From Linda Hickam: "Homer’s Pathology report just in: Stage 2 colon cancer but Lymph nodes look clear. The cancer had penetrated the wall but apparently and hopefully not through. Dr Spindler will refer him to an oncologist for study of the report to see if further treatment such as radiation & chemo is needed. Overall, good news! He still has some pain but it is getting better every day. We are relieved where we are at this point. And it’s our anniversary!"
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

RIP Terri Garr Famous for Young Frankenstein, Close Encounters, Tootsie, and the classic Trek episode Assignment Earth
Apparently Bridenstine is out and Maria Zuber is in as head of the Mars Sample Return team. Time commitments apparently. Without Jim Bridenstine, what’s next for NASA and its Mars Sample team?
The SpaceX Advantage That Rivals Are Trying to Emulate
The Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Two Tales from the Coming Space Age #CommissionEarned
Why is it So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarneed

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Can Jim Bridenstine rescue NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission?

Ever since resigning from his post as NASA administrator, Jim Bridenstine has been working as a consultant and occasional public speaker in his beloved Tulsa, Okla. He has not made a lot of news.

That all changed when NASA appointed Bridenstine to chair a Mars Sample Return strategy review team. The team will assess the various proposals to return geologic samples from Mars for study on Earth.

The Gabriella Doria Stories (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned

Thursday, October 24, 2024

A half-pound of this yellow powder can capture as much CO2 as a tree in a year. Is this the secret weapon against climate change we’ve all been waiting for?
Going Beyond: The Space Exploration Initiative and the Challenges of Organizational Change at NASA
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

For all of those who are inclined, offer a prayer for Homer Hickam. He is going under the knife soon to deal with a reoccurance of colon cancer. It's a serious disease for anyone, especially for someone of his advanced age. He is the author of such books as Rocket Boys and Don't Blow Yourself Up. I am also pleased to call him a friend. May his surgeon's hand be straight, steady and true.
The Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Two Tales from the Coming Space Age
Why is it So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
The ‘Fascist’ Meme Returns: Why the public isn’t buying this Democratic claim about Trump.
How SpaceX caught a rocket in midair and launched the Europa Clipper

In the early morning hours of Oct. 13, SpaceX launched another Starship test, the fifth so far.

The launch, like previous ones, was impressive enough. But the Superheavy first stage, descending after being separated from the Starship second stage, and then being plucked out of the air by the Mechazilla arms back at the launch pad, was a whole new level of impressive. They did it successfully on the first try.

The Gabriella Doria Stories (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned

Thursday, October 17, 2024

Jim Bridenstine has been recalled to the colors --- sort of.
Her Majesty's Spymaster: Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the Birth of Modern Espionage #CommissionEarned
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
JD Vance on the capture of the Superheavy and the promise of a new space age. "I believe the destiny of this country is to conquer the stars. Whatever your views of Elon's politics, this is something that should inspire all of us."
The Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Two Tales from the Coming Space Age #CommissionEarned
Why is it So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
Which commercial explorer will be the next to land on the moon?

Amid an important election, natural disasters and wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, the exploration of the moon is proceeding apace. Three companies — two of them American and associated with NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Systems program, and one Japanese — are preparing to land on the lunar surface within the next few months. “

The Gabriella Doria Stories (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
The Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Two Tales from the Coming Space Age #CommissionEarned
Why is it So Hard to Go Back to the Moon? (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned

Sunday, October 06, 2024

Could SpaceX and Elon Musk get people on Mars by 2028?

Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, recently boasted that he will land five uncrewed Starship rockets on the surface of Mars in 2026. If all of those landing attempts are successful, he intends to follow up with the first crewed expedition to Mars by 2028.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed the plan, urging Musk to get people on Mars by the end of his prospective second term. And why not? The sight of human beings walking on the Red Planet would be a tremendous capstone on one of the most unusual and controversial political careers in history.

The Gabriella Doria Stories (3 book series) #CommissionEarned

Saturday, October 05, 2024

Children of Apollo (3 book series) #CommissionEarned
Polostan: A thrilling historical epic from #1 New Yortk Times bestselling author Neal Stephenson, perfect for fans of historical fiction and espionage thrillers. (Bomb Light, 1) #CommissionEarned
Israel should hit Iran where it hurts Choking its oil revenue could topple the regime
Why is America Going Back to the Moon (How America went to the moon, stopped, and is returning again) #CommissionEarned
The Moon, Mars, and Beyond: Two Tales from the Coming Space Age #CommissionEarned