Become a fan of Slashdot on Facebook

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
Robotics Space Science Technology

ISS To Get Man Cave 123

Posted by samzenpus from the floating-cheese-curls dept.
Nancy_A writes "There might be a new favorite hang-out for astronauts aboard the International Space Station later this year. The Leonardo Multi Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) will become a permanent module on the station, and will be brought up on the STS-133 mission, scheduled for September 2010. The new module might provide a haven for astronauts to get away from it all. '"The thought is, the PMM might become sort of a 'man cave,'" said Mike Kinslow, the Boeing payload manager at the Kennedy Space Center. "It won't have all the background noise of fans, computers and other equipment running like in the laboratories, so it will be a quieter atmosphere that might appeal to the astronauts during their off-duty hours."' Plus, NASA's Robonaut 2, or R2 will be brought up on the same flight. Any chance R2 could be programmed to serve drinks or bring food into the man cave?"
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

ISS To Get Man Cave More

ISS To Get Man Cave

Comments Filter:

  • Oh, Mike... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by spun ( 1352 ) <loverevolutionary&yahoo,com> on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @10:36PM (#31606706) Journal

    "Man Cave?" Really? That's just wrong on so many levels, I don't know where to start.

    • Re:Oh, Mike... (Score:4, Insightful)

      by spun ( 1352 ) <loverevolutionary&yahoo,com> on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @10:48PM (#31606772) Journal

      Okay, I've had a think and I believe I know where to start.

      1.) It conjures up images of a Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor in space, "ooh, ooh, ohh. Look, I've turbo charged the vacuum toilet to AAIIIiii."

      2.) It's such a dated cultural reference that the gay subculture has adopted the term ironically to refer to their rectums.

      3.) There are women up there, too, right? So, claiming you got some hot action in your man cave, well, see point two.

      4.) It is, and always has been, a corny phrase. Say it will be your "fortress of solitude" or something.

      • Fortress of Solitude = Command Centre = Mom's Basement.

        Does the ISS have a basement?

      • Re: (Score:1, Funny)

        by Anonymous Coward

        "Man cave" is also redundant. Men wander into caves and say yeah I'll live here. Women dig dens and build shelters.

      • 1.) It conjures up images of a Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor in space, "ooh, ooh, ohh. Look, I've turbo charged the vacuum toilet to AAIIIiii."

        I suspect the vacuum toilet is better allround than Howard Wolowitz' zero-gravity human-waste disposal system.

      • Why can't people use words the way they want to use them instead of the way you'd prefer they use them?

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by spun ( 1352 )

          Of course they can use words how they like! So can I. Words like 'goofy' 'unprofessional' and 'silly.'

          • I would love to see you at a party...

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by spun ( 1352 )

              Ever read 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus?' Unfortunately, I have. That's where the phrase 'man cave' comes from. It's a stupid phrase based on the stupid idea that men are all neanderthals who need the solitude of a nice cave to unwind. We're not all like that. For instance, I'm actually pretty fun at parties and consider socializing relaxing. Like a girl, if you believe the book.

        • Re: (Score:1)

          by MoriT ( 1747802 )
          Because language matters.

          They *can* use any words they like, but the words they choose are open to critique. I am allowed to believe that people are wrong, and that their behavior is based on faulty premises. In this case, his choice of words shows that Mike Kinslow uses sexist terms from the 80's when talking about things my tax dollars help fund. I have written to him suggesting that he reexamine his assumptions about gender, behavior and career choices in light of a great deal of evidence that su

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by DAldredge ( 2353 )
      You could start by making your sig agree with your statement.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by spun ( 1352 )

        How so? If I advocate for freedom over license, am I not advocating for my own free speech? Are you claiming I'm taking license by being an ass? How is it hurting anyone? I'm making a joke! Of course they can call it their 'man cave.' And I can laugh at them because I think that's a funny phrase.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by DAldredge ( 2353 )
          No you complain about the use of the word man then use the very same word yourself. Include Animal Farm Reference.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by spun ( 1352 )

            Oh, I get it. You thought I was complaining about the 'man' part of it. Nope. I was not saying, "ooh, MAN cave, that's sexist." I explained why I think it's a goofy phrase down below a bit. Man cave. Hehehe.

