That's a hell of an opportunity. I can't see all the photos because of the pathetic wireless connection here. I know serveral people who've sent instruments into space (with NASA) and while their attitude to public outreach is refreshing, I don't think they really need to worry about industrial espionage. All the technolgy is at least 10 years old. They won't send anything into space unless it's "proven", which often becomes problematic when ICs are discontinued
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Yeah, space travel will (and should) probably have some sort of FAA-like regulation, probably for as long as there's government.
According to the NASA folks, it's not necessarily the time in a box (though that's a factor and needs some serious psychological commitment), but supporting that length of time. Apollo brought all its food and air and water. The ISS recycles water and air, but has had breakdowns and needed spare parts from Earth. Could we build something that would last 2+ years? And carry all that food, and spare parts and fuel and extra emergency air and water... The consensus among the public and personal conversations I overheard was that we really need a better propulsion technology. Minimum-fuel transfer orbit is 200ish days there, 200ish days back. Shorten the travel time to 1 or 2 or 3 months to Mars with a more direct burn, and we'd have a better shot...but we don't have that technology yet.
I've been loving your NZ pics. It's weird, it looks so exotic, and almost familiar at the same time.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense. They can only do so much with clever orbits. Whenever people are involved they obviously need to be over-prepared. I personally think it's worth it, when the technology exists, to send people to Mars. There is so much planetary science we could learn! While people take air, food and water and are generally complicated to send places, they are much more flexible than robots and can improvise geophysics surveys or whatever. Our university (like many) send people to the Canadian arctic, to sort of practise earth science in that sort of harsh, cold, desert conditions, as an analogue for Marse.
I'm glad you're enjoying the NZ pics. You're not the first to suggest that - an English friend said moreorless the same thing. That it looked like England with exotic plants and such.
This is such a fantastic post. I'm so thrilled you did this. I've been to three launches (and two that were canceled at the last minute). It's like the Olympics- it brings out the patriot in me but in a way that I also I feel connected to the rest of the world.
(Oh- and I don't know if you were joking or not, but Dutch has a top secret clearance.)
Thank you for posting this. Well done and extremely articulate. Loved it. I am one of the Tweeters going to Houston for the Tweetup there on the 19th. All the pics and tweets and sharing of thoughts and feelings from/about the launch Tweetup have been wonderful and made me feel like I was part of something greater than myself - it doesn't get much better than that.
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According to the NASA folks, it's not necessarily the time in a box (though that's a factor and needs some serious psychological commitment), but supporting that length of time. Apollo brought all its food and air and water. The ISS recycles water and air, but has had breakdowns and needed spare parts from Earth. Could we build something that would last 2+ years? And carry all that food, and spare parts and fuel and extra emergency air and water... The consensus among the public and personal conversations I overheard was that we really need a better propulsion technology. Minimum-fuel transfer orbit is 200ish days there, 200ish days back. Shorten the travel time to 1 or 2 or 3 months to Mars with a more direct burn, and we'd have a better shot...but we don't have that technology yet.
I've been loving your NZ pics. It's weird, it looks so exotic, and almost familiar at the same time.
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I'm glad you're enjoying the NZ pics. You're not the first to suggest that - an English friend said moreorless the same thing. That it looked like England with exotic plants and such.
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I've been to three launches (and two that were canceled at the last minute). It's like the Olympics- it brings out the patriot in me but in a way that I also I feel connected to the rest of the world.
(Oh- and I don't know if you were joking or not, but Dutch has a top secret clearance.)
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