January 14, 2022 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast
Embedded below the fold in two parts.
To listen to all of John Batchelor’s podcasts, well worth your time, go here.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows 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.
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.
Embedded below the fold in two parts.
To listen to all of John Batchelor’s podcasts, well worth your time, go here.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows 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.
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.
Another solid week for the John Batchelor Show including Mr. Z.’ contributions. In addition to what Bob covers here on BtB, I’ve listened to other guests discuss Kazakhstan; Ukraine / Russia / NATO; China; and the Energy Crisis in Europe.
Many of these stories have an indirect effect on space exploration.
For example, for Kazakhstan, one of Russia’s spaceports is located in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. About two months ago Bob covered the story of the UAE providing funding towards a joint project with Russia & Kazakhstan to upgrade the oldest Soyuz launchpad at Baikonur. So now you know that at least some of your additional gasoline expenses are going towards space launches in Kazakhstan:)
In regards to Ukraine, as Bob has reported on Jan 1, if tensions between the US & Russia escalate high enough over the Ukraine crisis, this would most likely affect the US Russian joint operation of the ISS.
Moving on to the subject of China, Gordon G Chang is one of Batchelor’s China Experts. There are numerous economic, military, and political developments in China that will have some type of effect on the Chinese Space Program.
This goes to show that BtB Space stories just don’t exist in isolation, but are very much connected to Geopolitics, History, and the current Global Economic trends.
Thank you Robert for sharing your insight and perspectives on such a variety of subjects. I look forward each week to hearing you on John Bachelor’s podcast and reading your articles on Behind the Black. I too grew up watching our country’s space programs develop over the years and so appreciate having you keep us all up to date as space programs evolve from government run to commercial space. These are truly exciting times. Thank you again, you’re doing the Lord’s work!
A jump to another topic: I am happy for Dr. Kipping, who was looking for exomoons for so long without success that it now seems to have worked!
We Discovered a New Exomoon Candidate!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Blej3YvveCI
Questioner – thanks for that link.
From the exomoon wiki page – “For extrasolar giant planets orbiting within their stellar habitable zone, there is a prospect a terrestrial planet-sized satellite may be capable of supporting life.”