            Besides, my sig is a quote. I can't very well misquote the guy, can I? He said men, but it was pretty clear he meant 'mankind' by the context. Man cave is sex specific, but again, that's not really the reason "Man cave" makes me chuckle.

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by bigstrat2003 ( 1058574 ) *
      Incorrect. It is right on every level.

    • A wild Goatse appears. He starts with a small Dildo. It’s super-effective!

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by spun ( 1352 )

        What does he evolve into? No no no, never mind. I retract the question.

    • Women have one too (Score:5, Funny)

      by Boawk ( 525582 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @11:26PM (#31607000)
      Evidently the female astronauts were up in arms about this so NASA has promised to add a special module for them called "The Kitchen".

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Sulphur ( 1548251 )

      That's no cave.

  • Gosh, I wonder what THAT will be used for.... (Score:5, Funny)

    by deglr6328 ( 150198 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @10:38PM (#31606716)

    Just remember to turn the mic to Houston off of VOX.

    HOUSTON: "Uhhh, were getting a pretty steady 2-3 Hz slapping sound down here guys. Are all systems ok up there, and any ideas on a cause?"

  • Commands to the robot (Score:1, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward

    You should be able to program the drink-serving robot so that you can utter a quick command without say missing something on the space-sized big screen tv. Some command for example to get drinks for two could be D2 (meaning drinks for two). You would thus, command the robot by getting its attention and ordering by uttering thusly: R2D2!
    If you could threaten to have a restraining bolt installed if it should disobey, things could get very cosy.

  • Man Cave = Trash Can (Score:4, Funny)

    by Virtucon ( 127420 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @10:41PM (#31606726)

    The Leonardo Logistics Module is most commonly used as a Trash Can, bringing garbage back from the ISS.

    That seems appropriate as a Man Cave.

    • I wonder if it stinks on the ISS... no one ever mentions what the air is like

      • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

        by confused one ( 671304 )
        Think recycled air, no outside ventilation, electronic equipment running constantly... Oh, and apparently there's a burnt metallic odor whenever they return from an EVA. You get the idea?

  • OMG! NOOOO!!! (Score:4, Funny)

    by Khan ( 19367 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @10:45PM (#31606758)

    This is how "Silent Running" started! ;-)

  • Yawn... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Brad1138 ( 590148 ) <brad1138@yahoo.com> on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @10:45PM (#31606760)
    Wake me up when they install the holodeck.
  • I can't imagine pinball would work well in zero gravity. Hopefully they'll at least have a bitchin' big screen to watch all the games...

  • Come on Slashdot (Score:5, Informative)

    by Zouden ( 232738 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @10:50PM (#31606782)

    I can understand that a mainstream (non-tech) news website would focus on a cutesy term like "man cave" to describe this new module, but would it have killed the Slashdot editors to include something about what the module is actually going to be used for?

    (turns out it'll be used as a storeroom. It doesn't have enough radiation shielding to allow it to be used as crew quarters).

    No, it's not a "man cave", and no, the R2 robot will not be used to serve drinks. It'll be used to investigate the potential of robots to perform EVA duties.

    • Re:Come on Slashdot (Score:5, Interesting)

      by QuantumG ( 50515 ) * <qg@biodome.org> on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @11:13PM (#31606914) Homepage Journal

      As far as I'm aware, Robonaut 2 isn't even functional yet, let alone ready for flight testing. Did the writer just make this up?

      Can anyone provide any references to show that Robonaut 2 is going to fly on STS-133? So far as I can tell, this is the only article on the web that even ties Robonaut 2 to the PMM.

      • She didn't make it up, she quoted a senior official - the Boeing payload manager at KSC (Mike Kinslow). This is the first public mention that I've seen, but it is in the planning stages (as a recent addition, which is why this is the first public mention of it).

