NASA – Page 2 – Generation Mars

May 25, 2020

Keep your eyes up (SpaceX Demo-2)

A year and a couple months ago, I wrote about the SpaceX Demo-1 mission and why it was so important. That mission successfully sent an uncrewed Crew Dragon capsule to the ISS and returned it to Earth. Then, a little over a month later, a Crew Dragon exploded unexpectedly during a static fire test of its abort thrusters. This delayed a crewed mission, while SpaceX investigated the cause and made corresponding changes to the capsule. As is often and quite accurately said: space is hard.

But the wait is over. Wednesday afternoon (May 27, 2020), at 4:33 EDT, SpaceX will launch Demo-2 to the ISS. Aboard that capsule will be two astronauts, Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley, the first launched from US soil since the final shuttle launch (STS-135) in 2011.

Keep your eyes up. Times are weird right now, but we will get through this pandemic. And when we come out the other side, we will be well on the way to becoming the space-faring civilization that we are destined to be. Wednesday’s launch is a big step on the path. I urge you to watch the launch, if for no other reason than as a reminder that history is bigger than the mess we’re in right now.

Image: SpaceX

February 18, 2020

The perennial question: Moon or Mars?

We don’t need to go to the Moon in order to go to Mars. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go to the Moon. It’s just not a prerequisite.

I love this quote from John Grunsfeld, when asked about the radiation risk of a Mars trip: “How does that compare to the risk of blowing up on the launchpad or on ascent; getting hit by a meteor, asteroid, debris, some kind of space junk on the way there; burning up in the Mars atmosphere; burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere on the way back; or missing the Earth? You add up all those risks, and the [risk of radiation exposure] is kind of just another one.”

The Pros and Cons of a Lunar Pit Stop

NASA definitely wants to go to Mars. But does it need the moon to get there?

The Atlantic

November 15, 2019

Apollo 12: way more fun

I think I would have preferred to go second.

“Whoopee! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but that’s a long one for me.”

The Second Moon Landing Was Much Rowdier

With a successful first mission in the books, the crew of Apollo 12 was under less pressure.

The Atlantic

May 23, 2019

Generation Mars is going to Mars in 2020!

You can send your name too by registering with NASA at https://mars.nasa.gov/participate/send-your-name/mars2020/

April 5, 2019

Moon or bust?

Here’s the most thorough evaluation of the the latest push for the Moon that I’ve found. The TL;DR is that the winds are all over the place. This push is likely to fail. But we should root for it anyway because it’s shaking things up.

Here’s why NASA’s audacious return to the Moon just might work

"Starting a war between Alabama and SpaceX will be the end of the Moon program."

Ars Technica

April 1, 2019

An impressive stack

Wowza! He’s talking about an Orion atop a ULA second stage atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy. We live in interesting times.

NASA chief says a Falcon Heavy rocket could fly humans to the Moon

Falcon Heavy could augment Space Launch System on road back to the Moon.

Ars Technica

March 13, 2019

Off the shelf to the Moon

This is a fascinating development. The head of NASA just opened the door for commercial launch of NASA lunar missions.

“If we tell you, and others, that we’re going to launch in June of 2020 around the Moon, I think we should launch around the Moon in June of 2020. And I think it can be done. We should consider, as an agency, all options to accomplish that objective.”

NASA to consider use of private rockets for first Orion lunar mission

“We have amazing capability that exists right now that we can use off the shelf.”

Ars Technica