Random thoughts on politics, current events, popular culture, and whatever else interests me.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Saturday, June 29, 2019
Friday, June 28, 2019
A new poll shows that more Americans think detecting asteroids headed for Earth is our top priority in space, rather than sending American astronauts to the moon and Mars. However, the real results of the poll would seem to be that Americans tend to be ill-informed about space.
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
President Trump has a fixation on going to Mars. That’s misguided and problematic for several reasons. NASA is going to the moon in the near term, not Mars. Trump, first in a tweet and then in a line at a political rally, seemed to suggest otherwise, spreading confusion and consternation.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Monday, June 24, 2019
Sunday, June 23, 2019
Saturday, June 22, 2019
Friday, June 21, 2019
India is making a play to become a major space power © Getty Images India has started to make decisions that will make that country a major space power. The south Asian country is responding to China’s progress in space. It has not only set the date for the launch of its next moon mission; it has also decided that it needs its own independent space station.
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and Amazon and Blue Origin CEO Jeff Bezos have two different visions for a space future. Musk wants to colonize Mars. Bezos wants to construct free-flying space settlements.
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
Monday, June 17, 2019
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Going back to the moon for science
Returning to the moon for rocket fuel and clean energy
Returning to the moon to gain soft political power
And do not forget my analysis of the politics and history behind going back to the moon: Why is it So Hard to Go Back to the Moon?
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Friday, June 14, 2019
NASA has announced a plan to start commercializing the International Space Station. The plan will eventually lead to the development of commercial space stations that will take over low Earth orbit operations once the ISS is decommissioned. That will happen in 2028 or 2030, depending on what Congress decides.
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Wednesday, June 12, 2019
Texas. Sen Ted Cruz has a bipartisan new plan to preserve the Apollo moon landing sites. If Congress wants to preserve a key piece of history, members should act swiftly to approve it.
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Monday, June 10, 2019
Sunday, June 09, 2019
Saturday, June 08, 2019
Friday, June 07, 2019
Thursday, June 06, 2019
It could be a delicious development if Project Artemis, the new attempt to return to the moon, would be the instrument of healing the wound that Obama inflicted on NASA and forging a new bipartisan consensus to take America and the rest of the world into deep space. Bridenstine’s reaching out to Nelson is a step in that direction, a small step, but one that could lead to many giant leaps.