Rising Hegemon
As the 30-year old Space Shuttle program comes to an end, CNN asks in a story "What have we learned?"
Well, a few things:
1. There's no such thing as an inexpensive reusable space vehicle when it is required to use a launch method that has advanced, but isn't theoretically different from technology that is 70-years old.
2. A launch assist from the same launch technology used by Estes Rockets has been responsible for more deaths to space explorers than any other method of design.
3. Once the cold-war ended, there was no interest in making an effort to reduce the cost of space flight, nor to make it more accessible on a practical level. Other than by eccentric british billionaires.
4. After 30 years of Shuttle flights, and the placement of the greatest scientific instruments in all history, there are more morons claiming there wasn't evolution, climate change, or any number of scientifically established facts than ever.
6 comments:
“Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.” -- Roger Ailes
Science is too good for them. Happy May Day to the rest of us.
Point 3 reveals that the real reasons behind the drive to manned space flight were military, not scientific (which is not to belittle the amazing scientific breakthroughs the space program spawned). From a scientific perspective, I do not think that manned space flight serves much useful purpose barring significant technological advances in design for spacecraft.
Estes Rocket? That brings back memories. Back in 6th grade, me and a friend though we started a fire after launching one from our backyard. Luckily it was just a coincidence but we went to the park from then on.
Spot on comparison, though.
Basic problem with the Newtonian mechanics and technology, we can't get anywhere from here. Everywhere else is just too far. There has to be a revolution in physics for space travel to be practical on any level practical.
Send out the robots and listen.
Hmm. The Hubble telescope peers into space, picking up light that's eleven billion years old, but, when Jerry Falwell says the universe is 6000 years old and God put the whole thing together in six days, tens of millions of people say, "Amen!."
I think I know who ought to get "left behind."
bout time they upgraded the space pinto.
I worked at Kennedy Space Center at the time of the first Hubble rescue mission. It was considered a great success. Here is what they won't tell you.
They could have built 3 Hubble space telescopes, launched two with conventional rockets into higher orbits where the would be more effective, and had the third as a spare for the cost of JUST the rescue mission.
Sadly, NASA has become a federal jobs program for well connected congressmen and senators.
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