Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Monday, May 13, 2024
Sunday, May 12, 2024
On the face of it, it looks like America and its international and commercial allies should get back to the moon years before China, if everything turns out right, avoiding the embarrassment of being beaten in Moon Race 2.0.
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Friday, May 10, 2024
Thursday, May 09, 2024
Wednesday, May 08, 2024
Tuesday, May 07, 2024
Monday, May 06, 2024
Sunday, May 05, 2024
The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3), consisting of a CubeSat the size of a microwave oven and a solar sail, took off on board a Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Launch Complex I on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. After reaching 600 miles above the Earth, the ACS3 deployed its sail.
Saturday, May 04, 2024
Not all of China’s space efforts are focused on science or on exploration. There is a serious race to the Moon in a quest for mineral resources and China is sending us a message with this mission. Chang’e 6 will land in the resource-rich South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin. Specifically, China is targeting a crater called “Apollo” which is named in honor of America’s great lunar achievement. Apollo’s interior and adjacent craters are named for Apollo astronauts and memorialize deceased NASA employees including the lost crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Chang’e 6 will literally raise a communist Chinese flag there. The Chinese are extremely careful with protocol, any small slight is intentional.