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Readers!

 

It is now July, time once again to celebrate the start of this webpage in 2010 with my annual July fund-raising campaign.

 

This year I celebrate the fifteenth anniversary since I began Behind the Black. During that time I have done more than 33,000 posts, mostly covering the global space industry and the related planetary and astronomical science that comes from it. Along the way I have also felt compelled as a free American citizen to regularly post my thoughts on the politics and culture of the time, partly because I think it is important for free Americans to do so, and partly because those politics and that culture have a direct impact on the future of our civilization and its on-going efforts to explore and eventually colonize the solar system.

 

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Update of Texas Starship prototype construction

Link here. The article is mostly what I would call “in the weeds,” mostly of interest to engineering geeks. Nonetheless, the progress described suggests that they are working hard to meet Musk’s proposed schedule of first test flight by October, and even have a small chance of doing it.

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

4 comments

  • Cotour

    What is with the stainless steel panel construction?

    Its very annoying to me, what is the purpose?

  • geoffc

    Musk is saying that cryoformed Stainless Steel, has better heat performance, and with only minor heat shielding on the leeward (into the wind) side no other thermal protection will be needed. (Cryoformed is meant that the metal is processed at cryogenic temps while being shaped and somehow makes it more temp resistant).

    They tested hexagon tiles on the Starhopper, and other tiles on the last CRS mission.

    Demonstrably the SS construction is WAY simpler/cheaper than Carbon Fiber. (Demonstrated by the fact, vehicle #3 is approach completion in under 8 months (Starhopper in Tx, Mk1 in Tx, Mk2 in FL).

    It is freaky, and cool and amazing to watch. Will it work? Sure hope so. Good news is they plan to test it…

  • Cotour

    Thank you.

    It still annoys the hell out of me.

  • geoffc

    Annoying it may be.
    Quick to build however it is.
    Orbit we go.

    Is that a haiku?
    Syllables I cannot
    Count with accuracy.

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