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October 25, 2004
First Flight
Congratulations to Brazil, which overcame adversity (including last year's deadly rocket explosion), to make its first space launch over the weekend.
Space Wars
Per SpaceDaily:The United States could attack Europe's planned network of global positioning satellites if it was used by a hostile power such as China, The Business weekly reported Sunday.
It's interesting to note the U.S. actually admitting (or claiming) satellite destruction capability.
This is also a concrete example of the concerns I've had about the importance of the changes in the space community landscape. China's growth as a space power has its greatest significance not in potentially beating the U.S. to the Moon or in using its manned space program as a weapons platform, as some have speculated, but in the potential for China simply to become a better friend to other nations than we are. Galileo, one of the earliest examples of that sort of situation, is turning into a perfect example: not only is China winning points with European nations by helping to enable the project through its participation, but it's causing the U.S. to alienate itself from allies as well.
Expedition 9 Final Update
In the midst of the Tutor wedding festivities, Expedition 9 returned safely to Earth.
October 24, 2004
Congratulations!
October 23, 2004
Daily Hatbag
In honor of Chris and Christina, the only wedding-themed Hatbag we did.
October 22, 2004
Fly Into Space For $10
Don't know that this person's cost estimates are entirely correct, but it's an interesting concept.
Daily Hatbag
Here ya go.
Eek!
Ascans At Marshall
The astronaut candidates of Group 19 were at Marshall last night, and I got to meet several of them. From the conversations I had, they appeared to be a great group.Possibly the highlight of the evening was when we were eating. I was sitting next to Joe Acaba, one of the Educator Astronaut candidates, and a kid who was about 5-years-old across the table from us decided that he wanted to show the astronaut how quickly he could tie his shoes. Joe got up from his meal, walked around the table, got down on the ground, untied the kid's shoe for him so he could tie it back, and then timed while he tied it (counting the seconds a bit slowly so the kid could meet his 5-second goal).
Yeah, I think Joe will do well.
It was kind of exciting to be among these astronauts so fresh they aren't even rookies yet, and realize that the next person on the Moon could be in your midst.
The future appears to be in good hands.
(Oh, the picture is from a story on Space.com today about the new class's training.)
Expedition 9 Update
Six months after swearing to never again walk upon the Earth as long as Chris Tutor was single, the crew of Expedition 9 will finally return to the planet tomorrow. Touchdown is expected around 1935 CDT, and will be on NASA TV (on cable and online).
More iPod Rumors
Joining the rumors that a funky U2 iPod is coming soon and that a color-screen iPod will be available before the end of the year is a new rumor that a flash-based iPod will be available before Christmas.
Blogpoint Opportunity
Three Blogpoints for anyone who asks for them in person tomorrow.
October 21, 2004
Daily Hatbag
Hard to believe this strip is already 10 years old. I mean, seems like it could be only like 5 years old or something.
Public Opinion
Per Spaceref.com:... Americans continue to support human space flight, with 69% supporting Space Exploration ...
In addition, when provided information about the percentage of the U.S. budget allocated to NASA each year (< 1%), 42% of the respondents indicated that it should be increased ...
42% of Americans believe that NASA is either "very relevant" or "relevant" to their day-to-day lives ...
And, shockingly:
79% of respondents believe that NASA is "marketed" poorly or very poorly
ESA on ISS
Space.com has an interesting article which simultaneously says a whole lot and nothing. Turns out ESA's negotiating with RSA for an ISS increment. I'd heard this before, but apparently it's still in the works. Sounds like it's not going to happen before RTF, but even so I'm curious as to how it'll play out. My guess would be that one expedition that would have been two Russians and an American will instead represent all three agencies.
Editorial Note
Yeah, I know people are getting weird messages when they post comments. About two weeks ago, my Pivot had some major problems, most of which I've fixed, but some of which I haven't been able to yet. I apologize for the inconvenience.So, no need to let me know you're getting the weird message, although if you're not having anything weird happen when you post comments, you can let me know that.
This Week At NE
This week at NASAexplores, I've got an article about the Shuttle Training Aircraft, a Gulfstream jet modified to handle like the Space Shuttle for approach and landing training, and Maggie's got a piece about monitoring head-pressure increases in microgravity.
October 20, 2004
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Daily Hatbag
Here's one for yesterday and here's um... another one for yesterday, apparently. None for today, though, as it turns out.
Welcome To My World
These are not from any of the sites I work with, but these samples of e-mails sent to NASA give you some idea of some of the sort of stuff I have to deal with on a regular basis. (Possibly this will give some idea of why my sense of humor was completely deadened during the discussion with Tutor the other day about mag-beam propulsion. His jokes, sadly, were too close to the stuff I really have to deal with on a regular basis.)
