Stumble It!
I suppose I have to comment on the plan to return to the Moon NASA put out a little while ago. I have to say, I am a little torn. I mean this is Space Pragmatism, where we are pragmatic, as it were.
Well for the executive summary, I am okay with it. Unlike many of my private space industry brothers, I don't think it is doomed to failure already. I think they could get to space, and with the right leadership (and I mean in the White House not in Griffin's seat) they could build colonies and launch Americans to Mars.
So why am I not jumping for joy and waving my arms. The problem is, it doesn't get me and my wife to space. That, of course, is my ultimate goal. Like Ron "Tater Salad" White said about being a dog lover:
I a dog lover. Actually I love my dog. I don't give a crap
about your dog.
Well, just the same for me. I want to go to space. I don't give a crap if you go to space. (I wouldn't mind the company, so come on up). But the best way to get me to space is to get everybody to space.
Mr Borman (who has been to space which hurts me to the core) is a dumbass (yes I said it). His recent statement (from Space Politics):
Well, I think Spacecraft One [sic] was a nice stunt. You spend twenty-five
million dollars to win ten. I'm not taking anything away from it because the
people who flew it were very brave and courageous, but I don't think it leads to
much, and I think it's inappropriately displayed up there next to Lindbergh's
and Yeager's airplanes.
Well, Mr Borman, screw you. You got to go to space, and unless I change my personality, my career path, and my vision pretty soon, NASA ain't send'n me up. Burt is the only person around who has done a lot to get me to space. So he falls right below God, my wife, and my kids on my list of people I love.
So were do I fall. It will be a fun show. I hope them the best. I also hope Virigin Galactic has a resort on the Moon before then. I be drinking 7n7's and toasting the landing, from the lunar side.
Update: 7:30 PM CST Nov 2, 2005
Jonathan Goff over at Selenian Boondocks seems to agree with me.
2 comments:
Brad Edwards is the only guy who has a chance of ever getting "the rest of us" into space. At 600 per pound SpaceX would cost us around $180,000 to LEO. That is far better than NASA, but still far too expensive for "the rest of us." With a mature space elevator infrastructure, i.e. six to ten tethers, LEO will cost around $1,500. -Tony Rusi
Funny thing is, even if Col. Borman had $25 million bucks, he still fu(k!ng couldn't do it.
He's mad 'cause he ain't a real honest to God rocket pilot, like Mike and Brian, on Apollo 8 he was just along for the ride.
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