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NASA now claims it can launch a manned mission to lunar orbit by 2019

Forgive me if I remain skeptical: NASA is now claiming it will launch a manned mission to lunar orbit by 2019 using its Space Launch System heavy-lift rocket, the program-formerly-called-Constellation.

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 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.


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"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

9 comments

  • Joe2

    Actually they are looking at as early as 2018 (the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 8?).

    With John Shannon heading up the team, it is more likely to succeed than the reusable Falcon 9 (complete with powered, precision, vertical landings for all three stages).

  • libs0n

    duh.

    bucks = buck rogers

    LM, Boeing, ATK, etc have 3 billion a year of taxpayer money to turn into results, while SpaceX must fund their Falcon 9 reusability efforts out of hard earned profits, which will not be anywhere near that scope of taxpayer money.

  • Joe2

    If Space X must “fund their Falcon 9 reusability efforts out of hard earned profits” it will be very difficult indeed, as at this point (other than government subsidies) they have none.

  • Kelly Starks

    NASA sending a Orion(ish) into lunar orbit by 2019 would be doable – if they actually get their act sorted out adn Congress funds them at about the same as projected.

    At least it shows NASA feels it needs to show results…

    Wait a minutte – this is a 180 degree reversal from Obama’s directive to Bolden that NASA must never sent people BEO. Have the political winds shifted that much?

  • Joe2

    “Have the political winds shifted that much?”

    it is to early to tell, but lets hope so.

  • libs0n

    “Wait a minutte – this is a 180 degree reversal from Obama’s directive to Bolden that NASA must never sent people BEO. Have the political winds shifted that much?”

    There is no such directive. You willfully delude yourself.

  • Kelly Starks

    > There is no such directive. …

    Thats not what Bolden said, and given hes in charge of NASA at the moment, if he got it wrong, Obama might want to give him a call.

    ;)

  • libs0n

    Prove it. Show me Bolden’s word’s to that effect.

  • Kelly Starks

    Sorry, its been a couple years – and I can’t find it. I know I kept a copy on my hard drive, but after a couple hours I can’t find it!! Annoying given I was corresponding with folks on it for a while since it so shocked folks.

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