Inflatables, solids, strap-ons and riders – oh my, it's the week in space

Presidential frothing over NASA's direction was swiftly wiped from the walls last week while ESA continued quietly progressing towards new rockets and vehicles. ESA Rider While space fandom continues to breathlessly anticipate Boeing and SpaceX's latest and greatest reusable capsule, ESA has continued to plough its own furrow …

[I ain't Spartacus]

It's amazing how you can miss things

I was completely unaware of the Mars Helicopter. So that's excellent news, and another cool thing for the next NASA Mars rover to do.

While I'm here talking about space, I hope nobody minds a little plug - I am not affiliated with this in any way, just an interested listener. The BBC World Service have a newish program/podcast out called 13 minutes to the Moon. Up to episode 4 now, but it's a podcast so you can download.

It's a bit repetive, in the way so many documentaries feel they have to be nowadays, and sometimes veers around the subject a bit to account for short attention spans. But I think it's pretty damned good. The schtick is that they're focusing on the final 13 minutes of the Eagle's landing on the Moon - and taking bits of the recorded radio conversation each episode, to go off and explain the various technical challenges and problems they had to overcome. With as I understand it, the final aim being that you'll be able to listen to the audio feed uninterrupted (in a later episode), and by that point recognise most of the voices and jargon so you can understand what they're talking about.

I've not read about Apollo in ages, and it's inspired me to look for Michael Collins 'Carrying the Fire' and Gene Krantz 'Failure is not an Option' - so it's already cost me a few quid...

[Throatwarbler Mangrove]

Re: It's amazing how you can miss things

Oh god, now you've done it. That Guy will be around shortly to explain to you how science dictates that the moon landing was a hoax.

[Glen 1]

Re: It's amazing how you can miss things

"We are go on that alarm"

[Ken 16]

Re: It's amazing how you can miss things

I've been reading 'Rocket Men' by Robert Kurson and 'Shoot for the Moon' by James Donovan about Apollos 8 and 11 respectively (but I suggest you read them in the reverse order as Shoot for the Moon does a better job of giving background and introducing the wider team).

[phuzz]

Re: It's amazing how you can miss things

For a similar recommendation, if you'd like to know (a lot) more about the Apollo Guidance Computer, and how it's hardware was built, there's an interesting youtube channel following the rebuilding of an early AGC unit.

(Stick around for vintage teletype restorations).

[I ain't Spartacus]

Re: It's amazing how you can miss things

I loved one of the comments from the latest episode of 13 Minutes to the Moon about the AGC. Apparently it was the first contract NASA signed for Apollo - and it's a whopping 10 pages long. And doesn't even mention software, other than saying that of course all required programs are to be provided with the hardware.

That would be a 10,000 page contract now, for an untested system, using unproven hardware that was vital to a new design of spacecraft.

[jmarked]

Re: It's amazing how you can miss things

Just heard too about Mars helicopter the other day when I was helping a buddy installing the parts he ordered from 4WheelOnline. Gonna try to catch that podcast.

[Arthur the cat]

Ariane 6 inches closer to launch

But how far away is it?

[Ugotta B. Kiddingme]

Re: Ariane 6 inches closer to launch

is that an innuendo in your title or are you just happy to see me?

[Chris G]

Lego lunar lander

Aren't the toys they make nowadays amazing?

I hope you are saving up for the fully functional Lego lunar launcher.

I can't wait to see a vulture on the moon, though the space suit will be a challenge.

[Paul Hovnanian]

Re: Lego lunar lander

Shouldn't that be Playmobil?

[Paul Kinsler]

Re: Lego lunar lander

A few years back I even made myself a lego Philae lander. It was a bit rubbish, really, but it did have a much more diverse colour scheme than the real one, albeit out of necessity, rather than choice. :-)

The lunar lander does look nice, I must say.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Lego lunar lander

The price of Lego these days, the real one is probably cheaper.

[Hurn]

Trump says NASA should be focused on Defense.

Isn't that what the Space Force (which he created) is for?

[Chris G]

Trump's Space Force.

I wonder which of his comics gave him that idea.

Or maybe he watched the original Space Patrol series on TV when he was a kid.

[Anonymous Coward]

no, it's focused on Attack.

[MyffyW]

Don't care who you have in defence as long you put Keira Walsh in midfield