Ayers Over
Lain sent me the news that the nearly 30-year-old Ayers case is officially ended.
I thought the suit, which was filed the year I was born, was old when I heard about it while at Ole Miss (When they were talking about how it was winding down).
Picture Of The Day
This picture shows the damage done to a four-story dwelling by the crashed Chinese satellite. Courtesy China View.
Visions Of The Future
I'm offering this one up here just in case anyone's interested, but it's pretty heavy reading (well, for a collection of PowerPoint presentations, anyway). SpaceRef.com has links to proposals by bidding contractors on exploration systems.
Absentee Voting
Per Space.com:The space station's newest astronaut will cast his ballot in the presidential election from 225 miles up, with NASA's help.
Leroy Chiao said Monday that the space agency has worked hard with local and federal authorities so he can vote from the orbiting complex, his home until spring. He will cast his ballot via a secure e-mail connection, much the same way another astronaut did from Russia's Mir space station in 1997.
U.S. astronauts, most of whom live around Houston, won the right to vote from space under a Texas bill signed into law by then-Gov. George W. Bush.
Ep. V, Rev. 3
DVD Answers has continued their series on a full catalog of changes in the new Star Wars DVDs with their entry on Empire Strikes Back.
Halley's Pieces
Get up around 5:30 tomorrow morning, and you'll be able to see the peak of the Orionid meteor shower, which consists of debris left behind by Halley's Comet.
October 19, 2004
SpaceShipOne designer will speak here
Burt Rutan, designer of the first private ship to fly into space, will speak in Huntsville Friday at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. ...
Rutan will give a presentation beginning at 7 p.m. Friday at the Space Center and show a film about the SpaceShipOne flight and its development, a spokeswoman for Rutan's California-based company confirmed Monday. ...
The event will include German rocket team members Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger and Dr. Konrad Dannenberg.
October 18, 2004
All The Way From Orbit
Two bits of news related to the Chinese space program:Unmanned Chinese Return Capsule Crashes Lands Into House
A Chinese satellite smashed into a villager's house on its return to earth, destroying the dwelling but causing no injuries, state media reported Sunday.
I'm curious how much would have been known about this if they hadn't been open about it. My initial reaction is to be pleased that China would actually admit this to the world, though I don't know whether it's something they could have kept a secret.
Chinese space hero eyeing place on Shenzhou VI manned space flight
China's first man in space Yang Liwei is competing against fellow astronauts to be onboard the nation's second manned space flight, tentatively scheduled to be launched during the second half of 2005, state press said Saturday.
Expedition 10 Update
Turns out the Expedition 10 trip to ISS was more interesting than I'd heard previously. Per Spaceflight Now:Cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov grabbed manual control of the Soyuz spacecraft during the final minutes of today's rendezvous with the International Space Station, overriding the autopilot that was supposed to guide the capsule throughout the approach and docking.
The unplanned switch, prompted by a yet-undiagnosed malfunction with the autopilot, added a touch of drama to the Expedition 10 crew's arrival at the station ...
A Faster Way To Mars
A propulsed new space propulsion method, magnetized-beam plasma propulsion, could theoretically cut the round-trip time of a Mars mission down to a mere 90 days.
October 15, 2004
More Boring Stuff
A couple more personal thoughts from my trip. Read only if you care.
It won't hurt my feelings at all if you'd rather look at some funny cartoons instead. (more)
Personal Note, Cont'd
The one thing I left out of my rambling post last night was how amazing it was just sitting in the back of the room for the ASE congress.
Once or twice before, I'd been in situations where astronauts outnumbered non-astronauts, but never before with the sort of overwhelming majority that there was the last couple of days.
I'm apparently one of the very rare non-astros to be in the audience of an ASE group, and it was like being allowed to hang out in Olympus for a couple of days. Being there, amongst that group, was just amazing, and it was cool witnessing the camraderie, being among a crowd of greats treating each other as peers.
Again, I'm so blessed just to be here.
Today In History
The Cassini spacecraft, which arrived in orbit around Saturn earlier this year, began its journey with a launch 7 years ago today.
Daily Hatbag
Here ya go.
October 14, 2004
My Trip
Various and sundry notes from my trip: (more)
Expedition 10 Update
The Expedition 10 crew had a safe launch last night and is on its way to ISS. With this is Russian Space Forces cosmonaut Yuri Shargin, a rookie who has been added to my Space Voyagers total in the left sidebar, which has been increasing fairly rapidly in recent months. (However, I'm still eagerly awaiting the day when I can add more than one person at a time.)
Daily Hatbag
Here's one for yesterday (one of my favorites) and one for today.
October 12, 2004
Who's Taking Genesis?
