‘Space’ Archives
Breaking News: Obama proposes an end to NASA’s Planetary Science Program
“Word has leaked out that in its new budget, the Obama administration intends to terminate NASA’s planetary exploration program. The Mars Science Lab Curiosity, being readied on the pad, will be launched, as will the nearly completed small MAVEN orbiter scheduled [Read More]
Mismatched Models
Most advocates of Human Space Flight programs always model HSF with the airplane model. Government subsidized at first and eventually private for profit companies would take over. Airplane companies that got too dependent on the government subsidies failed, but airlines [Read More]
Two is One and One is None.
There is an old saying, “Two is one and one is none.” It means that if you have only one critical item, and that item breaks, then you have none. Having two of the same critical item ensures that work can continue if one breaks. Many of you have been in [Read More]
“Don’t Cry Because it’s Over, Smile Because it Happened.” The “We Made History” Event at KSC
A little over a week ago, I attended the “We Made History” event at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center. The event was to celebrate the Space Shuttle Workforce’s accomplishments over the last 30 years. The turnout was fantastic with over 8,000 former [Read More]
America’s Human Space Flight Program 1961 to 2011: An Epitaph
July 21st, 2011, just 42 years and one day after the first landing on the Moon, I sat and watched America’s Human Space Flight Program come to an end after more than 50 years. As the final “Wheels Stop” was announced by the Commander, I watched in tears [Read More]
How Long Has it Been Since an American Astronaut Has Flown on an American Launch Vehicle to Orbit?
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More Bitter Than Sweet
What can you say? It is the end. The last launch of the most successful American Human Space Flight Program, in fact the most successful HSF program in world history, after thirty years. Fourteen people have given their lives riding these magnificent birds striving to [Read More]
Interview Updates
The Space Show interview and parts of the CBS interview are now online. You can download The Space Show interview here or you can download it from iTunes. You can view parts of the CBS 60 minutes interview here. The entire 60 Minutes interview will be broadcast later this [Read More]
Our “New” Human Space Flight Program Explained
Mr. Steven White, a regular reader since April of 2010, created a wonderful video explaining Obama and Senator Bill Nelson’s new Human Space Flight Program that is supposed to replace Constellation. As you know, Constellation was to take us back to the Moon and [Read More]
We Do All We Can Do-Space Shuttle Workforce Tribute
Below is a music video (hat tip goes to Mark Bray of Braynstorms.com) giving tribute to the Space Shuttle Workforce written and performed by Dan Keenan and Kenny McLaughlin who both worked at Kennedy Space Center. I know many of the people in the video and you [Read More]
Rocketman to Appear on the Space Show After Launch Friday.
Friday, July 8th, I will be appearing on The Space Show with Dr. Livingston 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm EST shortly after the last launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis. Dr. Livingston and I will be discussing my reflections on the launch, and what it was like to work in the Space [Read More]
Fading Away Into Mythos
Mythos is a Greek word meaning story or legend. Many myths throughout culture were just that, myths. But, sometimes, those myths actually had some truth to them. How does a real event become a myth? How does something that we accept today become a legend or myth to [Read More]
A Surreal Day
Last Thursday I received a email invite from Brevard Workforce, asking me to participate in a Townhall meeting hosted by CBS news anchor Scott Pelley for the show 60 Minutes. On Saturday I drove over to Brevard County and had the most surreal day I’ve had for a long [Read More]
Shuttle Launch Director’s Message to His Firing Room Team.
Mike Leinbach, the launch director at Kennedy Space Center, ran the final launch simulation the other day in prepreation for the final Space Shuttle launch scheduled for July 8th. He took a minute or two to speak to his entire Firing Room Team and most eloquently summed [Read More]
Now the Republican Presidential Candidates Are Abandoning Our Nation’s Human Space Flight Program
Last night in the New Hampshire Republican Presidential debates, all the candidates were asked, “…whether they would continue Federal Funding for Human Space flight.” Not one single candidate raised their hand. Not a single one! You can read the story [Read More]
“It is in the DNA of our great country to reach for the stars and explore. We must not stop.” – Commander Mark Kelly
Those were the words spoken by Commander Mark Kelly just before he lifted off on Endeavour’s final mission. It was a spectacular launch and a spectacular honest statement by Commander Kelly. Many people took his statement as a plea for our nation’s Human [Read More]
Rotating Service Structure Rollback for Space Shuttle Endeavour
Davidgojr on Youtube did a wonderful time lapse video the the RSS rollback revealing Space Shuttle Endeavour in all her glory on Launch Pad 39A. Endeavour was being readied for her scheduled launch for April 29th, but the launch has been postponed to no earlier than May [Read More]
Talk About Chutzpah! Obama to Visit KSC For Endeavour’s Last Launch.
