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Space Blog 113
LooseChanj writes "Ed Lu, a member of
the Expedition 7 crew of the ISS has been sending back some extremely
well written and interesting commentary
about his mission, and some of the things one has to deal with in
space. This is exactly the kind of stuff we need to see more of
out of NASA!"
What I thought we needed more of from NASA... (Score:5, Funny)
No what we really need out of NASA (Score:2)
Re:No what we really need out of NASA (Score:2)
Re:No what we really need out of NASA (Score:1)
Re:No what we really need out of NASA (Score:2)
Re:What I thought we needed more of from NASA... (Score:2, Interesting)
The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:1, Insightful)
So the ISS is not about science.
Purely a Government Jobs program right now.
It may have a use as a station to build spaceships for space exploration but that won't be done for a long time.
Should never have been constructed ! Huge waste of money.
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:3, Insightful)
Good in principle... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:1)
However.. if I had 20 mil to burn you can bet your ass I'd be on the next flight up there.
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:5, Insightful)
-Dae
Re: (Score:1, Insightful)
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:2)
For any frontier, you send highly skilled folks, and the risk-takers first. They open up the door, and then the settlers come in.
Yes space is for all of us, but it is also very very very dangerous. The idea that at this point in our technology we can afford to send Joe Richguy up in space is ridiculous, and contradictory to the idea that "space is for all of us"
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:2)
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:2)
-Dae
Sights you never thought you'd see. (Score:5, Funny)
Number 29:
Americans complaining about Russians behaving like capitalists.
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:1)
So the ISS is not about science.
how is this insightful? it is obviously very flawed logic. i suggest that the parent poster take a logic course and reconsider his/her thoughts before posting.
Re:The Russians are making a MOCKERY of ISS. (Score:4, Insightful)
Not only that, but the lessons we learn there (technical as well as psychological) are neccessary for what we need to do; making sure we don't have all our eggs in the same basket (just look at what hit our neighbouring planetoid a while back!).
As for your logic, it sucks; "Sending Millionaires up in space has nothing to do with science !!!! So the ISS is not about science."
WTF?.
Anyway, as others have already said, space tourism is (along with comsats) the only thing that brings commercial money into space development. Therefore, it's hugely important that it is encouraged. Not just for the resulting science which such an influx and cheapening of spaceflight brings, but also because it's fun.
What happens to Farts in weightlessness ????????? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:2, Funny)
Simple (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Simple (Score:1)
It's both (Score:5, Informative)
By the same token, the force exerted by you on the gas is the same force extered by the gas on you. That's newton's third law.
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:5, Funny)
--
Evan
Fire Ball!! (Score:1, Insightful)
Nasa Webcam showed Fart lighting experiments . (Score:2, Funny)
Another plus for the ISS.
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:2, Interesting)
I understand in space, they don't pressure the vessel to atmospheric 14.7 psi, so if the pressure is lower, the diffusion should take place at a much faster rate. Not to say it won't be noticed, though.
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:4, Informative)
What would be a small toot at sea level would be a station shaker at partial pressure.
Plus, the fart/air ratio would be higher, so it might disperse quicker but might be gaggingly worse till it does.
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:2, Interesting)
I understand in space, they don't pressure the vessel to atmospheric 14.7 psi, so if the pressure is lower, the diffusion should take place at a much faster rate. Not to say it won't be noticed, though.
Actually, ISS, the space shuttle and soyuz all run at near sea level pressure. This allows a more direct comparison to ground based medical studies, eliminates the health problems associated with long term exposure to low pressure, as well as the fire risk from higher oxygen concentration which would be
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:1)
In zero gravity, however, it would mix perfectly to the air, and maybe the stink would last indefinitely. If I remember correctly, farts consist most of methane, but the stinking ingredients are some sodium compounds. Maybe I'm wrong.
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:1)
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:2)
I am told that the air on board the ISS smells quite badly, but the people living on board get used to it pretty quickly.
Re:What happens to Farts in weightlessness ??????? (Score:1)
yay! (Score:3, Funny)
(space log)
Re:Blog? What is that? (Score:5, Funny)
Movie store clerk: Have you been living in a cardboard box lady??
Joe's Fiance': No..I'm from Utah.
Movie store clerk: Oh...sorry.
Blog == weblog == online journal == 99% of the internet.
Godzilla (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Godzilla (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Godzilla (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Godzilla (Score:2)
Because we can.
Re:Godzilla (Score:2)
It's nice to see that at $20,000/pound, we're sending gozilla toys into orbit.
Okay, fine. When you go up for your six month shift, you'll only be allowed one carryon item.