A few small notes from the second session of my creation class, for anyone who's interested: (more)
Political Rant
OK, yet another political post, or anti-political post, or something.
Here's my two cents worth on the era of new media: An audience does not equal expertise.
I'll be so glad when this election is over, because this has become the most annoying season ever for me.
Largely because the entire world has caught the bug that used to be limited to actors and musicians.
Read blogs for any amount of time, and you'll come across it:
I know stuff about comics and weird music, so let me tell you who to vote for.
I say funny stuff about movies, so let me tell you who to vote for.
And so on.
If you know stuff about comics and weird music, write about comics and weird music.
If you say funny stuff about movies, write funny stuff about movies.
I really couldn't care less who you think I should vote for.
I'll even be a little more tolerant than that:
If you know stuff about comics and weird music, feel free to say anything about the candidates relating to comics and weird music. If it ties into what you know, go for it.
But beyond that, just shut up please.
Thanks!
Personal Note
Blogging will be intermittent at best during the next few days while I travel to Johnson Space Center. I leave tomorrow and will be back Sunday. I'll try and post reports during my trip, but obviously will be able to do so only when and if the opportunity presents itself.
Daily Hatbag
Here ya go..
Hey Joe!
At long last, new posting on the Joe Blog.
To Ye Olde Moon!
Per The Independent:
More than 300 years before the Soviet Union launched its Sputnik satellites and American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped on to the Moon, England had its own ambitious space programme. ...
The man behind the lunar mission was Dr John Wilkins, scientist, theologian and brother-in-law of Oliver Cromwell. In 1640, as a young man of 26, Dr Wilkins wrote a detailed description of the machinery needed to communicate and even trade with beings from another world.
Robot Surgery!
NASA's current underwater NEEMO mission will include simulated robot-performed surgery. A remote-operator surgeon will use the robot to remove the gall bladder from a robot training dummy. The procedure will be used as a proof-of-concept demonstration with an eye towards on-orbit medical treatment.
Basstronaut Update
Per Cosmic Log:Remember 'N Sync pop singer Lance Bass and his dream of flying in space? Well, the dream is still alive, two years after Bass was taken off a crew bound for the international space station due to a lack of sponsorship.
Expedition 10 Update
The ISS Expedition 10 crew will depart Earth tomorrow night at 10:06 CDT. The launch should be carried on cable and the Web via NASA TV.
Brak To The Future
I never quite got into this show the way some of my readers did (which is about par for the course), but for those who care about such things, volume one of The Brak Show will hit DVD Feb. 1.
October 11, 2004
My Movie-Going Experience
So we ended up going to see both Sky Captain and Team America Saturday. (TA at the recommendation of several ATW readers--I'll be curious to hear their thoughts on it later.) Team America was playing as a sneak preview in place of Sky Captain--instead of a 7 p.m. show of S.C., Team America was going to be playing in its place. We went to the immediately preceding show of Sky Captain at 4:40 (which Nicole liked, and I enjoyed again on a second viewing). After it was over, we went back out front to get our Team America tickets. While we were out there, we talked for a while about whether there were any options for getting a bite to eat in the time we had left, but ultimately decided to just go back into the theater. By the time we got back in, the small theater where Sky Captain had been showing was just about full, so we ended up having to sit pretty close to the front, with no one in front of us. So, during the trailers, this woman comes in to the theater with her son, who couldn't have been older than 10. I lean over to Nicole, incensed that someone would bring a kid that young in to a movie like this. Yeah, it's got puppets, but it's really not a kids' movie. People really need more sense about the things they expose their kids to. Then, a little later, another guy walks in with his three kids. I start griping to Nicole again, but he looks around and walks back out, perhaps, I think, realizing he's in the wrong place. But then, a bit later, he comes back in with kids still in tow, and finds seats for everyone. Finally, the trailers end, and the movie begins-- And it's Shark Tale. We were the ones in the wrong theater. It turns out that while we were in the lobby, they switched rooms, putting Team America in the larger theater next door, where Shark Tale had been. Relieved and chagrined, we went next door to join our movie, already in progress.
Daily Hatbag
Yes, presidential debate time is upon us, just like it was 8 years ago.
Today In History
On this date in 1968, the Apollo program marked the launch of its first manned mission, Apollo 7.
500 Days
As research for an eventual Mars mission, Russian scientists will be isolating a team of people in a simulated spacecraft for 500 days to research issues involved in a long-duration flight to Mars.
While it's an interesting concept, I wonder how meaningful a test it truly is. It seems like there would be no way of truly testing psychological factors. I agree with the argument that the key to making such a flight bearable will be keeping the crew meaningfully engaged. Since all the tasks, and indeed the entire motivation, of the experiment will be simulated, a failure in the simulation involving psychological concerns would not necessarily mean the real thing would encounter the same problems.