Florida Today reports that Obama is planning to attend the last launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour. Talk about chutzpah! It was just one year ago when Obama came to KSC with his minions, hid from the workers whom he had lied to during the campaign, and killed [Read More]
At Least He Used the Crosswalk!
I talked with a friend of mine at KSC the other evening after the last round of layoffs. He had said that KSC was quickly becoming a “ghost town” and now I can see why. As one commenter had said recently on the Space Politics website, “…the birds [Read More]
Charlie Bolden Says: “Your State Voted For Obama? Here, Have a Space Shuttle!
I wasn’t going to comment on NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden’s decision for placement of the soon to be retired Space Shuttles, but since everyone else is throwing in their two cents, I might as well too. The decision made by Charlie Bolden, and I’m [Read More]
Yuri’s Night: Celebrating 50 Years of Human Space Flight
50 years ago, a young man named Yuri Gagarin climbed aboard a modified Russian R-7 inter-continental missle in the Soviet Union and made history. Every April 12th is Yuri’s night and is celebrated by space enthusiats throughout the world. This year is special [Read More]
“Houston Discovery, For the Final Time, Wheels Stop.
It’s been a couple weeks or so since Discovery ended her very last mission and I have been struggling about what to write. As regular readers know, Discovery was the first Space Shuttle I worked on and has always been very special to me. RV-103 was named in honor [Read More]
Finally, Someone at NASA Admits the Truth…
NASA Chief Technologist, Robert Braun, admitted in a interview with Physorg.com that it would be at least 10 years before NASA can develop and fly humans on a new ship. (Special hat tip to NASAEngineer.com for bringing this story to the forefront.) “But with [Read More]
That’s My Girl!!!
On February 24th, 2011, OV-103 Space Shuttle Discovery launched for the last time into space. Discovery was the first Space Shuttle I had the privilege to work on and she has always been my favorite. I have watched many launches since Columbia’s first launch, and [Read More]
Remembering Those Who Gave Their Lives
Yesterday was the day of remembrance for the heros who died for our nation’s Human Space Flight Programs. During this two week period the crews of Apollo One, Challenger, and Columbia were all killed in tragic accidents ranging from the launch pad to re-entry. [Read More]
Belated Congratulations to SpaceX
Last month SpaceX completed the first Commercial Orbital Transportation Services or COTS test flight. COTS was set up in January 2006 by NASA, under the leadership of Dr. Griffin, to have commercial companies compete for a contract to deliver supplies to the International [Read More]
Be Careful What You Wish For…
As many of you know, I have been an avid supporter of the Constellation program and have expressed grave doubts about Obama, Senator Nelson, and former Congresswoman Kosmas’s plan to turn our entire Human Space Flight program over to unproven commercial space companies [Read More]
Curiosity
Today I lectured at Letchworth Central School and a question came up about what astronauts were like. I thought I would share my answer with you all. I’ve met probably close to 60-80 astronauts and cosmonauts during my time at KSC. Some are more outgoing and some [Read More]
The Space Show Interview Is Now Online
Last night I appeared on The Space Show hosted by Dr. David Livingston. The interview went so well that it went a half hour over the scheduled time. There were many good calls and email questions from all over the world and Kennedy Space Center. I wanted to thank the [Read More]
Rocketman to be Interviewed on The Space Show
On Wednesday, November 3rd, Rocketman will be the subject of a 1 1/2 hour interview conducted by Dr. David M. Livingston on the podcast The Space Show. The live interview will start at 10 PM EST and end at 11:30 PM EST. “The Space Show® focuses on timely and [Read More]
