Comments on: DISCOVERING “NEW HORIZONS”

By: Chad

Chad — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 15:22:29 +0000

Your site is very informative, interesting and a certain daily visit for critical weather information. Thank you.

By: Alan

Alan — Thu, 25 May 2006 15:54:39 +0000

Hello guys!
I like your site, great work.

By: Watcher of Weasels

Watcher of Weasels — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 07:55:55 +0000

The Council Has Spoken!

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By: Watcher of Weasels

Watcher of Weasels — Wed, 21 Dec 2005 06:39:51 +0000

Submitted for Your Approval

First off… any spambots reading this should immediately go here, here, here, and here. Die spambots, die! And now… here are all the links submitted by members of the Watcher’s Council for this week’s vote. Council li…

By: Michael L. Cook

Michael L. Cook — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 18:41:25 +0000

But seriously, NASA has to find a way to do manned exploration on a budget built for unmanned exploration. Why? Because the media will pay precious little attention to anything that doesn’t have a human interest angle, which manned missions automatically do.

NASA seems to have its heart set on upgrading the existing space shuttle. If you are a huge bureaucracy composed of people whose careers have been built on the existing shuttle, that is reassuring.

Were I George W. Bush, I wouldn’t talk about a Mars mission so much as I would work behind the scenes to direct money to the “space elevator” concept and “stepladder to space” concepts. The former uses advanced carbon filaments to literally run loads from sea level at the equator to large mass anchor objects in geostationary orbit. The latter generally uses winged, air-breathing high lift vehicles to carry or tow space vehicles to 40,000 feet or better for launch. The Rutan Ansari-prize winner was one of the latter, but there are much bigger and equally innovative concepts out there that promise dramatically lower launch cost-per-pound of payload.

Once we get this cost-per-pound barrier whittled down, then talk about manned Mars missions will be a lot harder to throw cold water on. Maybe even a few Democrats can be located who still believe that space is the final frontier.

By: Sly Robbie

Sly Robbie — Sat, 17 Dec 2005 07:49:40 +0000

I am hoping the next probe will go to the planet Earth and seek out signs of intelligent life at the DNC headquarters.

By: Michael L. Cook

Michael L. Cook — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 14:11:16 +0000

Allow me to propose an explanation for the perturbation of the orbits of Pluto and Charon. I believe that a massive dark moon must be the waltz partner of these two in the general relativity ball room.

I have decided to name this dean of as-yet-unseen moons “Howdizzy” after Dr. Howard Dean and the famous St. Louis baseball pitcher, Dizzy Dean, whose baritone version of “Wabash Cannonball” kept me entertained during many a baseball game during Dizzy’s memorable career as a commentator. Dr. Dean’s career is memorable in its own way (Eeeeee—ahhhh!)and I think that Howdizzy is a completely suitable memorial to two uniquely American characters.

By: Waidmann

Waidmann — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:58:21 +0000

I think part of what makes the general public unconcerned is the large contingent of fundamental Christians who steadfastly believe that the whole thing is a waste of time and money because the Bible tells us plainly that the universe is only 6,000+ years old. Any new insights into the formation of the universe are lies of Satan. (Unless, of course, the new insights confirm that the entire universe is only 6K+ years old.) Sad.

Waidmann

By: Maximus

Maximus — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 13:01:24 +0000

Thank you for this outstanding, informative post. It really gives some perspective on our place in the universe and the excitement of exploration.

By: JK_Taiwan

JK_Taiwan — Fri, 16 Dec 2005 04:17:29 +0000

I remember watching in awe Neal’s walk on the moon, the Applo 13 incident and asking my father what was the big deal about the temperture problem (I was living in Ill. where the wind chills were sub zero), the first shuttle flight, and lastly the amazement that we were able to correct and reload the software on the Mars probe. Absolutely incredible. As Kinder writes above about the BB gun analogy.. unreal.

Also let me say that you are a daily must read because of writting like this.