Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Monday, September 30, 2019
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Friday, September 27, 2019
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently paid a visit to the White House and was treated to a full state dinner with all the trimmings. At the same time, the Australian Space Agency and NASA signed an agreement that makes Australia the latest member of the international coalition to return to the moon and then go to Mars.
Thursday, September 26, 2019
For All Mankind — Official Trailer | Apple TV+
Does the president know we don't have any female astronauts?
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
What if climate change could be fixed without destroying the fossil fuel industry, and without putting the coal miners and natural gas frackers on the street? It turns out we can address carbon dioxide emissions without taking away their livelihoods or spending trillions of dollars.
Monday, September 23, 2019
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Friday, September 20, 2019
NASA and, more specifically, the Artemis return-to-the-moon program, has not yet become a partisan political issue for the 2020 presidential election. That might change if Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) becomes the Democratic nominee.
For those people who care about the Artemis program’s potential — to benefit the United States and the world — a Sanders presidency would be a gut punch.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
The Chinese government is investing heavily in reaching the moon and exploiting its resources under the belief that the benefits will enhance the strength of the Chinese state. The lunar effort would ensure that Beijing has the “Mandate of Heaven.”
However, thanks to Donald Trump, NASA’s return-to-the-moon program may just be enough to confound the effort and overturn that mandate.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Monday, September 16, 2019
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Saturday, September 14, 2019
Friday, September 13, 2019
The day that India’s Chandrayaan-2 Vikram lunar lander made its final approach for a landing on the lunar South Pole began with such promise. Everything was going nominally up until the Vikram, was about two kilometers above the lunar surface. At that point, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) Mission Operations Center lost contact with the spacecraft. ISRO scientists assumed that the Vikram had crashed.
Thursday, September 12, 2019
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
9/11 Timeline: The Attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City | ...
The second day of infamy.
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Monday, September 09, 2019
Sunday, September 08, 2019
Saturday, September 07, 2019
Friday, September 06, 2019
Recently, SpaceX launched a vehicle it calls the Starhopper, which resembled nothing less than a giant water tank, in the skies over Texas. The test vehicle rose to a height of 150 meters with a single methane-burning Raptor engine, translated about 100 meters, then touched down with pinpoint accuracy on a landing pad. The flight took less than a minute, but it might well have history-changing implications.