6 thoughts on “Conservative Commentary On Space Policy”

  1. Somebody should explain to Loren Grush at Popular Science that the external tank really wasn’t the expensive part of launching the shuttle.

    After a rocket blasts off, the first stage of the vehicle – which comprises the bulk of the rocket and contains most of the engines and fuel – burns up and falls away into the ocean, never to be used again. This rocket design is known as a disposable launch system, and it makes launching rockets extremely expensive. The only exception has been the Space Shuttle, which was considered a partially reusable launch system; although the shuttle itself and its solid rocket boosters were recovered after each launch, its large external tank, which carried most of the shuttle’s fuel, broke apart and was never re-used. This made launching shuttles quite costly, as well, since a new external tank had to be built for each flight.

    Otherwise a decent article on SpaceX’s upcoming recovery attempt.

  2. Rand,
    It has been clear to me for several years that neither Republicans nor Democrats are serious about space development nor manned exploration. Space just isn’t on their radar screens. That Rush and other leading conservative voices remain ignorant on this issue just reinforces IMO the lack of importance they attach to the issue other that to use it a a club to beat the political opposition when convenient and (like when the unsustainable VSE was proposed) silence when not convenient.
    It does amaze me that conservatives of all people are the FIRST to champion big government spending on things like the SLS “rocket to nowhere”. Where are their lauded principles? Why don’t they sit down and rationally discuss this with New Space proponents? Has graft gotten to the point that the waters will remain muddied forever?
    Dave

  3. Just a quibble – what is “OBS”? Did you mean to write “ODS” for Obama Derangement Syndrome? Or did I miss something?

    Did anybody ever make “Rocket Ship Galileo” into a movie? Loved that story when I was a kid. Seems to me that teaching children to dream about living in space needs to be a more strongly pursued goal.

    2. Did anybody ever make “Rocket Ship Galileo” into a movie?

      Yes, with very substantial changes. It was called “Destination Moon.”

      (Really a completely new story by the same author, but it was still billed as “from the novel…”).

  4. Rand, I don’t think it’s fair to say that we may have a better space policy because Obama “ignores” it. It was even better in the initial Administration draft – dumping all the Constellation “remnants” now overburdening the budget thanks to Congressional pork insistence.

    I for one wish this is one area where Obama had held fast. Instead the WH phoned Charlie Bolden to tell him to go along with Sen. Nelson’s “grand compromise.” Which is nothing but more decades of meal tickets for dr-k while the systems and technologies we really need are allowed to starve or be delayed ever further.

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