I asked my grandson what they’re taught to do if there’s a nuclear war… He just shrugged and said “I’ll put my mask on”.

Muttmerica.

Arf, she said. (Zappa reference.)

I grew up in the 50’s & 60’s with weekly “Duck & Cover” exercises in grade school. WTF was hiding under our desks feet away from very large panes of glass going to do for us. Eventually, we were moved into the central hallway to practice, thinking there would be no cinder block shrapnel to deal with.

The Cuban missile ‘crisis’ truly was one. I know that I thought I was going to die.

My father’s side of the family comes from a small region in the southernmost part of Ukraine, before it was Ukraine. To this day we still don’t know if we’re Romanian, Moldovan, Austro-Hungarian, Russian, or Turk. The grandparents spoke German.

People in that region have been abused by invading tyrants for more centuries than I actually know of. Putin is just the latest variation of a very old tradition.

You have to look deep and long into this war to make any definitive statements, the annexing of Crimea was actually welcomed by the locals…. The democratically elected government of Ukraine was driven out by a western backed popular uprising.
There are not just good players in Ukraine, there are genuinely Nazi factions operating in the outskirts… Most of the population of the Provence’s that Russia is “liberating” approve ..

I try and keep myself updated on events in this conflict, if it escalates it will involve me directly….

However, I believe the single most important factor in this whole mess is that Putin will not have a NATO member with a huge border against Russia. And to be honest, who can blame him? No country in the world wants their “enemy” on their border…

If China signed a deal with Canada, what would the USs response be?

And then we get into the supply of gas and oil to Europe… We depend upon Russian supplies for a huge chunk of our energy needs… If that pipeline turns off… We will freeze…

I am most worried that Putin has lost the plot.. everything can be worked out on paper.. but if we are now dealing with a genuine “madman” the world is in trouble.

The fact is that the Ukraine gov wanted it, is the real problem. Same with EU membership. Ukraine chose. They want to embrace Western ideals, freedoms and property. That would move the. Out of Russia’s sphere of influence. He feels he must pull them back, to keep Western influence at arms reach. He is incapable of living with his neighbors.

I get that he doesn’t want NATO on his border, the US felt the same way regarding the USSR during the Cuba crisis, Paranoid with nukes is not a good combo.

But something has gone horribly wrong here in Europe, a statement that Ukraine would not join NATO would end this war…. Putin is certainly out of control, and he’s dangerous. Agreeing to the whole ” no NATO on my borders ” would not be appeasement, but sensible.

The whole situation is a nest of snakes… But as I said, the main focus should be on the casualties of the war… The space stuff can wait.

My teenage children are now worried, as is the nation I live in, of the threat of invasion and indeed a nuclear war.”

I too grew up in that era. I think it is important the people understand that if we return to such a situation, there is one man to blame, and that is Poo-tin.

I have the “privilege ” of a UK passport, as do my kids.. if things get rough, I can return to my homeland with them. The UK is a NATO member, and if Russia attacks a NATO state, all bets are off.

I have war just down my street…. While a little sad about the impacts on the space situation, there are so very many more impacts to the current situation that are more important.

I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s under the threat of a nuclear holocaust. I thought that stupidity was over.

My teenage children are now worried, as is the nation I live in, of the threat of invasion and indeed a nuclear war.

Any disruption to anything space related is very small beer indeed.