Mars Science Lab Seems OK After Mishap
A bullet dodged? The next Mars rover, the Mars Science Lab, appears to be okay after last week’s mishap.
Year: 2011
NASA to abandon trapped rover Spirit
NASA has decided to abandon efforts to contact the rover Spirit, incommunicado for more than a year.
Kennedy’s Moon speech, May 25, 1961
An evening pause: Fifty years ago tomorrow, on May 25, 1961, John Kennedy spoke to Congress about the world situation and the war between freedom and tyranny. “We stand for freedom,” he began, and finished by committing the United States to sending a man to the Moon and bringing him back safely by the end of the decade.
The clip below shows the first five minutes of that speech. It makes it clear that Kennedy’s main point was not to send the United States to the stars, but to stake out our ground in the battle for freedom and democracy. I will write more about this tomorrow.
To see the whole speech, go to the following link at the Miller Center for Public Affairs.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress
Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress, both video and transcript.
If you want to watch or read a clear description of the real problems in the Middle East, you must watch or read this speech. It is all too rare in these sad days for political leaders to be so blunt.
NASA announces Orion program will continue
NASA announces that the Orion program will continue, though under a different name.
This is a non-announcement, made to appease those in Congress who are requiring NASA to build the program-formerly-called-Constellation. NASA will do as Congress demands, and in the process will build nothing while spending a lot of money for a rocket and space capsule that can’t be built for the amount budgeted.
Evidence mounts for liquid water on Enceladus
Evidence mounts for liquid water on Enceladus.
Mars Science Lab Hardware Damaged
Facing a launch window that ends December 18, the next rover mission to Mars was damaged last week upon arriving at the Kennedy Space Center.
Obama signed the guestbook at Westminister Abbey with the wrong year.
What the hell? In signing the guestbook at Westminster Abbey today, Obama dated his comments 24 May, 2008.
Republicans propose cutting 12 percent of FDA’s budget
The next budget negotiations have started, and so has the squealing: Republicans propose cutting 12 percent of FDA’s budget.
Note that this would give the FDA a budget of $2.2 billion in 2012, about the same as its 2008 budget. Hardly painful if you ask me.
“[Until] you see the whole thing, you don’t realize how cumbersome it is.”
Is it a blimp? Is it a plane? It’s both!
Video: Is it a blimp? Is it a plane? It’s both!
Gasoline Prices by County
There is a pattern here: Gasoline prices by county.
Another Soyuz upgrade in the works
Another Soyuz upgrade in the works.
Soyuz TMA-20 lands safely in Kazakhstan
Soyuz TMA-20 lands safely in Kazakhstan.
UK Skylon spaceplane passes key review
The United Kingdom’s Skylon spaceplane has passed a key European Space Agency review.
I’ve seen hundreds of these kinds of stories over the years. Skylon looks cool, and would be revolutionary if built. We shall see if it actually happens.
A hint at what the Soyuz images of the station and shuttle
A hint at what today’s images of the station and shuttle, taken from the Soyuz capsule, will look like.
Satellite monitoring of new Iceland volcano eruption
Satellite monitoring of the new Iceland volcano eruption.
More on the new Kepler results: Lots of multiple planet systems
More on the new Kepler results: Lots of multiple planet systems.
Peter, Paul, and Mary — I have a song to sing o
An evening pause: Peter, Paul, & Mary singing Arthur Sullivan’s “I have a song to sing o” in Australia.
Pawlenty calls for phasing out ethanol subsidies — in Iowa
Republican Presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty today called for phasing out ethanol subsidies — in Iowa.
We need more candidates like this, willing to say these kinds of things face-to-face with the very people who benefit from the funding.