Comments for MarsBlog.net http://marsblog.net/wp News and Commentary on Space Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:12:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 Comment on Not Much Opportunity for Shuttle Extension by Shuttle Crew, Teams Say They’re “Go” for Journey to Station · Staringfrog.com http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/03/not-much-opportunity-for-shuttle-extension/comment-page-1/#comment-1681 Shuttle Crew, Teams Say They’re “Go” for Journey to Station · Staringfrog.com Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:12:27 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1910#comment-1681 [...] Not Much Opportunity for Shuttle Extension | MarsBlog.net [...] [...] Not Much Opportunity for Shuttle Extension | MarsBlog.net [...]

]]> Comment on Colorado Congressional Delegation Lining Up Behind Constellation by Jonathan Goff http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/colorado-congressional-delegation-lining-up-behind-constellation/comment-page-1/#comment-1640 Jonathan Goff Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:36:20 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1897#comment-1640 Obama really has a fight on his hands in this case. I hope that something close to what he proposed makes it through, but it'll be a slog. I have to agree with you that on the one hand I want to empathize with the people who might be temporarily out of work with this new direction. On the other hand, perpetuating the status quo is likely just punting their job losses down the road a bit. CxP *isn't* going to get enough funding to succeed. Whether we stop it now with only $9B down the hole or whether we throw another $100B down the hole, I have zero confidence that the program of record will ever get the resources it needs to provide any value to our country. Which means that at some point it will get gutted. The question is does it get gutted and NASA along with it? Or does it get replaced with something that could actually really help open space up (like this policy would)? Unfortunately far too many people seem to live in a world of free ponies for everyone where the PoR gets all the funding it would need to "succeed", whatever that word means... ~Jon Obama really has a fight on his hands in this case. I hope that something close to what he proposed makes it through, but it’ll be a slog. I have to agree with you that on the one hand I want to empathize with the people who might be temporarily out of work with this new direction. On the other hand, perpetuating the status quo is likely just punting their job losses down the road a bit. CxP *isn’t* going to get enough funding to succeed. Whether we stop it now with only $9B down the hole or whether we throw another $100B down the hole, I have zero confidence that the program of record will ever get the resources it needs to provide any value to our country. Which means that at some point it will get gutted. The question is does it get gutted and NASA along with it? Or does it get replaced with something that could actually really help open space up (like this policy would)? Unfortunately far too many people seem to live in a world of free ponies for everyone where the PoR gets all the funding it would need to “succeed”, whatever that word means…

~Jon

]]> Comment on Colorado Congressional Delegation Lining Up Behind Constellation by punder http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/colorado-congressional-delegation-lining-up-behind-constellation/comment-page-1/#comment-1637 punder Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:39:11 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1897#comment-1637 And he's a Republican. Voter jobs vs. principles? Not a chance. I predict LM will do even better with the new plan than they would have under Constellation. They do build rockets and spacecraft, right? I seem to remember something called Orion Lite, and something else, called Atlas V... Gee, maybe they could try selling these to NASA? Doesn't that sound like a good idea? Somebody alert the CEO. And he’s a Republican. Voter jobs vs. principles? Not a chance.

I predict LM will do even better with the new plan than they would have under Constellation. They do build rockets and spacecraft, right? I seem to remember something called Orion Lite, and something else, called Atlas V… Gee, maybe they could try selling these to NASA? Doesn’t that sound like a good idea? Somebody alert the CEO.

]]> Comment on Who is the Mysterious “T.L. James”? by Rob Coppinger http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/who-is-the-mysterious-t-l-james/comment-page-1/#comment-1615 Rob Coppinger Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:26:54 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1892#comment-1615 Same as me then. The interview with Dr Karas seems to have been delayed somewhat, hopefully it will happen soon. Same as me then. The interview with Dr Karas seems to have been delayed somewhat, hopefully it will happen soon.

]]> Comment on Who is the Mysterious “T.L. James”? by T.L. James http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/who-is-the-mysterious-t-l-james/comment-page-1/#comment-1600 T.L. James Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:10:59 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1892#comment-1600 Mechanical by training, currently working configuration/integration (design, not C&DM). Mechanical by training, currently working configuration/integration (design, not C&DM).

