Scroll down to read this post.

 

Readers!

 

The time has come for my annual short Thanksgiving/Christmas fund drive for Behind The Black. I must do this every year in order to make sure I have earned enough money to pay my bills.

 

For this two-week campaign, I am offering a special deal to encourage donations. Donations of $200 will get a free autographed copy of the new paperback edition of Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, while donations of $250 will get a free autographed copy of the new hardback edition. If you desire a copy, make sure you provide me your address with your donation.

 

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.

 

In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.

 

Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.

 

Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:

 

1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.

 

2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
 

3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:

 

4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
 
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652

 

You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.


Blue Origin releases video from inside capsule

Cool movie time! Blue Origin has released a video taken from inside this week’s test flight of its New Shepard capsule, showing the entire flight.

The link provides some information about some of the experiments the capsule also carried. I have embedded the video below the fold. Definitely worth watching.

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

7 comments

  • Edward

    Fascinating. I believe that this is the first time I have heard the inside of a spacecraft during launch. We have all heard voices from astronauts before, but they are wearing helmets and the interior sounds are muffled at best and possibly attenuated. It looks like, New Shepard astronauts do not need helmets.

    Meanwhile, I have decided to personally nickname the test dummy “Alan” in tribute to Alan Shepard, the namesake of the rocket. I hope this does not make me ineligible to be a future part of the Blue Origin team.

  • ken anthony

    I think it was a mistake to release this video. I’m not sure what the ticket price is, but it will be significant. They’re trying to sell tickets to tourists and removing some of the mystery is just not a good idea for that market.

  • ken anthony: You might be right, but I disagree in this case. This is such a radical way for people to spend their money they need to convince people it will be safe and fun, not deadly and horrifying. This video helps prove that.

  • Mark

    Unfortunately Edward, the crash dummy already has a name. Prepare for groaner.

    “Mannequin Skywalker”

    Groan.

    from Jeff Bezos’ tweet linking this video…
    “Full video of Mannequin Skywalker’s ride to space. Unlike him, you’ll be able to get out of your seat during the zero gee part of the flight. And ignore the pinging sound – it’s just from one of the experiments on this flight. #NewShepard @blueorigin https://youtu.be/6ZJghIk7_VA

  • ken anthony

    they need to convince people it will be safe

    Of course, but they went too far. This is barnstorming for more money and less thrill (did Skywalker look like he was having fun?)

    Going to earth or lunar orbit is where these tourists will want to go. With diminishing returns (if it develops at all, which I suspect it will on a small scale.) I expect point to point will take over this market.

  • Edward

    Mark,
    I know that they gave him a terrible, although culturally timely, name. I prefer a better, more company themed name. The rockets honor pioneering astronauts rather than fictional characters; perhaps their test equipment could, too.

    SpaceX already names some of their equipment from fiction. Perhaps Blue Origin should try not to look like they copy everything that SpaceX does.

    ken anthony,
    I think that the only way to show how much fun the flight could be is to show a video of people having fun. Emphasis on “people.”

  • ken anthony

    the only way to show how much fun…

    Which will be immediately compared with all the fun the same money could provide in alternative ways… Leaving a market of just those that don’t really care (no repeat business.)

Readers: the rules for commenting!

 

No registration is required. I welcome all opinions, even those that strongly criticize my commentary.

 

However, name-calling and obscenities will not be tolerated. First time offenders who are new to the site will be warned. Second time offenders or first time offenders who have been here awhile will be suspended for a week. After that, I will ban you. Period.

 

Note also that first time commenters as well as any comment with more than one link will be placed in moderation for my approval. Be patient, I will get to it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *