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.“
Tag: NASA
Slip the Surly Bonds.
In remembrance of STS-51L, a.k.a. the Challenger accident, twenty years ago today.
Stardust Memories / Pluto by Plutonium.
I’ve been extremely derelict in my space coverage around here lately. So, as a quick catch-up: Welcome back, Stardust, and Godspeed, New Horizons.
Gravity’s Rainbow.
“Suppose the asteroid is traveling 60,000 miles per hour. You want to make it 60,001.” Concerned by the possible 2036 impact of 99942 Apophis, two clever NASA astronauts have developed a tractor beam of sorts to pull asteroids off a possible collision course. Namely, send a relatively small (20-ton) ion-powered spacecraft to intercept and hover near the offending asteroid, and then let gravity work its mojo. “Even as the spacecraft counters the asteroid’s gravity, he said, its own gravity will pull the asteroid out of orbit.”
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.
Bounded by Foam.
“You have to admit when you’re wrong. We were wrong.” NASA grounds the shuttle fleet until the now-recurring foam debris problem, which thankfully seemed to spare the Discovery orbiter this time, is satisfactorily resolved. Ugh, that’s depressing…but probably for the best.
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.
The Rocket’s Red Glare.
In a day of fireworks the nation over, the most intriguing flash-bang occurred 83 million miles away, with the successful crashing of NASA’s Deep Impact into Tempel 1. (Space.com has gathered together the best pics from the big show.)
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.