Ep. IV, Rev. 3
DVD Answers has done an excellent job finding all the changes in the new DVD release of Star Wars.
World Without A Superman
More sad news, per CNN:
Actor Christopher Reeve, the star of the "Superman" movies whose near-fatal riding accident nine years ago turned him into a worldwide advocate for spinal cord research, died of heart failure, his publicist said. He was 52.
R.I.P.
Per CNN:
The designer of the Mercury space capsules that took the first Americans into orbit has died at age 83, NASA announced Sunday.
Maxime Faget led the space agency's engineering and development branch from 1961 to 1981, leading the design work on every manned U.S. spacecraft from the Mercury capsules to the space shuttles, NASA officials said.
October 10, 2004
Today In History
On this date, 20 years ago, the Soviets fired a laser at Challenger, causing malfunctions and temporarily blinding the crew.(The mission was commended by Bob Crippen, whom I'll be talking to this week--may try and ask him about it, if I have time.)
Daily Hatbag
Here's a little 8th anniversary Hatbag to brighten your Sunday.
October 09, 2004
Hotty Toddy!
When Nicole called and told me that Ole Miss was actually beating South Carolina, I figured it was like 3-0 on the first possession or something.
I was kinda surprised when I looked online and saw it was 31-28 with a minute left.
Even then, with S.C. having the ball, I figured I'd find out just in time to watch the Rebs lose.
I take back all my remarks yesterday about The Clarion-Ledger story.
Who'da thunk?
Daily Hatbag
Here's a little 7th anniversary Hatbag to brighten your Saturday.
Picture Of The Day
The holes in the side of the VAB have been patched.
(The picture above still shows a small hole, which has since been fixed. More recent pictures are available at the link below.)
Courtesy NASA.
What Might Have Been
This fan-made trailer gives us a sneak peak at what we would have been in store for if Jon Peters had made Superman.
MicroSorry
In a rare classy moment for Micro$oft, the company has sort-of apologized for Steve Ballmer calling iPod users thieves:"We would like to assure you that when Steve Ballmer implied that most of the music on iPods were stolen, he absolutely did not intend to single out iPod owners for criticism. In fact, given that they have access to their very own - and very popular - online music store, they are likely among the most law-abiding consumers of digital music."
Apple v. Apple Update
So apparently a settlement is unlikely in the Apple v. Apple lawsuit.I was really hoping that rumors of this resulting in super-double-Apple synergy were true, but don't know now how likely that is.
I now hope it instead somehow ends with Steve Jobs owning The Beatles.
My Fate Is In Your Hands
Trying to decide. Nicole hasn't seen Sky Captain yet. Should I take her to see that tonight, or should we go see the sneak preview of Team America?
Sky Captain (2 votes)
Team America (1 votes)
October 08, 2004
I Can't Handle The Truth
Well, I made a shocking discovery last night.
I learned why I never went to Space Camp.
Every year in school, I would enter the Space Camp essay contest to try and win a scholarship.
Readers of ATW, of course, couldn't imagine how it would be possible for me to not win that.
Well, my mom yesterday gave me a copy of one of my applications from seventh grade, and I learned why I was never picked.
The essay was horrible. How embarrassing. (more)
Daily Hatbag
Sorry, but there's no 10th-anniversary strip today.(This one's for Richie, to prove that I'm more sophisticated than he gives me credit for.)
X=?
I'm all in favor of the X Prize Foundation using its success to try and change the world, but I really believe the name "X Prize" should only be used for the prize that was just won by SpaceShipOne. I'd hate to see it diluted by falling into common use.
Space Force
So that thing in the picture to the right is the Air Force's new space badge, which disappointingly isn't actually for people who've been to space.
Oh, Please
OK, Joe, here's more football posting.
You know, I'm all in favor of positive coverage of the local teams, but at some point you just have to face reality.
More Wacky Apple Rumors
Color iPods?Eh, I'll believe it when I see it.
At least they're not claiming it'll be a video player.
Where No Manga Has Gone Before
Newsarama has an update on the Star Trek manga, which will be "Animatrix for Star Trek in manga form."
This Week At NE
This week at NASAexplores, Maggie's got an article about Leonarda da Vinci, and I've got a story about bioreactors, which may revolutionize medicine.
October 07, 2004
Daily Hatbag
Don't worry, we're back to more Hatbag Classic (with apologies to Nik) today.
Tech Transfer
Deedee was kind enough to post this on her blog for me since I'm now a leading expert, per Google, on astronaut poop, and so I thought I'd pass it on to the folks here:How to Poop Like an Astronaut
(Though, while he claims "all of this is actually true," he neglects to mention that it hasn't been true for 30-something years.)