]]> Comment on Who is the Mysterious “T.L. James”? by Rob Coppinger http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/who-is-the-mysterious-t-l-james/comment-page-1/#comment-1593 Rob Coppinger Thu, 11 Feb 2010 17:21:44 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1892#comment-1593 Maybe I should feel lucky then that the reference to me was not negative. I think Jim is referring to this blog post of mine http://tinyurl.com/ykxq7md. No hard feelings Tom! Can you at least say what sort of engineer you are? BTW I'll be talking to your boss Dr John Karas soon. My name is not a pseudonym, in case anyone is wondering ;-) Maybe I should feel lucky then that the reference to me was not negative. I think Jim is referring to this blog post of mine http://tinyurl.com/ykxq7md. No hard feelings Tom! Can you at least say what sort of engineer you are? BTW I’ll be talking to your boss Dr John Karas soon. My name is not a pseudonym, in case anyone is wondering ;-)

]]> Comment on Who is the Mysterious “T.L. James”? by Jonathan Goff http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/who-is-the-mysterious-t-l-james/comment-page-1/#comment-1566 Jonathan Goff Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:26:52 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1892#comment-1566 IMO, getting conspiracy theories made up about you by Jim McDade and his ilk should be worn as a badge of honor. I think I got slagged by him as well, as did Jeff Greason. But maybe Jon Goff is also just a pseudonym... ~Jon IMO, getting conspiracy theories made up about you by Jim McDade and his ilk should be worn as a badge of honor. I think I got slagged by him as well, as did Jeff Greason. But maybe Jon Goff is also just a pseudonym…

~Jon

]]> Comment on “Non-Smoking, Please” by Hindenburg http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/non-smoking-please/comment-page-1/#comment-1555 Hindenburg Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:44:34 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1887#comment-1555 Here's the real background: http://www.airships.net/blog/hydrogen-airship-nonsense It was just a cool design project; the media failed to fact check. Here’s the real background:

http://www.airships.net/blog/hydrogen-airship-nonsense

It was just a cool design project; the media failed to fact check.

]]> Comment on “This is America’s Rocket” by T.L. James http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/this-is-americas-rocket/comment-page-1/#comment-1554 T.L. James Fri, 05 Feb 2010 05:19:54 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1884#comment-1554 I don't think I misunderstand Rand at all, nor am I misrepresenting him. I said "satisfied" (in the other post, to which you apparently intended to reply) precisely because from his posts, he appears satisfied that Constellation has finally been replaced -- in favor of something with better prospects for opening space for the rest of us. I do NOT believe that Ares I will be "the safest in DESIGN", etc. I have never liked Ares I, and have personally thought it was a mistake from day one. I have no idea where you're getting these opinions that you're attributing to me. I'm sure that SpaceX and all the other players will do what is right and necessary when it comes to safety - they'd be foolish not to. Who exactly are you arguing with here? I don’t think I misunderstand Rand at all, nor am I misrepresenting him. I said “satisfied” (in the other post, to which you apparently intended to reply) precisely because from his posts, he appears satisfied that Constellation has finally been replaced — in favor of something with better prospects for opening space for the rest of us.

I do NOT believe that Ares I will be “the safest in DESIGN”, etc. I have never liked Ares I, and have personally thought it was a mistake from day one.

I have no idea where you’re getting these opinions that you’re attributing to me. I’m sure that SpaceX and all the other players will do what is right and necessary when it comes to safety – they’d be foolish not to. Who exactly are you arguing with here?

]]> Comment on “This is America’s Rocket” by Douglas http://marsblog.net/wp/2010/02/this-is-americas-rocket/comment-page-1/#comment-1549 Douglas Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:12:55 +0000 http://marsblog.net/wp/?p=1884#comment-1549 I think you misunderstand or misrepresent rand. Rand appreciates grand efforts, but he thinks grand efforts drown out the legwork. Why do you think the soyuz is more reliable than the shuttle? It's because of volume of action, and a COTS or cots situation will have had many more tests than the shuttle, making it more safe. Rand is promoting the GROWTH of space, not the expenditure of space. Ares1 will be, as you believe, the safest in DESIGN, transport, meanwhile the cots (not COTS) will be the safest in PRACTICE. That is Rands point. Unfair to hit rand with that accusation, do you think SpaceX will send an experimental vehicle into space without testing beforehand? Meanwhile Orion WOULD have? Which is irresponsible, and Which is wrong? I think you misunderstand or misrepresent rand.

Rand appreciates grand efforts, but he thinks grand efforts drown out the legwork.

Why do you think the soyuz is more reliable than the shuttle? It’s because of volume of action, and a COTS or cots situation will have had many more tests than the shuttle, making it more safe.

Rand is promoting the GROWTH of space, not the expenditure of space.

Ares1 will be, as you believe, the safest in DESIGN, transport, meanwhile the cots (not COTS) will be the safest in PRACTICE.

That is Rands point.

Unfair to hit rand with that accusation, do you think SpaceX will send an experimental vehicle into space without testing beforehand? Meanwhile Orion WOULD have? Which is irresponsible, and Which is wrong?

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