13 thoughts on “Another Dumb Space Article”

1. Last time I saw plans for landing people on Mars by 2024 was circa 2010. Most people involved in such stuff know that it takes about 12 years of planning even with known hardware to get there, because closest approach (distance between Mars and Earth being closest) is about every 12 years. There is variance, but not less than a decade, and certainly not within a Presidential term.

2. Fortunately SpaceX has inoculated me from the horrid effects of that recessive space exploration gene and its Socialist tendencies that’s part of my USA DNA.

3. I wonder where this persistent story of FAA/AST “cancelling” a Starship flight came from. The only preemptive action the office can take is to either withhold or revoke a launch license or permit. Such a thing would be a matter of public record, and I haven’t seen it.

   The office always has at least two inspectors on site for any licensed or permitted flight. They do not, however, have the power or authority to say “no” to a launch. They’re just there to see whether the licensee lives up to the terms of the license. Any enforcement action (and there’s only been one, many, many years ago) is taken after the fact.

   Even if someone was brazen enough to launch without a license or permit, FAA/AST couldn’t stop them. It could only take enforcement action, after the fact. While that action would likely be very serious, it could be fought (and perhaps defeated) with the right political pressure.

4. The article has been updated to say it meant “return to the Moon by 2024”, not “get to Mars by 2024”.

   1. Don’t you hate it when you accidentally land on the wrong celestial body because you only just glanced at the mission plan?

      1. Who has the time? By the time you get all the stuff loaded, the kids suited up, check all the propellants and lubricants, all in a rush because you are behind schedule and then after lift-off, 10 minutes into the mission your wife turns to you and asks “Where are you going?”

      2. As when, in “Pirates of Venus,” Carson Napier sets out for Mars, but forgets to account for the existence of the Moon on his trajectory. Oopsie. Well, at least Duare didn’t lay eggs like Dejah Thoris…

5. “and the FAA didn’t cancel the SpaceX test.”

   OK, I’ll bite. Who cancelled the test? All the space nerd stuff I was reading/watching said the FAA wouldn’t let them do the test.

   1. FAA may have caused the test to be delayed, but not canceled.

   2. No one canceled the test. It flew last Wednesday.

      1. Right, but wasn’t in cancelled a day or two before?

         1. No, it was postponed.

            1. Cancelled for the day and postponed for later is the exact same thing.

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