Remember the Mars Rover's. I'll be t you don't right away. They've been up of Mars exploring, and taking amazing pictured for over 6 years. Check it out:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mer/news/mer20100519.html
The wonder of it is, there was fear at first that the rovers wouldn't work at all. But Spirit and Opportunity overcame early glitches, and have been working hard for us years past their expected life of 90 days.
Imagine if our gadgets here on Earth lasted 24 times as long as expected. No more disposable technology. No more DVD players that crap out after a year, or cell phones that die just before your contract is up.
If could happen, if we manufactured things to last. We don't. We let the lowest bidder manufacture our goods. We let the lowest bidder support our technology. We let the lowest bidder do way too much.
That works out well if you are in the Chinese ruling class, or a Wal-Mart executive. Not so much if you are a consumer, or out of work american who trained as an IT professional, or manufacturing engineer.
Meanwhile, Spirit and Opportunity, those aptly named gadgets, manufactured by NASA engineers, keeps on truckin. The space shuttles, designed in the late 1960's, first launched in the 1980's could keep flying for another decade if we'd let them.
Spirit and Opportunity, what names. What we could learn if we just stayed focused on a goal. The opportunities lie there, waiting for us. We have the spirit, we always have. Mankind has always looked to the stars. We just lack leaders with the vision to see it through.
It's time to Boldly Go.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Farewell Atlantis
The final mission for Space Shuttle Atlantis. This would not be so sad, the retirement of the shuttle fleet, if we had something new on the horizon. Something to get excited about.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/05/14/vo.atlantis.shuttle.launch.cnn?hpt=Sbin
Sadly, our next great opportunity in space has been stolen from us by short sighted politicians, who'd rather spend the money to build high speed train from LA to Vegas for a prominent senator. Little projects to give a few people a little work for a few months to build some politician's pet project.
Instead of devoting resources to a national goal which will create new jobs for decades to come, new technologies, which will ultimately better all mankind.
No, why would we want to spend taxpayer money on the things hope and dreams are made of. there's your Audacity of Hope.
No lottery win yet. Maybe next week.
It's long past time, to Boldly Go!
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/05/14/vo.atlantis.shuttle.launch.cnn?hpt=Sbin
Sadly, our next great opportunity in space has been stolen from us by short sighted politicians, who'd rather spend the money to build high speed train from LA to Vegas for a prominent senator. Little projects to give a few people a little work for a few months to build some politician's pet project.
Instead of devoting resources to a national goal which will create new jobs for decades to come, new technologies, which will ultimately better all mankind.
No, why would we want to spend taxpayer money on the things hope and dreams are made of. there's your Audacity of Hope.
No lottery win yet. Maybe next week.
It's long past time, to Boldly Go!
Friday, May 14, 2010
What would you do with $100 million?
I know what I'd do.
It's a 20 year plan really. I figure it would take 20 years to amass the wealth required to get this done. We're talking Bill Gates & Oprah kind of money.
I'd invest in numerous grass roots based businesses with an intent to maximize the return on investment, and better communities by creating jobs. Use the proceeds to hire the best and brightest engineers coming out of MIT, or wherever. Consult with NASA veterans. Partner with captains of industry, and real leaders of men. Not politicians.
Forget the government. They don't have the guts to do what needs to be done. There are enough folks out there with the same passion and vision.
There is one goal, to better all mankind. To Boldly Go!
Now I just need to buy a lottery ticket. Lend me a buck?
Who's with me?
It's a 20 year plan really. I figure it would take 20 years to amass the wealth required to get this done. We're talking Bill Gates & Oprah kind of money.
I'd invest in numerous grass roots based businesses with an intent to maximize the return on investment, and better communities by creating jobs. Use the proceeds to hire the best and brightest engineers coming out of MIT, or wherever. Consult with NASA veterans. Partner with captains of industry, and real leaders of men. Not politicians.
Forget the government. They don't have the guts to do what needs to be done. There are enough folks out there with the same passion and vision.
There is one goal, to better all mankind. To Boldly Go!
Now I just need to buy a lottery ticket. Lend me a buck?
Who's with me?
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Umanned Air Force Space drone
Not quite manned spaceflight, and probably just for spying, but at least we're developing something: http://www.space.com/common/media/video/player.php?videoRef=SP_100423_x-37-nasa-boeing
Well now we've done it. Broke the planet.
The oil spill in the gulf is pretty bad. Probably the worst ever.
Hell, the planet is leaking. That's pretty bad.
What's this have to do with space exploration you ask?
We've been relying on 100 year old internal combustion technology to get around on our world for too long. Sure, we've tweaked it and made it more efficient. But Americans are too stubborn to drill for oil where we should. We're dependent on drilling in the hard places, where it isn't so easy to fix things when they break -- or blow up. We rely on fuel from people who don't like us very much - but like our money.
The technologies to replace this aren't there yet. Alternative fuels such as corn based aren't perfected - maybe never will be. Hybrids are crazy expensive, and still reliant on petroleum. Straight electric needs to be better. Hydrogen is a still a fantasy.
Why? Very simple -- we lost our focus in the 1970's. I remember as a kid hearing about 'Space Age materials' and thinking 'Wow, that's gotta be awesome.' It was, way back then. Now those materials aren't space age anymore, they are the norm.
Where are the new 'Space age materials'? There are none. We've quit exploring, quit inventing. The men who had ideas to develop 30 years ago are gone. Now we have to re-invent the wheel.
Well we had better get to it quickly. New innovations are long overdue.
It's time to Boldly Go!
Hell, the planet is leaking. That's pretty bad.
What's this have to do with space exploration you ask?
We've been relying on 100 year old internal combustion technology to get around on our world for too long. Sure, we've tweaked it and made it more efficient. But Americans are too stubborn to drill for oil where we should. We're dependent on drilling in the hard places, where it isn't so easy to fix things when they break -- or blow up. We rely on fuel from people who don't like us very much - but like our money.
The technologies to replace this aren't there yet. Alternative fuels such as corn based aren't perfected - maybe never will be. Hybrids are crazy expensive, and still reliant on petroleum. Straight electric needs to be better. Hydrogen is a still a fantasy.
Why? Very simple -- we lost our focus in the 1970's. I remember as a kid hearing about 'Space Age materials' and thinking 'Wow, that's gotta be awesome.' It was, way back then. Now those materials aren't space age anymore, they are the norm.
Where are the new 'Space age materials'? There are none. We've quit exploring, quit inventing. The men who had ideas to develop 30 years ago are gone. Now we have to re-invent the wheel.
Well we had better get to it quickly. New innovations are long overdue.
It's time to Boldly Go!
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