tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post2541067070609175044..comments2023-10-14T06:19:18.000-05:00Comments on Rocket Scientist: Telling the Truth When No One Wants To Hear ItStephanie Barrhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-85472663925947633592009-12-10T00:02:24.086-06:002009-12-10T00:02:24.086-06:00With luck, I'll be presenting a paper next yea...With luck, I'll be presenting a paper next year on near misses and learning from past mistakes, which is, ironically, pertinent to this post.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-19911482223612017072009-12-09T23:59:49.303-06:002009-12-09T23:59:49.303-06:00There are actually very few astronauts, even now, ...There are actually very few astronauts, even now, who aren't also pilots. It's very big in astronaut circles. But Schmitt wasn't necessarily a pilot "first" (meaning, really, a military test pilot) as opposed to a scientist. It was a huge deal at the time (though, yes, before my own). <br /><br />The <a href="http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/" rel="nofollow">Apollo Lunar Surface Journals</a> are fascinating reading. (One of the good things about [civilian] government run space programs is the availability of tremendous amounts of data to, well, everybody). Since I worked EVA for several years, it shouldn't be a surprise that this is an area of expertise. Truthfully, if you asked me a bunch of questions about the folks stuck in the command module, I would sadly be less knowledgeable, though I shouldn't be.<br /><br />I presented a paper on what we needed to do before wandering about EVA on the Moon or Mars again at a conference several years ago, so I'd done research. I've written papers on the use of SI, tin whiskers, modeling (and the limitations of same) - which is pertinent to the climate discussion, and micrometeoroids and orbital debris. And, I sure as heck don't know everything, but I can do research. :)Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-33244442600598353622009-12-09T23:45:24.607-06:002009-12-09T23:45:24.607-06:00You DO remember Jack! Well, not exactly "reme...You DO remember Jack! Well, not exactly "remember" but at least are familiar with him. Only served one term as senator a long time ago. Brought back almost 250 pounds of "rocks", more than any of the other missions. (I'm sorry - 115 kg.) A doctorate in geology, true, from Harvard, but DEFINITELY a pilot, at least in his younger days.<br /><br />Here's a bit of trivia. Schmitt was the only person to walk on the moon who never served in the military.<br /><br />You are starting to impress me.Relax Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051381168322495999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-16623994353553291922009-12-09T23:18:53.846-06:002009-12-09T23:18:53.846-06:00Jack Schmitt! One of the few astronauts who was a ...Jack Schmitt! One of the few astronauts who was a scientist (geologist) rather than a pilot (not that most of the astronauts, especially today, aren't both and NASA has always picked very capable individuals)!<br /><br />Schmitt is an excellent example of why sending people has some real advantages. What cool rocks they brought back!Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-6554301948740999282009-12-09T22:59:25.320-06:002009-12-09T22:59:25.320-06:00I don't disagree we need dreamers, Max. Absolu...I don't disagree we need dreamers, Max. Absolutely. 'Cept dreaming alone won't do it. Gotta have know-how. Know-how exists, of course. My problem is I don't see it often enough in the company of dreamers. <br /><br />I don't disagree that governments aren't dreaming any more. Those dreams have been killed by politics, more's the pity.<br /><br />In fact, that's what makes me sad. I'm a dreamer. I <i>want</i> private industry to pull that off. I hope like hell a couple of them do. I'm just afraid dreamers that don't think it through don't pull the rug out before they get the chance.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-86141869617919676472009-12-09T22:59:03.505-06:002009-12-09T22:59:03.505-06:00PS. You may recall that a senator from my state wa...PS. You may recall that a senator from my state was the most recent person to walk on the moon (I almost said "last person"), so we have a tradition of working both sides of the space fence, government and private. :)<br /><br />(Harrison "Jack" Schmitt)<br />http://tinyurl.com/yamvw8qRelax Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051381168322495999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-63830410848002905092009-12-09T22:51:00.029-06:002009-12-09T22:51:00.029-06:00Odd that you should blog about private space enter...Odd that you should blog about private space enterprise, since the spaceport is now under construction in my state. I have to pass by it from time to time in my travels to the south, and it is taking shape. At first there was only a sign in the weeds in the cactus off the interstate, but now they are paving the runway. A picture in my local paper a couple days ago. So they must have raised some more money. These are probably not the same people you referenced, but I am all in favor of private enterprise. You never know. And I don't think they will be dropping in on any large cities accidentally. I recently visited their website (spaceportamerica.com) and find them to be a bit overly optimistic. But we still need dreamers, Stephanie. The government has stopped dreaming and you know it.<br /><br />I liked your post.Relax Maxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01051381168322495999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-163585162944455552009-12-09T20:09:51.406-06:002009-12-09T20:09:51.406-06:00I would love to see commercial space travel take o...I would love to see commercial space travel take off. Certainly, that's the future. But it is, still, the future.The Motherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15157821003454766570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-79822417155533091782009-12-09T19:26:39.970-06:002009-12-09T19:26:39.970-06:00Agreed...Agreed...Jeff Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00667419764890599092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-69243740285112067882009-12-09T07:47:57.493-06:002009-12-09T07:47:57.493-06:00I find the design of SpaceShipTwo interesting and ...I find the design of SpaceShipTwo interesting and potentially excellent (need data not just looking at it to have a better opinion). But, even if it's the safest possible craft, he and his company can be painted with the same brush if other companies are not as diligent.Stephanie Barrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17772217449161603561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8198390912401056862.post-33607119389000376522009-12-09T07:31:49.325-06:002009-12-09T07:31:49.325-06:00In the 1920s people feared death less, even roller...In the 1920s people feared death less, even roller coasters bragged of their fatality rates, and of course a 1920's automobile would be a death trap if you could get it to run for over a hundred miles without breaking down.<br />It do worry about a spectacular failure shutting the whole industry down for a decade.Darrell B. Nelsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02851443183217238218noreply@blogger.com