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Category Archives: Space Science
Kamala Harris
Failed space “czar.”
Not that it in any way distinguishes her from her other failures. But FWIW, I hate the word “czar” as a title for anyone in an American government. There is no constitutional authority for “czars.”
Where No Woman Has Gone Before
It looks like Polaris Dawn is finally about to launch.
Everyone has noted that this will be the highest-altitude flight since Apollo, but all of the Apollo astronauts were men. Menon and Gillis will hold the altitude record for women after this, until a woman goes to the moon (which may or not be on Artemis, given the ongoing boondoggle).
Lord help us, the new cost estimate of NASA’s Mobile Launcher-2 project is now a mind-boggling $2.7 billion.https://t.co/KE7WZEtcQ5
— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) August 27, 2024
[Update a while later]
Bob Zimmerman has thoughts on the latest SLS fiasco.
[Wednesday-afternoon update]
I weep when I consider what *actual useful* space hardware we could have for $2.7B. https://t.co/USS3NwXBFx
— Rand Simberg (@Simberg_Space) August 27, 2024
The “Crisis In Cosmology”
The Webb telescope may have solved it.
I think it was actually more interesting when it was a clear disparity, because that might have been an opportunity to learn some new physics (and new physics will be required if we’re to venture beyond the solar system).
Hubble Trouble
An interesting article (from NPR!) about the internal controversy at NASA over a private rescue mission. No doubt there is some politics in play within the astronaut office.
Is Pluto A Planet?
The debate rages on.
[Via Phil Metzger, who has significantly contributed to the debate]
Aliens
If they’re artificially intelligent, they may be stranger than we think.
One Revolution Per Minute
Water On The Moon
There may be less than previously thought.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that there isn’t enough to be very useful. After all, we used to think there was none at all.
The Deep Space Network
…is in deep kimchi.
I always thought it was stupid to put up cubesats on SLS. That had to be a political decision.