Today In History
On this date in 1958, the 6-day-old National Aeronautics and Space Administration established Project Mercury, which was to succeed in launching a man into space only 2 1/2 years later.
The Race Card
All right, it's the second slow news day in a row, so I'm subjecting you to another Dave-rant.On Sunday, NASAwatch posted links to a batch of articles about the next day's SpaceShipOne X2 launch under the header Civilian Space Travel is Real - Get used to it, NASA
He's far from the only one to take that attitude.
Burt Rutan has felt an obligation to thumb his nose at NASA every time a camera is pointed at him.
As he said Monday:
"Quite frankly, I think the big guys — the Boeings, the Lockheeds, the nay-say people at Houston — think we're a bunch of home builders who put a rocket in a Long Easy ... I think they're looking at each other now and saying, 'We're screwed.' "
Or,
"I have a hell of a lot bigger goal now (than NASA)," he said. He is now determined to supply the craft for Virgin Galactic.
Rutan has talked at great length about how much better his program is than the NASA-centric space program, particularly focusing on how much more cheaply he can operate. It was a real point of pride to him that the X2 flight exceeded the altitude record of the X-15. He portrays a NASA that is quaking in its boots at the threat Scaled Composites presents.
Here's a few points worth noting, though: (more)
Space Geeks
c|net has an article about the tech billionaires funding the world of private spaceflight, like Allen, Ansari, Bezos, Carmack, and Musk.
Four Wheel No Drive
Spirit's having problems again:The relay for steering actuators on Spirit's right-front and left-rear wheels did not operate as commanded on Oct. 1. Each of the front and rear wheels on the rover has a steering actuator, or motor, that adjusts the direction in which the wheels are headed independently from the motor that makes the wheels roll. When the actuators are not in use, electric relays are closed and the motor acts as a brake to prevent unintended changes in direction.
The rover team is currently working to figure out how to work around the problem if it persists.
Spirit has driven more than 3.6 kilometers (2.2 miles), six times the distance set as a goal for mission success.
(Again, while I'm blown away by the success of the rovers, let me point out that it's taken Spirit over 8 months to drive 3.6 km, while the Apollo 15-17 crews drove a total of over 100 km in a matter of days. Robots are a vital precursur to human missions to other worlds, but not a replacement.)
Mac Accelerator
Per Cult Of Mac:I went to the HERA particle accelerator in Hamburg, Germany ... and what made me smile was seeing more old macs than ever before, all being used as the backbone of controlling every aspect of the collider - absolutely amazing!
... but 3/5 of the computers controlling the ring were macs, still being used.
October 06, 2004
FWIW
In Memphis this weekend: 16th Annual Southern Festival of Books — October 8-10, 2004
More Robot Dancing!
Someone asked me for the link to the icon-maker site, and since I hadn't posted it for a while (and Richie needs a new, facial-hair-free icon), I'd just post it here again.Make your own, and if you create one you like, sent it to me, and I'll post it on the server so you can use it as an avatar, if you like.
Button, Button
Deedee's started posting button links to Web comics on her blog, and said she'd add one for Hatbag if I made it, so here it is.
Anybody who wants to add it to their site is more than welcome to.
The Search For Blogpoints
I'll award one Blogpoint for any search strings posted by readers in the next 24 hours that yield any incarnation of the Daveblog as the number one result on Google, and three points for any that result in the Daveblog as the only return.
Daily Hatbag
So, yeah, about Monday. Mea Culpa.
Who's An Astronaut
Cosmic Log addresses today an issue which is giving the space collecting world fits. Who is an astronaut? The FAA has awarded astronaut wings to Mike Melvill and Brian Binnie, but says it will not do so for spaceflight passengers.Space autograph collectors have been debating what this will mean for their hobby. Today, there are completists who have, or are trying to collect, the autographs of all 430-something people who have flown in space. In the future, tough, if "thousands" of people start flying into space, obviously there will be little interest in getting all of their autographs. So where do you draw the line? Do you continue to collect the pilots of private flights, who will be awarded wings? If not, when do you stop. Certainly, there's a strong argument for including Melvill in a collection, but what about Binnie? What about the pilot after Binnie? The first pilot to carry passengers? The second?
Further, this poses some retroactive implications, as well. What does it mean for people like Dennis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth, who paid to ride Soyuz to ISS? Taking it a step further, what about people like Sens. Bill Nelson and Jake Garn, who rode on the Shuttle?
Where to you draw the line? Who's an astronaut?
