Space Forum / Space Policy / January 2004

I have seen some footage of these things shaped like rods.  They've
been photographed as a flash in the sky that lasts only a few seconds.
It is believed to be an extraterrestrial object, and I want to know
more about these "RODS".  If anyone knows about them, please let me

Let's give three cheers for NASA, our robots are on Mars
because we are American they look like shiny cars
They're brave and uncomplaining as they trundle here and there
they take a lot of pictures and they have no need for air

Thank you NASA for the daily press conferences at JPL at 9 am PST!
I don't know how I will survive without Jennifer Trospers happy smile when
/ if (?) NASA decides to drop the press briefings... I hope that it will go
on forever ... or at least for 90 days ;-)

http://www.badastronomy.com/
January 14, 2004: ALERT! The President of the United States just
announced an initiative that will increase our presence in space,
including unmanned probes to the Moon with the eventual landing of

First let me say that I think that space shuttle should
be retired and replaced as soon as possible.  But I'm
having a big problem with this idea proported to be
proposed on Wednesday by Pres. Bush to abandon shuttle

The heck with this futile search for Martians.  Let's send some
bacteria or algae that'll survive to become the first Martians.
----

NASA should stop over-hyping their success.  Granted they are competing for
funds with other organizations in the government and have to play politics,
but come on I'm starting to roll my eyes at all their hype.  People are
going to stop believeing them.  I already have at least ...

I propose that Hubble be privatized and that the buyer could sell High
Res images of places on earth.  I am sure some ppl would pay him NOT
to take such images.

I heard Prof Pillinger (Beagle 2 notoriety) on Sky last night.
He was basically saying that there was no way that either of the
NASA rovers would be able to determine whether life had or
currently existed on Mars.

Isn't it terrible luck that, with the Spirit Rover starting to explore
Mars, it has to compete against the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire
primary for news coverage?  For all I know, JPL is making huge strides
forward, and I'm missing the whole thing, because all the ...

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-01/29/content_1290757.htm
 China to launch new solid-fuel rocket
 www.chinaview.cn 2004-01-29 15:15:37
 [EXCERPTS]

In all the new images from Boeing they show a delta V heavy as the launch
vehicle of choice for the CEV. Since the delta V heavy has no propellant
crossfeed it has no engine-out capability whatsoever. So even a single
engine failure very late in the ascent profile would be enough to ...

So who in this NG supports the new U.S. drive to return to the moon, and
possibly Mars (irrespective if it will become reality because since there
isn't any real NASA budget increase that's still very iffy)? I'm still not
too sure about it; what we're gonna do there and why to have ...

This week's Fox News column, which has a link to last week's as well.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,109127,00.html

I can't believe the shitty quality of the mars photos, I can take better
photos with a $200 digital camera and they had $900 million to play with and
a pristine clear atmosphere, no wonder nasa is in such a mess