Monthly Archives: July 2010

Mars Colonization Poll

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Jonathan Goff

I saw a comment by Jim Davis over on NASASpaceflight.com that made me want to do a poll about real attitudes towards Mars colonization.  Let me give some background thoughts, the questions, then some rules for comments. First off, Jim’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Space Development | 62 Comments

Silver Lining

Posted on July 30, 2010 by johnhare

guest blogger john hare One good thing about the current congress/senate/president funding mess is that we won’t have to listen to as many cranks start their rocket development plan with, “First we convince the president.”

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Privately Funded Observatories an Analog for Space Exploration?

Posted on July 24, 2010 by Jonathan Goff

I saw on twitter that Alex MacDonald’s paper on comparing the private funding of astronomical observatories and space exploration is finally up.  It’s a fascinating read.  I met Alex at New Space conference last year, and he showed me some … Continue reading →

Posted in Commercial Space, Space Development | 10 Comments

Cost Plus and Competition

Posted on July 17, 2010 by johnhare

guest blogger john hare There have been many comments over the years on many sites about cost plus being used when nobody has any idea of the costs of a project or how to bid it. This morning on Clark’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments

The Antibodies Won

Posted on July 15, 2010 by Jonathan Goff

They misnamed the bill though. Should’ve been called “Found a Pork Program (un)Worthy of its Host Nation”. I find it amusing that so many of the opponents of Obama’s proposed space plan are so happy with this, when it doesn’t … Continue reading →

Posted in NASA, Snark, Space Policy, Space Transportation | 29 Comments

Performance Attrition

Posted on July 12, 2010 by johnhare

guest blogger john hare Many of us have complained from time to time about the lack of true progress from NASA even while agreeing that there are a lot of very smart motivated people in the agency. It would be … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 18 Comments

Beyond LEO

Posted on July 10, 2010 by johnhare

guest blogger john hare There is a fairly constant murmur that commercial space will not go beyond LEO and more mumbling that there must be a specific destination with a specific timeline. The second mumbling assumes that there is some top … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 28 Comments

Light Blogging Likely to Continue

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Jonathan Goff

I really apologize for the light blogging lately. I’ve been under a lot of stress, and unfortunately I’m expecting the light blogging to continue for at least the rest of the month, and probably longer. I’m heading up to Oregon … Continue reading →

Posted in Administrivia, Excuses for Light Blogging | 7 Comments