Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Friday, June 30, 2023
Thursday, June 29, 2023
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Tuesday, June 27, 2023
Monday, June 26, 2023
Sunday, June 25, 2023
The House Appropriations Committee has released its planned spending levels for each of its subcommittees for the fiscal 2024 budget, according to Space Policy Online. The numbers are as bad as bad can be, at least from the point of view of NASA and the Artemis moon program.
Saturday, June 24, 2023
I warned Vlad, did I not?: What would Peter the Great say to Putin about space power?
Friday, June 23, 2023
Thursday, June 22, 2023
Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Tuesday, June 20, 2023
Monday, June 19, 2023
Also from the Motley Fool: SpaceX Just Made Space Cheaper for Everyone
Sunday, June 18, 2023
Reuters reports that NASA is urging Boeing and Northrop to commercialize the Space Launch System (SLS). On the surface, it’s a good strategy. The SLS is horrendously expensive to process and launch. If the monster rocket’s two main contractors can find other customers, the launch cost will decline. Cost cutting is an important consideration, thanks to the pressure on NASA’s budget because of the debt ceiling deal. The planned House Appropriations Committee 2024 spending levels could be devastating to the space agency.
Saturday, June 17, 2023
Friday, June 16, 2023
Thursday, June 15, 2023
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Monday, June 12, 2023
Sunday, June 11, 2023
While the SpaceX Crew Dragon has become the basis of a commercial space line, operating since May 2020, the other vehicle in the Commercial Crew Program, the Boeing Starliner, remains snake bit and on the ground. Ars Technica reports that another two technical glitches have delayed the first crewed mission of the Starliner indefinitely.
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Friday, June 09, 2023
Thursday, June 08, 2023
Wednesday, June 07, 2023
Tuesday, June 06, 2023
Sunday, June 04, 2023
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has made no secret of the fact that his lifelong ambition is to build a colony on Mars. “I would like to die on Mars, but not on impact,” he is quoted as saying. Everything he has done with his space launch company, including the Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, Starlink and especially Starship, has, as the ultimate goal, sending people to the Red Planet to start a new branch of human civilization.
NASA has its own Mars ambitions. NASA has suggested that the Artemis moon landings are a practice for the ultimate goal of sending humans to Mars. The space agency has also gotten serious about creating nuclear propulsion technology, which would shorten the time it takes to send people and cargo to Mars.