SpaceShipTwo
DiscoveryChannel.com has answers to some questions I had after Monday's flight. Rutan plans to fly SpaceShipOne a few more times before it goes to the Smithsonian; and SpaceShipTwo apparently will be the five-passenger suborbital craft Scaled is developing for Virgin Galactic, rather than an orbital spacecraft, as previously rumored.
October 05, 2004
Daily Hatbag
After the criticism of yesterday's Daily Hatbag, I'll stick with some safe, Voyager-based humor today. That'll learn ya.
Regular Richie Feature
Recent Hatbag.net search strings:- 21 jumpstreet dvd
- Buck Rogers in the 21st century
- Clark vs. T-1000 smallville
- Mike Melvill biography indiana
- Nude House of Wacky People
- abner chicken
- al hitchcock bellybutton rumor
- apple picking mphtn
- bear fight picture
- ihop grits
- news articles police rheta grimsley
- DYI bigscreen tv
- Rebecca Blog
That's The Ticket!
Per Space.com:Lemon-lime beverage, 7 UP, the official soft drink of the Ansari X Prize, announced Monday plans to offer consumers the first free ticket into space. The announcement followed the win by SpaceShipOne of the $10 million competition. ...
Details of 7 UP's first free ticket into space will be unveiled in 2005.
This is far from the first contest to mention a trip into space as a prize, but this may be the first one that I'd say has a pretty darned high chance of actually making good on the offer.
Blogpoint Opportunity
Since no one took me up on the super-easy SS1 Blogpoints over the weekend, here's an easier one. I love the expression in this picture, so I'm awarding 5 Blogpoints each to the two people who post the captions for this picture that most amuse me in the next 24 hours.
New Poll
Replaced the poll. Results of the old one were as follows:- 62.5 percent (5 votes) believe that microbiotic life will be found in our solar system in our lifetime.
- 25 percent (2 votes) believe that there is life elsewhere, but it won't be found in our lifetime.
- 12.5 percent (1 vote) believe that proof of extraterrestrial intelligence will be found during our lifetime by a SETI-type program.
- No one voting in the poll believed that there is no life elsewhere in the universe.
October 04, 2004
Godspeed, Gordo
A day which began on a happy note for the spaceflight community ends on a sad one.
Mercury 7 astronaut Gordon Cooper has died.
Daily Hatbag
Here's a little something for today's historic occasion. Hope you enjoy.
Today In History
On this date 47 years ago, the space age began with the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik.Also, on this date--today--a new era of spaceflight began when the X Prize was won.
Congratulations Again!
Congratulations to X Prize winners Scaled Composites and Brian Binnie!
Third time's charm!
(Photo from CNN.)
Kerry's "Vision" For Space Exploration
Physics Today asked Bush and Kerry to answer questions on issues of science policies.Here's what Kerry had to say on his thoughts on space (Bush, of course, just reiterated the Vision): (more)
Nearing The Horizon
Despite problems related to the classified information issues at the Los Alamos nuclear laboratory, NASA's New Horizons Pluto spacecraft will still launch in January 2006, ironically going to Pluto with less plutonium.The change will likely mean scrapping the probe's post-Pluto Kuiper Belt mission, though a follow-on KB spacecraft is being proposed.
Blue Moon II
We may be seeing a blue Moon of a different type.When there was a story recently about the traditional Blue Moon, which is a second full Moon in one month, the stories all said that the Moon, of course, doesn't actually turn blue.
Well, it may soon. With the activity at Mount St. Helens, there's the potential for ash to be thrown into the atmosphere which can make the Moon appear blue.
Spaceweather.com has the info.
Genesis Update
Per Spaceflight Now:"We still have a way to go before we can quantify our recovery of the solar sample. I can tell you we have come a long way from September 8, and things are looking very, very good." ...
"When I first saw three of the four target segments were intact, and the fourth was mostly intact, my heart leapt. Inside those segments are three years of the solar samples, which to the scientific community, means eons worth of history of the birth of our solar system. I saw those, and I knew we had just overcome a major hurdle." ...
"But here we are, with an opportunity to fulfill our major science objectives. It is a great day for Genesis, and I expect many more to come."
RTF Update
Due in part to the effect of recent hurricanes, NASA has decided that the March-April launch window for Return To Flight is no longer achievable, and is now looking at the feasibility of a launch window beginning 14 May 2005.I've updated the Launch Countdown in the sidebar reflecting the tentative new NET date (and imagine I'll update it again before this is over). I also updated the Aerospace Events calendar, changing not only the RTF date, but also the launch of Expedition 10, now scheduled for 10:06 p.m. CDT on 13 October and the landing of Expedition 9, which will be at 7:32 p.m. on 23 October, during Chris Tutor's wedding festivities. I assume he'll provide access to the NASA TV or Webcast coverage of the landing for attendees.
