Space Forum / Space History / March 2008

Just announced today, finally available for sale, a 1/288 scale
"Collier's" Ferry Rocket as designed by von Braun and painted by
Bonestell and Rolf Klep. This has each stage as a complete item, and
comes equipped with a display stand that replicates the launch pad.

Thanks again to our once upon a time Usenet contributor "tomcat", for
having posted the optional link to this updated page of Venus surface
images.
http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/imgcat/thumbnail_pages/venus_thumbnails.html

The world's largest automaker by sales was to announce the hybrid
system Tuesday at the Geneva International Motor Show, saying the new
battery will deliver three times the power of GM's current nickel-
metal-hydride batteries.

Has anyone read this today? MSL was the subject of a major article in the L.A. Times.
Talk about a Cadillac of a rover! Since it's too big for airbags, the method to get the rover to
the surface after aeroshell release looks like a skycrane. And this rover will drive the tree-

OM got a infection in his foot and is back in the hospital, having two
toes amputated.
This exclusive medical photo shows the afflicted foot:
http://www.cok.net/photos/cff/av20.jpg

another feather in the cap of HiRise.  Wow!  Second time we've seen
natural motion on Mars, Dust Devils and now this.  No small slide
either see  http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu/images/2008/details/cut/PSP_007338_2640_cut_b.jpg
Doc

I have often wondered...  Who has had the closest view of a Shuttle
launch?  ...or a Saturn V launch?  ...or some other extremely powerful
rocket.  How close did they get and what was the experience like?
The obvious answer is the astronauts themselves.  But the real

...Anyone else ever heard of this one:
http://www.boingboing.net/2008/02/29/secret-museum-on-the.html
                OM

the moon landing conspiracy was on agin last night.  I just don't
understand.  they think all 6 landings were faked.  why would they do
that?  why not fake the first one, pretend to lose interest and just
quit.  split the $40 million among the crew.  

Ouch! Two billion dollars. That's around four times as much as the two
MER rovers:
http://tinyurl.com/3dhsnj
Pat

I couldn't resist throwing out this question:
What WOULD you accept as evidence that you are wrong and the Moon is
not only reachable by humans, but has been reached?  When NASA
Constellation astronauts make many visits, adding dozens of direct and

Hear on the afternoon news, not much detail.
Thought I heard them say will use a missle to knock it down to retain
more control.  Jeez now we'll have quite a mess up there.  I'm sure
there will be more info shortly......................Doc

Does anyone know of solar system model calculator that will let me
input the size of a particular orbit rather than the size of the Sun
or somesuch?
D.