Curmudgeons Corner
Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Sunday, December 08, 2024
Recently, NASA selected the SpaceX Falcon Heavy to launch the Dragonfly aerial probe to Titan, Saturn’s largest moon.
The selection constitutes another win for Elon Musk’s launch company. It also proves SpaceX’s growing contribution to NASA’s planetary science-oriented missions to destinations such as Europa, a moon of Jupiter (launched in October) and to 16 Psyche, a metal-rich asteroid (launched in 2023).
Brought across to undeath in the 15th Century, the Contessa Gabriella Doria has walked the night, feeding on the blood of the living. However, on occasion, she had faced foes far more formidable and certainly more evil than a vampire.
Saturday, December 07, 2024
From Book 1: July, 1969, the crew of Apollo 11 has triumphantly returned to Earth. In this alternate history thriller, President Richard Nixon puts into a motion a scheme to ramp up the space race to pressure the Soviets into making diplomatic and military concessions. Thus begins a story of high adventure on the final frontier and of low intrigue in the corridors of power back on Earth. It will prove to be the fulfillment of a dream for Wendy Pendleton to be the first woman to walk on the moon. It will be a nightmare for Cal Lauren, a political operative determined to stop the space race at all costs to fund the social programs he holds dear.
Children of Apollo: The Space Race Gambit continues with Children of Apollo: The Hard Road to the Stars and concludes with Children of Apollo: The First Woman on the Moon
Friday, December 06, 2024
I'm going to be on The Space Show podcast later today at 2 pm EST, 1 pm CST. Whatever shall we talk about?
My space policy books: Why is it So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
Why is America Going Back to the Moon(How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
A Brother on the Moon (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 1) #CommissionEarned
Patton in Palestine (Stories of Alternate History by Mark R. Whittington Book 2) #CommissionEarned
Thursday, December 05, 2024
Wednesday, December 04, 2024
From Scott Pace: “Excellent choice. He has the technical, management, and business skills NASA needs, plus personal spaceflight experience. He’s walked the walk. Not just talked about space.”
From Jim Bridenstine: “Jared Isaacman will be an outstanding NASA Administrator and leader of the NASA family. Jared’s vision for pushing boundaries, paired with his proven track record of success in private industry, positions him as an ideal candidate to lead NASA into a bold new era of exploration and discovery. I urge the Senate to swiftly confirm him.”
Tuesday, December 03, 2024
Monday, December 02, 2024
Sunday, December 01, 2024
Having survived World War II and returned to America, General George S. Patton is given a new assignment by President Harry Truman. He is to travel to the British Mandate of Palestine, where a bloody war is brewing between Jews and Arabs, and give his evaluation to the President. But Patton's tendency to exceed his orders may prove a problem for the United States government. Moreover, a dark secret from his past will threaten to derail his mission entirely.
A stunning work of alternate history that places one of the 20th Century's greatest soldiers in the midst of the founding of the State of Israel.
NASA is in need of new leadership and guidance lest a bedrock of its programs, the increasing reliance on the commercial sector to accomplish tasks in a timely and cost-effective manner, including the Artemis program, fail.