My personal choice would be to take balloons up. Attach an inflated balloon to godzilla with a contrivance to open the balloon after a set time interval. (I'm sure a modified egg timer will work) Then send gozilla floating down a corridor perpendicular to the area my crewmates are sleeping in...
Mixed feelings (Score:5, Insightful)
Not a weblog (Was:Mixed feelings) (Score:5, Interesting)
As a longtime fan of NasaWatch [nasawatch.com] (which is a weblog), I'd loooove to see a real ISS weblog, which would be updated continually with all the tidbits passing thru the crewman's interest, and addressed to his peers.
But what Lu is doing isn't even a Web journal-- he's writing long essays on set topics that are targeted for a popular audience by 'talking down'.
Re:Not a weblog (Was:Mixed feelings) (Score:1)
Ed was not the first (Score:1)
While NASA may well be polishing their image up (doesn't it need some shining?), Ed wasn't the first one doing this sort of thing. Don Pettit [nasa.gov], Science Officer on Expedition Six) [nasa.gov] did something similar, called Space Chronicles [nasa.gov] before Columbia was lost. He also did Saturday Morning Science [nasa.gov] basically in his own free time and of his own volition.
--buck
Re:Ed was not the first (Score:2)
It all makes sense now (Score:5, Funny)
When Kirk would start out with "Captain's log..." he was really making an entry into his weblog. Man, I'd love to see the feedback on that thing:
Captain's log, stardate 1234: Banged the green chick again today - what a wild one!
Feedback:
SpacemanSpiff: Dude! What are you drinking, Romulan Ale? Green means 1 of two things: not ripe or spoiled and either way that's one place you don't want to go where no man has gone before...
So naieve (Score:4, Funny)
Good stuff (Score:3, Insightful)
Science Officer's Blog (Score:5, Funny)
April 30: The Commander is a little gruff at times and the payload specialist has been laying some major payloads of flatulence, but overall it's not so bad.
May 5: The crew acts nice and polite when I'm around, but I suspect they don't like me. They always stop whispering when they see me.
May 18: If I catch Yuri with my wife's picture again doing what he was doing, he's going to be doing some unscheduled EVA, suit optional.
May 31: They're up to something alright. They think I can't see their little conspiratorial glances and such, but I can, oh I can.
June 12: The voices are growing louder now. They're telling me the crew's true plan. Act normal, I can't let them know I'm on to them. Not yet.
June 29: I've taken advantage of the short periods I have alone to set up a little surprise for these aliens posing as my human crewmates. Almost ready. Soon, soon I'll be free.
July 7: This is my last blog entry All is prepared. The crew knows I know now. I have only miuntes now to save the world. Just one push of a button and it will be all over for these invaders.
Nixon's unused speech (Score:5, Interesting)
Nixon's unused speech [bbc.co.uk]
Re:Nixon's unused speech (Score:2)
And I have to congratulate Nixon's speechwritter(s)...this is much better, much 'true-er' stuff than what NASA came up with after the last bit of fireworks.
Re:Nixon's unused speech (Score:2)
Re:Nixon's unused speech (Score:1)
I agree with your comment and find it insightful, I just wanted to add that Nixon's unused speech is not as uncommon of a practice as one
Re:Nixon's unused speech (Score:1)
Eisenhower apology [hyperionbooks.com]
(the actual note is at the very bottom)
Re:Nixon's unused speech (Score:1)
Although the example I gave turned out not be of a prepared president, but a prepared Commander of the allied forces, I still stand by my point. It is not uncommon for those in positions of leadership to be prepared
WMD speech (Score:2)
Re:Nixon's unused speech (Score:1)
Recently discovered documents detail the steps Nasa and the Nixon administration would have taken had the Apollo XI astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin been unable to return from the moon.
Man, I'd be utterly pissed off if I was that third guy no-one ever remembered. Future generations will probably think he was a cardboard cutout.
"Yeah, I'm Michael Collins"
"Who?"
"MICHAEL COLLINS. I was 1/3 of the first moon landing"
"Ahhh, come on. I know it was Aldrin a
Best. Picture. Ever. (Score:2, Interesting)
The desks of geeks are all very similar... even in space. I'm glad they're allowed to keep a sense of humor even though they're in space - despite what it would have cost to loft that toy into orbit.
Re:Best. Picture. Ever. (Score:1)
Wow. They really are hurting for funding...
Visualize... (Score:4, Funny)
see more? (Score:5, Interesting)
Count me out. Manned space flight is very expensive and risky. I'd rather see NASA explore Venus or Io or put more budget into their space telescopes a la Hubble.
no, i think you are wrong (Score:5, Insightful)
Given that I will probably never have the chance for long-term spaceflight in my physically capable lifetime, I would darn well like to know what it feels like to sit in a capsule, and what it's like to have a few million pounds of highly explosive stuff behind you blast you up at incredible speeds - the moments when the boosters are jettisoned, etc.
