Space Forum / Space Policy / August 2003

There has apparently been an explosion and ongoing structure
and grassfire at the United Technologies Pratt and Whitney
Space Propulsion Systems site in San Jose, CA (600 Metcalf Road).
Reports are that it happened about 6:15pm pacific time.

The following is an outline of an idea that I have been working on for
some time, for the sake of brevity I have omitted details at this stage,
they will follow.  The primary purpose of this post is to publish this
idea, for the usual reasons, though discussion, debate, criticism ...

Cover story in this week's US News and World Report:
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/030811/usnews/11nro.htm
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/030811/usnews/11nro.b1.htm
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/030811/usnews/11nro.b2.htm

What efficiency in converting elctrical power input into exhaust jet
power can be had out of ion engines? I'm finding little info on this.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2003-07-30-oberg_x.htm
We the people are the ultimate authority over NASA. Should we get rid
of the pilots on the shuttle and the flightdeck and fly automated?
That would allow full escape systems to be installed for the mission

I've been reading up on the "Capsule" vs "Something with Wings"
debate.  To my mind, as a software engineer who lives wherever
possible by the "Keep It Simple" principle, the "capsule side" make
compelling case.

I'd like to see more sci.space.policy postings and less postings about Alan
Erskine. Yes he may be a kook, but I don't like to see his name posted all over
the newsgroup as useless filler. If you don't want anyone to pay attention to
him, then stop drawing attention to him, pleasse!

As a white man who has been oppressed
by civil rights laws, I can appreciate
Hitlers efforts to establish an
Aryan ruling presence in the world.

As you probably know, in the aftermath of Charles Lindbergh's
trans-Atlantic flight, interest in aviation skyrocketed.  According to
the X-Prize website, "The Spirit of St. Louis aircraft was personally
viewed by a quarter of all Americans within a year of Lindbergh's 1927

ET alive and on Mars: astronomers
By Leigh Dayton and Steven Swinford
July 15, 2003
NASA found evidence of life on Mars in 1976, but dismissed the findings

Here is a compilation of planned (as of July 31, 2003) Delta IV and
Atlas V launches for the next few years.  This list assumes that
three GOES launches will be transferred from Delta III to Delta IV.
      Delta IVM(+)   Delta IVH    Atlas V-4XX  Atlas V-5XX

Think about it for a minute.  Gigantic flame monstrosities that breathe
sulfuric gases.  Not improbable.

I am not happy about the militarization of space. But that is the real
world. These guys live in a dream world and want to go back to living
in caves and devolving back to tree slime. Nuclear propulsion is
feasible and capable of taking thousands of settlers to Mars per day.

That's the title of my latest Fox column, on the chilling effect that
regulatory uncertainty may have on investment in private space.  I
suggest taking AST out of the FAA:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,92840,00.html

I have just created a webpage (
http://utenti.lycos.it/paoloulivi/shenzhou.html ) where you can find an
audio file of the pronunciation of Shenzhou in Chinese.
Paolo