China to attempt to grow potatoes on Moon
China’s Chang’e-4 lunar rover/lander, set to launch in 2018, will include a small experiment that will attempt to grow potatoes from seeds.
Note that I have just realized that I have been confusing Chang’e-5 with Chang’e-4. Chang’e-5 is a sample return mission that they hope to launch this year. It does not include a rover. Chang’e-4 is a lander/rover mission that is planned for 2018.
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 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
China’s Chang’e-4 lunar rover/lander, set to launch in 2018, will include a small experiment that will attempt to grow potatoes from seeds.
Note that I have just realized that I have been confusing Chang’e-5 with Chang’e-4. Chang’e-5 is a sample return mission that they hope to launch this year. It does not include a rover. Chang’e-4 is a lander/rover mission that is planned for 2018.
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 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
Who knew Mark Watney was really Chinese?
Though maybe that also explains why Matt Damon was in that Great Wall movie.
Dick Eagleson: Can you explain please? Who is Mark Watney?
“The Martian”
trailer
https://youtu.be/Ue4PCI0NamI
(3:17)
Wayne: This shows how I am often completely out of touch with modern culture, especially movie culture. I haven’t yet seen The Martian, so I had no idea what Dick Eagleson was referring to.
And remember, I used to make feature films. I left that business out of disgust at the material being produced. It thus makes me often uninterested in seeing the most recent releases.
Robert: read the book. The book is quite excellent. The movie is a hollow shell of the story and a major disappointment in comparison.
The Martian criticizes NASA HSF management, so you’ll like that part at least :-) It’s actually a Robinson Crusoe on Mars version, some old sci fi movie was even titled that. Without Friday, though. The most realistic space sci fi I’ve seen. Identifying the unrealistic parts is just interesting, not annoying.
Chang’e 4 will be preceded by a communication satellite in EML-2, so maybe more Chinese surface missions to the far side of the Moon are to be expected. A potential (military) use of the far side of the Moon is that it is completely free from any insight. “Potato” might be a code word… A resource is otherwise the complete absence from artificial radio waves (except for that com sat of course). I hope they bring instruments at least as a preparation for a serious radio telescope. Disturbing the radio environment with com sats in EML-2 is by the way a classic homesteading problem. Luckily, laser communication is underway.
Michael: One of the reasons I haven’t been that interested in seeing (or reading) The Martian is that to me it seems to be an outright steal of a very good 1960s movie called Robinson Crusoe on Mars.
Mr. Z.,
I hear you!
I rarely actually pay money, to see anything current, (although I am trying to see Wonder Woman today) but I attempt to keep up with the science fiction.
You might find this informative–
Author of ‘The Martian’ Andy Weir, talks with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory employees ahead of the movie release.
9-4-2015
https://youtu.be/2tfh6OUUYUw
(47:53)
Who remembers this one?
“Marooned” Trailer
(released November 1969)
https://youtu.be/SEpHyC72gss
(2:24)
Totally forgot how exciting “Marooned,” actually was…
The Rescue launch scene (In the eye of a hurricane.)
https://youtu.be/yD1hbplN4DE
(6:53)
One thing I liked about the movie version of The Martian (I didn’t read the book) was the use of NASA’s proposed spacecraft as part of the plot.
I don’t mind when they rip off plots of previous books/movies, so long as they put in enough of their own touch to make it a different story, or to develop aspects of the plot / background better.
I went into the movie expecting it to be given the Hollywood treatment, but they left enough details realistic that I enjoyed it. I also appreciated the upbeat, optimistic atmosphere created by the main characters, although I thought the characters were a little too simplistic.
I enjoy movies more now that my expectations have gone down a lot; today’s movies are mostly midgets, and I consider The Martian to be one of the taller midgets. At least it wasn’t based on a comic book, as are most of the movies my family drags me to.
Give me an old classic movie any day, or even a mediocre movie from decades past; I’ll take plot over over-production.
I read The Martian on Kindle not long after it was published. The movie was enjoyable and the take away lesson was – “don’t do anything dumb, be smart, logical, work hard, work through problems and with a little bit of luck (much of which you make yourself) you’ll make it.”
This is in contrast to all too many modern movies where the lesson is – “you aren’t in control of your fate, forget logic it is all about feelings and no matter what you do things will turn out for better or worse (usually worse)”, which is an utterly immoral point of view.
wayne,
Neat clip from ‘Marooned.’ Just before the launch one of the network reporters on-scene refers to “Pad 41.” That’s ULA’s Atlas V pad these days.
Dick–
Thanks for that factoid.
(There’s also a printed sign in the background as well, same clip.)