Eli Dourado linked to this old Pop Mechanics piece I wrote over thirteen years ago that holds up pretty well.
Category Archives: Space
The latest NASA Rumors
Eric Berger describes potential changes in policy in a Trump administration. Not sure why they would consolidate Goddard and Ames in Huntsville. This would also make it inconvenient for Goddard to work with APL at Johns Hopkins.
Orion Anniversary
It’s hard to believe that it’s been a decade since it flew on Delta IV.
Where does the time go?
Space Infrastructure Thoughts
Bob Zimmerman says the the emphasis should be on doing the Moon best, not on doing it first. I think we could do both, if we can end our risk aversion.
Well, That’s…Different
President-elect Trump has nominated Shift4 founder and SpaceX astronaut Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) as the next NASA Administrator. pic.twitter.com/r3ibIFzcWa
— A. Pettit (@PettitFrontier) December 4, 2024
[Update a few minutes later[
Thoughts from Bob Zimmerman.
[Tuesday update]
Peter Hague wishes him luck, but fears that he won’t be able to shift the agency trajectory.
[Bumped]
The Fate We Avoided
From Marc Andreeson.
A glimpse into @pmarca’s alternate timeline that we barely avoided
— Shaun Maguire (@shaunmmaguire) December 11, 2024
pic.twitter.com/UH9WBlO1z6
BTW, I’m in DC this week at events, so posting will be light.
Rip Van Griffin
The former NASA administrator is the gift that keeps on giving, if you’re into flaming piles of dog poop.
Former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin recently released an updated version of his dual-launch Artemis plan to get humans to the Moon. It relies on two SLS Block II launches and a lander that doesn't exist.https://t.co/O1YPM97jnI
— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) December 9, 2024
The Gundo
I’ve lived here for over four decades, but I hadn’t noticed that it’s apparently become a major new tech hub, with a new nickname, despite the hostile California business environment. El Segundo itself is too small to contain all of the new innovation, so it’s spilling over into Hawthorne, Torrance, and even down to Long Beach. But it seems emblematic that SpaceX started here, over two decades ago, before they outgrew it.
[Update a while later]
Sort of related: How American entrepreneurs can keep us ahead of China in space. General Kwast told me a few years ago that he keeps a copy of my book on his desk.
[Noon update]
Another story about El Segundo.
The New Space Era
A non-space publication is noticing the implications of the election for space policy.
[Afternoon update]
Artemis has slipped the schedule again (no surprise), and SLS is looking like it’s in serious trouble.
Moving Space Command to Huntsville in exchange for killing SLS looks like the art of the deal.
[Friday-morning update]
Why Orion’s heat shield offers an opportunity for Isaacman to cancel the entire mess.
[Bumped]
Light Posting
I’m posting this from a Quality Inn in Gallup, NM. We’re on our way to Golden, CO for Thanksgiving. I may post more on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, though, here are some space policy suggestions for the incoming administration from Jeff Greason.
— Jeff Greason (@JeffGreason) November 23, 2024