I'd like to know what it's like to fly through a space-station, and what particular difficulties are encountered during what's run of the mill on earth (eat, sleep, brush your teech, go to the restroom).
I'd like to know the views, the feelings, the daily life - because even if I cannot make it up there physically, for at least a short while my imagination can.
So, you think tax dollars are better spent to make some astronomers giddy about this nebula or that galaxy they can see? well, those nebulas and galaxies arn't going anywhere for the next few billion years. But there are people who might be interested in what space is like but won't ever have a chance to go up there. They won't last nearly that long.
What's wrong with providing a taste of space for everyone like that? do we not deserve some piece of the rewards for all these achievements in space? human experience should be shared by all, not just a few scientists, methinks.
Re:no, i think you are wrong (Score:2, Interesting)
I implied that it would be better to explore Venus or Io (or other objects within reach), instead of doing expensive manned spaceflights. There might be lifeforms elsewhere in our solar system, for instance. A bigger Hubble could discover planets around other stars. I find that much more interesting than reading the blog of an astronaut getting giddy about floating around in space. NASA
Apologies to Gilbert Godfried (Score:2)
Cool (Score:5, Interesting)
Right now I'm reading Mars, by Ben Bova [amazon.com]. This is a really great novel if space exploration and/or Mars exploration interrests you. BTW Ben Bova work[ed?] for the NASA so he knows what he talk about, from the technical point of view.
If China succeed with its space ambition to go to the moon one day (they are still very far from that goal, see various Slashdot articles in the last few weeks), it can be cool to read the weblog of this mission, too. This one maybe of less interrests because the Appolo mission was very well documented but the detail, expectation and goal of the mission will likely be somewhat different.
Great book... (Score:2)
Food, drink, but no "log" log? (Score:3, Funny)
And I didn't read a single entry about using the toilet in the whole blog.
Come on, there's gotta be a humorous story somewhere up there about someone "following through" when farting as they were getting dressed ("one in the eye" for international relations? :).
Zillions of dollars and no toilet humor? Tch, what is the world coming to?
.02
cLive ;-)
Re:Food, drink, but no "log" log? (Score:3, Interesting)
Space Toilet Picture [africaninspace.com]
Space Toilet Description [abc.net.au].
My favourite quote (Score:2, Insightful)
Lighter objects? In zero-G? I think he may mean objects with large surface areas compared to their mass,
The things Ed didn't mentioned (Score:5, Interesting)
I think if NASA wants to popularize space exploration among the youth, it should openly declare that antisocial behaviour and graffiti are mandatory parts of space travel.
Re:The things Ed didn't mentioned (Score:1, Informative)
Good job Ed (Score:3, Interesting)
The blogs are extremely informative..Its nice to see Lu mentioning in intricate detail about orbits,the ride to the station in the Soyuz, the mating of Progress with the ISS (about the lag in response of the Progress to impulses provided by Yuri and Ed's joystick and compensation & patience results thereof).
Nice to see him talking about trivial things like what they have for dinner and how. While not getting into the larger debate of the ISS being this huge waste of money, I must admit this is pretty interesting stuff, and I'm sure it will help in ensuring sustained interest of the common man in the space program.
I'm sure Ed will get into more interesting sermons like experiments aboard the ISS, EVA's, LOS/AOS and TDRS satellites and probably with the shuttle mission coming up in December or January,and since I think the Columbia commission's recommendations call on all future Shuttle missions making it to the ISS, there will be some interesting observations on that,if and when it happens.
Nice work Ed! Keep up the good work!From the logs (Score:1)
And now it's time for... (Score:1)
Russian space food comes in CANS? (Score:2)
Re:Is Ed Lu running lunix? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Is Ed Lu running lunix? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Is Ed Lu running lunix? (Score:1)
Re:Is Ed Lu running lunix? (Score:2)
Re:Is Ed Lu running lunix? (Score:5, Informative)
The laptops that plug directly into the core flight computers to allow the crew to do command and control of the station itself (critical things like maneuvering, opening valves, etc.) are running Solaris 2.5.
These laptops are currently IBM 760 XDs but they are going to be upgraded next year, at which point the OS will be transitioned to Linux. Some of the payloads in the racks use various flavors of Unix depending on what the investigators put together but I'm not sure how many (if any) of those are Linux.
Re:Is Ed Lu running lunix? (Score:2)
I'd go for a laptop which had been in space