Chapter 78.15: Happy Belated Birthday, NASA

Somehow I let this pass me by. NASA has turned 50!

I consider myself something of a "spaceophile," so I should have remembered this date. I would have sent a card.

Chapter 77.9: To the Moon! ... Bang, Zoom!

This could be interesting. The USA Today reports that a group of engineers is working on an alternative rocket to the Ares prototype that may eventually bring Americans back to the moon.

The article doesn't have a lot of detail (it is the USA Today, after all), but the way I read it, it sounds as though NASA doesn't believe it's safe enough to consider seriously; plus, NASA has spent about $7 billion to develop the Ares, so far, and it's not going to change its mind now.

I'm ok with that, but if some engineers can build a better rocket, I think the idea of competition should be fine. Of course, NASA is building with tax-payer dollars, so I'd like to think they've done enough homework to recognize that what they're working on is efficient and effective (I don't expect it be cheap; this is space we're dealing with!)

If nothing else, hopefully it'll inspire some great moon-related shows on Discovery!

Chapter 73.4: From the Earth to the Moon... and Then Some

Perhaps the image above impresses me because I'm a bit of a space geek, but I think this is an amazing shot. In case it's not obvious, this is a picture of the earth and the moon. What's less obvious is where the photo's taken from: Mars.

The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter took this image last fall. It's hard to make out, but the land at the lower half of the earth is South America.

Cool!

Chapter 72.7: God Speed, Columbus

Perhaps this isn't the most appropriate lead into a post, but I missed the actual fiftieth anniversary of NASA last week, so I'm doing it anyway. Today, Space Shuttle Atlantis launched successfully into space, carrying with it the Columbus lab built by the European Space Agency. If all goes right, it will dock with the International Space Station on Saturday.

I refuse to be spooked by the backstory of how this launch was supposed to occur in December but was delayed due to malfunctioning fuel-tank sensors, and how rainy weather almost scuttled the flight today. I prefer to think of how fitting that after fifty years of American dominance in space (ok, the Russians have certainly proven they are quite capable, but we got to the Moon), we are venturing forward in a much more global endeavor. There are many detractors out there who believe spending tax money to ship people into space is a waste, but I disagree. I'm all for looking toward the future and supporting work that is designed to make the future something worth reaching.

I like that governments -- as well as individuals -- support discovery, support adventure. Sure it can be risky, as the numerous deaths in our skies and closer to earth can attest to. In my eyes the tragedy isn't simply that these people died (of course, that's terrible), but that most Americans don't appreciate what these astronauts are striving to achieve and thus seem to die in vain. Such a comment begs the question: What are the astronauts trying to do? Obviously, the answer is different with each mission, but in a nutshell, they're trying to advance civilization, small step by small step.

I'm sure people could argue about how rockets and the satellites they carry can be automated, and high-placed officials with the right credentials argue about those very things and build informed trains of thought. But there's still something to be said for human adventure. And as it would have been tragic if other Europeans didn't follow Columbus to the newly discovered America, so too is it tragic if this Columbus is not followed by other laboratories, other astronauts, other human-based missions. To the Moon, Alice, and on to Mars. But not before we have an informed understanding of what is involved in getting there.

God Speed, Atlantis. Deliver Columbus to her destination. And come back safe. There's more to do in the future.

Chapter 71.2: Happy Birthday, Spirit!

My, how the time goes. It seems like just a little while ago we thought you two wouldn't make it to your first birthdays.

That's right, the little rovers that could are still going strong, several million miles away on Mars. Spirit turns four tomorrow, and her twin, Opportunity, celebrates the same birthday three weeks later.

The rovers weren't expected to last even six months, but look at them now! Last summer, scientists feared that massive dust storms would disable them both, despite the rovers being located far away from each other. Opportunity, rolling around near the Martian equator, took the brunt of it. But Spirit has not gone without challenges, breaking a wheel a couple years ago. That "disability" actually enabled it to dig up nearly pure silica, which helped to prove that water once flowed in the area.

And of course, they've taken some fantastic photos during their time on Mars.

So, happy birthday, Spirit. And Opportunity, a happy birthday to you too, coming up. Hopefully, there'll be several more to celebrate.

Chapter 70.4: Shoot the Moon

I would love to go to the moon. Ever since I was a little kid and NASA was sending guys up with the Saturn rockets, floating around the world in Skylab, and 'rendezvousing' with the Russians, I have been a space-ophile.

So the latest announcement from the X Prize Foundation that a team has registered for the $30 million Lunar X Prize is a cause for celebration. The goal of the Lunar X Prize isn't merely to return to the moon, it's to make it more accessible and commercially viable. I don't expect to have the cash to put a downpayment on a flight any time soon, but if these folks or others are able to succeed, perhaps it will be possible one day to venture off this wonderful planet and explore the neighborhood.

Good luck to the Odyssey Moon team. Ad luna!

Chapter 65.8: Your Spacesuit Or Mine?

I'm a bit of a "spaceophile" and I wish I could explore space. Well, these new space suits should make exploration a lot easier. And it makes space exploration look better too, for when astronauts are shown on television. This is one way to make NASA popular again, though they've still got a fair amount of work ahead of them to regain some level of respect from the American people.