Category Archives: Space

Suboptimal space program – NASA reverts to “English” units

Posted on May 29, 2009 by Eric

Is my calendar malfunctioning?  It says May 29, but surely today must be April Fools Day.  NASA just issued a draft of a Constellation Program Management Directive which will establish “English” (imperial) units as the controlling units for nearly everything, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog/website/news comments, Space, The Suboptimal Way | 1 Comment

Classified shuttle missions

Posted on August 16, 2007 by Eric

Ever wonder what was really going on with those classified shuttle missions?  Now, thanks to This Day in Alternate History, we finally know!

Posted in Humor, Space | Leave a comment

Accident kills three Scaled Composites workers, injures three

Posted on July 27, 2007 by Eric

The Los Angeles Times reports that an explosion at the Mojave airport killed three workers and injured three others, during a test of the propellant flow system for SpaceShipTwo. In 2004, SpaceShipOne became the first privately funded manned spacecraft, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog/website/news comments, In memoriam, Space | Leave a comment

R.I.P. Wally Schirra, astronaut, 12 March 1923—3 May 2007

Posted on May 4, 2007 by Eric

Wally Schirra flew on the Mercury 8, Gemini 6A, and Apollo 7 missions.

Posted in In memoriam, Space | Leave a comment

Gravity Probe B confirms geodetic effect to within 1%

Posted on April 16, 2007 by Eric

The preliminary results from Gravity Probe B confirm the geodetic effect predicted by Einstein’s theory of general relativity to within 1%. Data analysis will continue through December, and is expected to test another effect predicted by general relativity as well, … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog/website/news comments, Space | Leave a comment

Lisa Nowak is now an ex-astronaut

Posted on March 7, 2007 by Eric

NASA asked the U.S. Navy to end Nowak’s detail to NASA as an astronaut “because the agency lacks the administrative means to deal appropriately with the criminal charges pending against Nowak. Because Nowak is a naval officer on assignment to … Continue reading →

Posted in Space | Leave a comment

Wacko (ex-)astronaut Lisa Nowak

Posted on February 13, 2007 by Eric

Maybe she just didn’t think being an astronaut got her enough fame.  If so, she’s got her fifteen minutes now.

Posted in Blog/website/news comments, Space | Leave a comment

Taking NASA TV mainstream, and funding a Mars mission

Posted on February 6, 2007 by Eric

People do crazy things for love, and apparently NASA astronauts are no exception. On a mailing list, a friend wrote “We’ll never get to Mars at this rate.” Actually I think we can fund the Mars mission(s) via advertising by … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog/website/news comments, Space, Television | Leave a comment

Do as we say, not as we do

Posted on January 19, 2007 by Eric

The Bush administration is opposing China’s development of “satellite killer” technology.  However, the US is known to be developing and testing such technology, and has rejected international calls to end such testing.

Posted in Legal & Political, Space | Leave a comment

Godspeed, Discovery!

Posted on June 30, 2006 by Eric

Space Shuttle Discovery is scheduled for launch tomorrow at 3:49 PM EDT, though there is a 60% chance that the weather may force a delay. Update: the Saturday launch was scrubbed and rescheduled for today, and today it has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog/website/news comments, Space | Leave a comment