I'll also, of course, be updating the Space Voyagers item in the sidebar later today as well.
(Also, the item I linked to about the Exp. 10 schedule notes that the ISS's Elektron oxygen-producing-device is working again.)
Trek Bits
Negotiations to have Shatner on Enterprise are reportedly progressing again, and if it can be worked out, Shatner will play an incarnation of Captain Kirk, in a sense. It would have to do with an alternate reality.Also, according to that link, the director of such hits as ST: Insurrection and Thunderbirds is being eyed to helm the Trek prequel film.
New Life For An Old Mac
Another use for the 20th Anniversary Mac..
Here's To The Crazy Ones
A few thoughts on the last year in spaceflight: (more)
Today Is Gonna Be The Day
Coverage of the SpaceShipOne X2 X Prize attempt has already started on NASA TV and elsewhere.Take off of White Knight will be around 9 a.m. CDT, and launch of SpaceShipOne will be about 9:45.
Brian Binnie will be piloting SpaceShipOne, which will carry no passengers for this flight.
Addendum: White Knight is in the air!
Addendum: 9:58--SpaceShipOne is headed for space!
October 03, 2004
Eclectic Violin Music
As part of my efforts to keep the ATW audience abreast of the music scene, I thought I'd blog about the artist we saw at Proud Larry's last night, Theresa Andersson. Her Web site has some samples of her music you can listen to online. Check 'em out. Good stuff (at least she was live. We bought a copy of her latest CD, but haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.) She'll be at Hal & Mal's in Jackson next weekend, BTW.
October 02, 2004
Yo!
This is blogged from the steps of Farley Hall in lovely Oxford, Mississippi.
And since I've experienced the fact today that Ole Miss fans are having to comfort themselves with the fact that, as bad as we're doing, at least State is doing worse, this will likely become the new Ole Miss battlecry.
October 01, 2004
Personal Note
Blogging will be on an as-the-opportunity-arises basis over the weekend, as Nicole and I visit her family, and much of the ATW community in Oxford, Miss., and take in the Ole Miss homecoming game, which there's like a small chance we might win.
Daily Hatbag
Here ya go.
This Week At NE
This week at NASAexplores, I have an article aboutYeah, I'm serious. It's an article about swirling, flaming astronaut poop. Now, where else on the Web are you gonna go to find that? Huh? That's right. (Let me point out that the actual article is a little more discreet than that, and it's actually about a very cool project that's gonna help us live on the Moon. But it's still about swirling, flaming astronaut poop [with any luck, I should be the top Google search result for that phrase soon].)
Also, Maggie's got an article about air pressure monitoring.
On a related note, we just got our September stats back, and NE had the second-highest-traffic month in its history last month, and the most unique IP visitors ever! So, yay us! The ATW audience can take a small bit of pride in that, in that as of a couple of months ago, this blog was the second-biggest referrer to NE, believe it or not.
On a related note to the related note, ATW also had its biggest month ever in September, by a huge margin (roughly double the previous monthly average of unique IPs, which is the main thing I look at).
Today In History
On this date in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration began operation.
KSC Damage Update
Repair work is underway at Kennedy Space Center. Crews will be working until midnight for the next few days to patch the holes in the VAB, though it's estimated that complete permanent repair of the building could take up to a year.
Spaceman's Best Friend
Per Nature.com:A robot that can fetch and come to heel just like a well-trained dog is set to help astronauts explore the Moon and Mars.
The metallic mutt, nicknamed Boudreaux, is officially called the Extra Vehicular Activity Robotic Assistant. It runs on four wheels and is about the size of a small golf cart, similar to the Mars exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity.
Wanna Work For NASA?
NASA is once again seeking Solar System Ambassadors. Basically, you get access to cool NASA stuff in exchange for doing a few NASA outreach projects a year. I thought it might be of interest to Joe, and that, since you receive educational materials, there might be interested people at Prep, so I figured I'd share it with the whole blog.
X Prize Update
It's official--Scaled Composites will attempt to win the X Prize Monday. The flight had originally been scheduled for then, and the launch date was confirmed after review of this week's X1 flight.Also, Brian Feeney says Wild Fire will fly this month, even if SpaceShipOne has already won the prize.
Addendum: I'm a little embarrased that I hadn't noticed this, and had to read it somewhere--the X2 flight, which should win the X Prize (and, arguably, could launch a new era of spaceflight), is scheduled for the anniversary of the birth of the Space Age with the launch of Sputnik in 1957.
What If The Moon Never Comes Back?
There will be a total lunar eclipse on October 27.
PC SE
See the computer in the picture on the right? That's a PC. Yep. Specifically, it's "a powerful Windows media-center PC."
