Return of the Space Oddity

To lighten the color of my distemper, a little music.

I guess the Bowie legal team decided to play nice with those that tread beyond our Earth. Chris Hadfield's version of Space Oddity is back for people to enjoy.

So enjoy it!

45th Anniversary of the Moon Landing. Yeah, we did go there.

Yesterday was the 45th anniversary of humanity's first step onto another body in space. The moon. Sadly, it is still the only other surface we've managed to reach, and even then it's been quite a while since anyone has returned (all not included unmanned mission, of course).

While the fact we've retreated from space exploration is an annoying reality, there are more galling things. The conspiracy theories.


We've all heard of them at this point. We, apparently, have never reached the moon. Never. We couldn't get there before, and seem not to be able to get there still. It lives in the same mindset that questions the age of the Earth, the validity of vaccines, evolution, that ancient humans could build pyramids, and the impact of climate change.

People to this day passionately will argue a great conspiracy existed to fake a launch of a rocket and then a landing of a craft on the moon. Then we have the other conspiracy to continue to hide "the truth" from the public.

Amazing. ...That sounds positive. It's pathetic.

Anniversaries of exploration in SPAAAACE!

And more intriguing anniversaries almost slip by me. Today, April 12th, is one of those interesting days in space exploration. A day of firsts.

Yuri Gagarin Statue in
London

In 1961. The first human entered the orbit of the Earth, and proceeded to go for a spin, heading once around. And he even returned home, alive. It was another major step for human space travel and exploration. And with everything that came, every new accomplishment, every new wonder, Yuri Gagarin, Soviet cosmonaut, was first.

Aboard Vostok 1, he was launched into space and history. Then he was kept grounded, to prevent him from being lost on another mission. He was an important symbol. But he worked hard in the Soviet space program to prepare and aid future space travelers. More than just a symbol to the Soviet Union, he is another of humanity's adventurers, inspiring many many more, and bookmarking one more human achievement.

STS-1 Mission Patch

Then, in 1981, STS-1 was launched from Kennedy Space Center. STS, or Space Transport System, means the U.S. space shuttle program. This was first launch of a space shuttle, the Columbia.

This was mostly a test flight of the new shuttle technology, a shakedown cruise. Two astronauts were sent up, Young and Crippen. John Young was a veteran at the time of the space program. He'd served on the Gemini 3 mission as pilot, and commanded Gemini 10. Then he flew the command module for Apollo 10, and commanded the Apollo 16 mission, walking on the moon. Robert Crippen was a "rookie" at the time, having entered the space program as manned missions were ending. He did work as support for Skylab. This would be his first chance, and all the other newer astronauts chances to fly and work in space.

And it was the beginning of a new era. And like the last manned era it had it's high and low points, success and tragedy. But like all exploration and advancement, a choice is made to accept risk and danger.

Sadly, the era did come to an end. But it needed to at some point. Shuttle technology needed to be overtaken by something newer, and it has not been. I know for years I've watched new designs come up as the next advance, then fade away. We need to be willing to make the investment in a new reusable transport. But since the 80's it seems nothing has been good enough, or worth the expense.

Maybe commercial transport is the future, but I have to think that exploration isn't over. I think we have more bookmarks to lay after Gagarin's still.

Nerdy Fun With Photos: NASA snapshot

I want to think NASA planned this flight for all of us Trekkies out there.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Star Trek: The Voyage Home

Star Trek: Voyager

The idea of a Star Trek inspired flyover is not likely. But the idea does have a certain symmetry, taking us back to 1976.

Thrusters a go at NASA

Despite a dismissive look from many for NASA these days, NASA is continuing to work on.

Today, they have been testing out the new J-2X rockets.

NASA:

Testing of the next-generation J-2X rocket engine continues to set standards. Last fall, the engine attained 100 percent power in just its fourth test and became the fastest U.S. rocket engine to achieve a full-flight duration test, hitting that 500-second mark in its eighth test. On, May 25, NASA recorded another first during a 40-second test of the engine on the A-2 Test Stand at John C. Stennis Space Center. For the first time, test conductors fired the J-2X in both the secondary and primary modes of operation, 20 seconds in each. Previous tests were run in one mode only; combining the two allowed operators to collect critical data on engine performance.  

The data will be used in continued development of the engine, which is being built to help carry humans deeper into space than ever before. ...

NASA still is working hard. It may not be the priority we'd like, for the time being. But it still has it's function. And like all of us, it still has it's dreamers and innovators.