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As I noted in July, the support of my readers through the years has given me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.

 

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SpaceX successfully launches a previously flown first stage

3:36 pm

The competition heats up: SpaceX has successfully launched a commercial satellite using a previously flown first stage.

Even more important, they landed that first stage on a barge, and can even consider using it again!

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

10 comments

10 comments

  • jburn
    March 30, 2017 at 3:44 pm

    Wow! Incredible….

  • Des
    March 30, 2017 at 3:44 pm

    Fantastic job by the great team at Spacex. They have proven all the many doubters wrong.

  • Robert Pratt
    March 30, 2017 at 4:04 pm

    Capitalism in Space baby!!!!

  • Alex
    March 30, 2017 at 10:39 pm

    Please, no repainted first stage next time.

  • pzatchok
    March 30, 2017 at 11:02 pm

    This is a sad sad day for American Space.

    We have been reduced to using a USED first stage. We can not even afford new rockets anymore.

    I hope this doesn’t make the world news. This is SOO embarrassing. What will the other nations think of us?

    Just imagine all the good union jobs lost because we couldn’t use a new rocket. I think we need a law forcing everyone to use new rockets for all launches inside the US and make sure they use only union labor for all the work. In order to keep all those launch companies in the US we should offer them subsidies. Enough to make it worth their while to stay.
    It will save the US money, jobs and bring in more taxes.

    Or we could just loudly chant USA USA USA and say screw it to all the other jealous nations of the world.

  • Commodude
    March 31, 2017 at 4:41 am

    D.D. Harriman lives.

  • wayne
    March 31, 2017 at 6:34 am

    pzatchok–
    Good stuff.
    Just think of the children….if we could save just one, it would be all worth it…

    First World Problems
    https://youtu.be/vN2WzQzxuoA
    (1:56)

  • Gealon
    March 31, 2017 at 8:57 am

    Was tense watching it last night when the video on the barge cut out. But the people erupting into cheers a few moments later told me everything was golden even before the feed came back. I wonder now if SpaceX will indeed start naming their boosters in the future.

  • ken anthony
    March 31, 2017 at 10:19 am

    I wonder if used rocket salesmen will wear cheap suits? …in the twilight zone!

  • Michael
    March 31, 2017 at 1:40 pm

    Commodude – agreed …. unfortunately so does Nehemiah Scudder

    pzatchok – great observation … thought occurs to me that we should tax all rockets that are reused because of the lost jobs

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