But, not only is it a PC, it's possibly the fastest Mac SE in existense.
Cool, huh?
MacFast
In this sequel to the piece I linked to the other day about whether Macs are more expensive than PCs, LinuxInsider tackles whether Macs are slower than PCs. The article is fair, giving credit where credit is due on both sides, but in the end leans more toward the good guys.
October 25, 2004
First Flight
(Read Entry)
Space Wars
(Read Entry)
Expedition 9 Final Update
(Read Entry)October 24, 2004
Congratulations!
(Read Entry)October 23, 2004
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)October 22, 2004
Fly Into Space For $10
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Eek!
(Read Entry)
Ascans At Marshall
(Read Entry)
Expedition 9 Update
(Read Entry)
More iPod Rumors
(Read Entry)
Blogpoint Opportunity
(Read Entry)October 21, 2004
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Public Opinion
(Read Entry)
ESA on ISS
(Read Entry)
Editorial Note
(Read Entry)
This Week At NE
(Read Entry)October 20, 2004
n;ph[pomyd
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Welcome To My World
(Read Entry)
Ayers Over
(Read Entry)
Picture Of The Day
(Read Entry)
Visions Of The Future
(Read Entry)
Absentee Voting
(Read Entry)
Ep. V, Rev. 3
(Read Entry)
Halley's Pieces
(Read Entry)October 19, 2004
SpaceShipOne designer will speak here
(Read Entry)October 18, 2004
All The Way From Orbit
(Read Entry)
Expedition 10 Update
(Read Entry)
A Faster Way To Mars
(Read Entry)October 15, 2004
More Boring Stuff
(Read Entry)
Personal Note, Cont'd
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)October 14, 2004
My Trip
(Read Entry)
Expedition 10 Update
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)October 12, 2004
Who's Taking Genesis?
(Read Entry)
Political Rant
(Read Entry)
Personal Note
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Hey Joe!
(Read Entry)
To Ye Olde Moon!
(Read Entry)
Robot Surgery!
(Read Entry)
Basstronaut Update
(Read Entry)
Expedition 10 Update
(Read Entry)
Brak To The Future
(Read Entry)October 11, 2004
My Movie-Going Experience
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
500 Days
(Read Entry)
Ep. IV, Rev. 3
(Read Entry)
World Without A Superman
(Read Entry)
R.I.P.
(Read Entry)October 10, 2004
Today In History
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)October 09, 2004
Hotty Toddy!
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Picture Of The Day
(Read Entry)
What Might Have Been
(Read Entry)
MicroSorry
(Read Entry)
Apple v. Apple Update
(Read Entry)
My Fate Is In Your Hands
(Read Entry)October 08, 2004
I Can't Handle The Truth
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
X=?
(Read Entry)
Space Force
(Read Entry)
Oh, Please
(Read Entry)
More Wacky Apple Rumors
(Read Entry)
Where No Manga Has Gone Before
(Read Entry)
This Week At NE
(Read Entry)October 07, 2004
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Tech Transfer
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
The Race Card
(Read Entry)
Space Geeks
(Read Entry)
Four Wheel No Drive
(Read Entry)
Mac Accelerator
(Read Entry)October 06, 2004
FWIW
(Read Entry)
More Robot Dancing!
(Read Entry)
Button, Button
(Read Entry)
The Search For Blogpoints
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Who's An Astronaut
(Read Entry)
SpaceShipTwo
(Read Entry)October 05, 2004
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Regular Richie Feature
(Read Entry)
That's The Ticket!
(Read Entry)
Blogpoint Opportunity
(Read Entry)
New Poll
(Read Entry)October 04, 2004
Godspeed, Gordo
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
Congratulations Again!
(Read Entry)
Kerry's "Vision" For Space Exploration
(Read Entry)
Nearing The Horizon
(Read Entry)
Blue Moon II
(Read Entry)
Genesis Update
(Read Entry)
RTF Update
(Read Entry)
Trek Bits
(Read Entry)
New Life For An Old Mac
(Read Entry)
Here's To The Crazy Ones
(Read Entry)
Today Is Gonna Be The Day
(Read Entry)October 03, 2004
Eclectic Violin Music
(Read Entry)October 02, 2004
Yo!
(Read Entry)October 01, 2004
Personal Note
(Read Entry)
Daily Hatbag
(Read Entry)
This Week At NE
(Read Entry)
Today In History
(Read Entry)
KSC Damage Update
(Read Entry)
Spaceman's Best Friend
(Read Entry)
Wanna Work For NASA?
(Read Entry)
X Prize Update
(Read Entry)
What If The Moon Never Comes Back?
(Read Entry)
PC SE
(Read Entry)