Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Monday, March 11, 2019
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Friday, March 08, 2019
When the SpaceX crewed Dragon — sans crew except for a test dummy named Ripley — lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center and then docked with the International Space Station, many hailed the mission as the start of a new age of commercial spaceflight. The pronouncements were a little premature. As of this writing, the Dragon still must undock from the ISS and then splashdown successfully, having returned to Earth. Then the SpaceX spacecraft must undergo a launch abort test. No earlier than July, the Dragon will fly again, this time with a crew of astronauts. Only after the successful completion of these tests will people ride to and from the ISS onboard Elon Musk’s modern, high-tech space capsule.
SpaceX Crew Dragon Splashes Down in Atlantic to Cap Historic Test Flight
Thursday, March 07, 2019
Wednesday, March 06, 2019
Tuesday, March 05, 2019
Fortunately, recent reports indicate both the Europa Clipper and the Europa Lander are safe for now. The latest NASA spending bill funded the Europa Clipper, now scheduled to launch in 2023, for $280 million. It funded the Europa Lander, due to depart Earth in 2025, for $195 million. Wherever Culberson is spending his forced retirement, he at least has the satisfaction that the exploration of Europa, which may contain life in a warm-water ocean thought to reside under its icy surface, will continue.
Monday, March 04, 2019
Sunday, March 03, 2019
Saturday, March 02, 2019
Friday, March 01, 2019
Still, the politics of establishing a Space Force are iffy and not necessarily shaped by rational judgment. Democrats may not be as motivated to support a new branch of the military because it is something President Trump wants. The issue may well be fought over in the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
Tucked into the recent spending bill that was passed by Congress is a line item for $100 million for NASA to develop nuclear thermal rocket engines, according to a recent article in Space News. The space agency has dabbled in nuclear rockets off and on since the early 1960s. However, NASA plans to conduct a flight demonstration by 2024 is new.