SpaceX now targeting Nov. 18 for first COTS demo flight
SpaceX is now targeting November 18 for the second test flight of its Falcon 9 rocket, which will also be the first test flight of its Dragon capsule.
Category: Behind The Black
Evidence of active volcanoes on Venus
Scientists have detected Venusian lava flows possibly only decades old.
Virgin Galactic plans to compete in the upcoming race to develop orbital space vehicles
Richard Branson, President of Virgin Galactic, says that his company plans to compete in the upcoming race to develop orbital space vehicles.
Bugs Bunny – Buccaneer Bunny (1948)
An evening pause:
We’re a couple of swells…
An evening pause: Fred Astaire and Judy Garland from Easter Parade (1948).
Union Fires Stage Hand for Wearing Bush Hat and Shirt
More leftwing tolerance: Union fires stage hand for wearing Bush hat and shirt.
New technology might allow airline passengers to keep their shoes on
New technology might allow airline passengers to keep their shoes on.
Mark Steyn lecture squelched by Islamists and wimpy bureaucrats
Obeying the orders of local Islamic groups, a London, Ontario, convention center has refused to allow a lecture by Mark Stein. Key quote:
“The reason offered by the London Convention Centre [in a Tuesday morning phone call] was that they had received pressure from local Islamic groups, and they didn’t want to alienate their Muslim clients. It’s interesting to note that the LCC is owned by the City of London, and is therefore a government operation,” wrote Strictly Right’s Andrew Lawton at the website.
Judges in Geert Wilders’ Free Speech Case Removed from Trial
Things are not going well for those Dutch officials who want to squelch free speech: The judges in Geert Wilders’ free speech case have been removed, and the trial has to start from scratch.
The Juan Williams firing, in his own words
The Juan Williams firing, in his own words. Key quote:
This is an outrageous violation of journalistic standards and ethics by management that has no use for a diversity of opinion, ideas or a diversity of staff (I was the only black male on the air). This is evidence of one-party rule and one sided thinking at NPR that leads to enforced ideology, speech and writing. It leads to people, especially journalists, being sent to the gulag for raising the wrong questions and displaying independence of thought.
Daniel Schorr, my fellow NPR commentator who died earlier this year, used to talk about the initial shock of finding himself on President Nixon’s enemies list. I can only imagine Dan’s revulsion to realize that today NPR treats a journalist who has worked for them for ten years with less regard, less respect for the value of independence of thought and embrace of real debate across political lines, than Nixon ever displayed.
As I said yesterday, defund them.
Atmospheric scientists say space tourism will cause global warming
Let’s all sit in a dark room and contemplate our navel! Atmospheric scientists claim that space tourism will cause . . . global warming!
Space law blocks lunar and space exploration
The laws covering the exploration of space are not helping.
The Virgin Galactic flight test program for SpaceShipTwo
This Aviation Week article outlines in detail the upcoming test flight program for Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo/SpaceShipTwo following the first free flight of SS2. Key quote:
[SS2’s first] flight marks the start of the third of a seven-phase test program that is expected to culminate with the start of space tourism and science flights in 2012.
New Study Says Cost of Health Reform Subsidies Could Far Exceed Previous Estimates
This bill is going to dog the Democrats who voted for it for years: A new study says the cost of the healthcare bill’s subsidies will far exceed Congressional Budget Office estimates.
League of Woman Voters moderator at Congressional debate offended by Pledge of Allegiance
What does this tell us? A moderator for a congressional debate in Illinois was offended when asked to say pledge of allegiance.
Bulgarian Archaeologist Comes Across Ancient Rock Stove
More archeology news: A Bulgarian archeologist has discovered a rock stove, dating from the third or fourth century AD, cut into the rock wall of fortress.
A Bronze Age burial site has been uncovered at the planned location of the Highlands’ first Asda supermarket
A Bronze Age burial site has been uncovered at the planned location of supermarket and gas station in Scotland.
Juan Williams firing by NPR
Defund them! NPR’s firing of Juan Williams yesterday is another demonstration that this leftwing news organization has no tolerance for free speech. One of the first things the new Congress should do is end all funding to this corrupt propaganda machine.
Sorry I have been late in posting about this story. I would like to say more, but I have an article for Sky & Telescope that must be finished by tomorrow.
Last shuttle mission could be delayed until fall of 2011
If Congress does end up appropriating money for that last extra shuttle mission, NASA managers are considering delaying it as long as possible, until the fall of 2011. Key quote:
[Shuttle Program Manager John] Shannon said if the shuttle is retired prematurely, the ISS will not be properly supplied.
In other words, Congress and the President should never have retired the shuttle in the first place, at least not until a replacement was ready to go.
The tenth anniversary of full time human existence in space
Next week will mark the tenth anniversary of what is now the continuous human presence in space, since the first crew occupied ISS on November 2, 2000.