put the museum in the hole by using its resources to fund a Rocket Racing League exhibition. One of the owners of the Rocket Racing League was Jim Bridenstine. Commercializing space, indeed.
God help our new astronauts.
“Lunar,” A short film by Christian Stangl using archival photos and audio from NASA. Soundtrack by Wolfgang Stangl.
________
Short link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-pT8
Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.
Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine
Brian Resnick, Brad Plumer, Javier Zarracina, and Christophe Haubursin of Vox explain how a trip to Mars can kill you. On the other hand, think of the frequent flyer miles ….
_____________
Short link: http://wp.me/p6sb6-oU2
Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.
Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine
Laura Martinez informs us that Mexico’s Cámara de Diputados officially approved AEXA, the Mexican Space Agency (Agencia Espacial Mexicana) last week. Supporters included two space contractors and former NASA astronaut José Moreno Hernández. Chewy Pulido provides an artist’s concept of the first Mexican spaceship.
NotionsCapital 