Category: Space Race

A “Lunar Armada.”

The LA Times examines the beginnings of the second lunar space race, which will involve, among others, the US, Europe, China, and India. “Some researchers even have a name for the first lunar city: Jamestown, in honor of the first English settlement in the New World.“

The Moon and Beyond.

“To become a multiplanet species, we must master the skills of extracting local resources, build our capability to journey and explore in hostile regions, and create new reservoirs of human culture and experience. That long journey begins on the moon — the staging ground, supply station and classroom for our voyage into the universe.” Astrophysicist Paul Sputig eloquently makes the case for a return to manned lunar exploration.

Houston, we’ve had a problem.

“‘It is now commonly accepted that was not the right path,’ Griffin said. ‘We are now trying to change the path while doing as little damage as we can.'” In an interview with USA Today, NASA head Michael Griffin calls the Space Shuttle and ISS programs mistakes. Hmmm, interesting. This article reminded me of a quote I’ve seen attributed to Jerry Pournelle: “I always knew I’d live to see the first man walk on the Moon. I never dreamed I’d see the last.“

The Apollo Creed.


“‘We must deal with our short-term problems while not sacrificing our long-term investments,’ Griffin said. ‘The space program is a long-term investment in our future.'” While nodding to the funding issues created by Katrina, NASA unveils its ambitious plans to return to the moon by 2018. The plan, involving a lunar-lander like CEV that can carry 4 to 6 astronauts, basically seems to be a hybrid of the Space Shuttle and “Apollo on Steroids,” and has been designed with future missions to Mars in mind. In general, I’ve been impressed with NASA head Michael Griffin despite Dubya’s faulty emphasis on space-weapons (and I generally agree with his take on NASA funding), so if he thinks this rocket-hybrid is the way to go to get to the moon and beyond, I’m all for it.

Here’s a little ghost for the offering.

Space Adventures, the firm behind Dennis Tito’s 2001 trip to the ISS, is looking for two takers for a $100 million moonshot. Well, that’s a pretty penny and no mistake. But if they’re forced to switch to a lottery system to procure the necessary funds, I’d buy a ticket or three.

Millennium Falcons.

“‘There’s very little in life that is 100 percent guaranteed,’ said N. Wayne Hale Jr., the deputy manager of the shuttle program, at a news briefing Sunday evening. ‘And there’s probably less in rocket science.‘ With Discovery poised to fly tomorrow despite a nagging sensor problem, the NYT examines the durability of the aging shuttle fleet. Update: Back in the blue! Godspeed, STS-114.

Spaced.

“Current U.S. space policy presents a paradoxical picture of high ambition and diminishing commitment…Pursuit of the NASA Plan, as formulated, is likely to result in substantial harm to the U.S. space program.” A new report by experts at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy finds the Dubya space program is a mess. The two writers (both active during the Clinton years) do praise new NASA head Michael Griffin, who may be the only Bush appointee out there that I have positive feelings for. But, in keeping with the general unilateralism of Dubya’s tenure, the scientists bemoan the demise of international cooperation in recent years, with our move to weaponize space a particular stumbling block.

Sail on, Silver Bird.

All systems are go today for the launch of Cosmos 1, a satellite designed to test the possibility of interstellar travel via solar sail. “Because it carries no fuel and keeps accelerating over almost unlimited distances, it is the only technology now in existence that can one day take us to the stars.” (Well, it worked for Chris Lee.) Update: Uh oh…