    • Re:Come on Slashdot (Score:5, Informative)

      by Kitkoan ( 1719118 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @11:17PM (#31606938)

      I can understand that a mainstream (non-tech) news website would focus on a cutesy term like "man cave" to describe this new module, but would it have killed the Slashdot editors to include something about what the module is actually going to be used for?

      (turns out it'll be used as a storeroom. It doesn't have enough radiation shielding to allow it to be used as crew quarters).

      No, it's not a "man cave", and no, the R2 robot will not be used to serve drinks. It'll be used to investigate the potential of robots to perform EVA duties.

      The article states that at the moment it doesn't have enough radiation shielding yet, but it will have it and be ready in 4 months. From the article:

      "Turning Leonardo into a permanent module will take some work, said NASA Payload Manager Joe Delai. "Once it returns from this flight we will beef up the external shield and change things internally to become a permanent module. It will be about a four month process to get it ready."

      Thats why it will be re-launched in September this year. And when it is relaunched and made a permanent module it will become their 'man cave'.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by RCC42 ( 1457439 )

      I can understand that a mainstream (non-tech) news website would focus on a cutesy term like "man cave" to describe this new module, but would it have killed the Slashdot editors to include something about what the module is actually going to be used for?

      (turns out it'll be used as a storeroom. It doesn't have enough radiation shielding to allow it to be used as crew quarters).

      No, it's not a "man cave", and no, the R2 robot will not be used to serve drinks. It'll be used to investigate the potential of robots to perform EVA duties.

      If there isn't much in the way of radiation shielding for this new module why would the astronauts want to use it at all, let alone as a frequent place for R&R?

  • R2 (Score:1, Insightful)

    by drcosquared ( 1720540 )
    It almost like its asking for D2 to be attached to that name.
  • 'Man Cave' didn't raise any alarms for me, probably because I remember 'Tool Time'. But Artoo? Really?

  • Uhhh.. the article provides no references.. so I don't know where Nancy Atkinson is getting this information from.

    As far as I'm aware, Robonaut 2 isn't even functional yet, let alone ready for flight testing. Did the writer just make this up?

    Leaving aside the obvious sexist overtones of the article, it's almost entirely a rehash of last year's news that the Leonardo MPLM will be modified to be left permanently attached to the station [spaceflightnow.com] when it flies on STS-133, becoming the Permanent Multi-Purpose Module. [nasa.gov]

    Wha

  • Serving drinks (Score:4, Insightful)

    by atomicstrawberry ( 955148 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @11:01PM (#31606852)

    R2 was perfectly capable of serving drinks on Jabba's sail barge so I don't see why he couldn't do it on the ISS?

  • Yay! Cave men in space! (Score:3, Funny)

    by ignavus ( 213578 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @11:03PM (#31606860)

    No need to shave or change clothes.

    A man's paradise.

  • How much does it cost to boost a decent amp and a pair of Magnepans up there? I'm assuming they can access their hoard of FLAC files form the ISS network, but might need a decent DAC.

  • Call it something else! (Score:1, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Why don't they just call it something like a "Space Lounge". Sounds much nicer than "Man Cave".

    • Re: (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      "Space Lounge" just doesn't have the same homoerotic overtones!

    • Oh man, I might have to turn in my nerd card...
      OK, so what was the name of the bar on the Venus Equilateral, from George O Smith's series of the same name (as the space station, not the bar)?

  • Doesn't space travel need masturbation rooms? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by Aargau ( 827662 ) on Wednesday March 24, 2010 @11:46PM (#31607116)
    Sure, I can hold out for a few days but there' no way I'd last over a month in space without a little private time.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by gaelfx ( 1111115 )

      Yeah, and R2 could make sure you do a good job of it too, clean up afterwards and everything. In fact, they should equip the thing with a big "rack" to "give rise" to the astronauts. Also, then they could call him R2D2!

      (I realize the joke was totally stupid, feel free to point out one or several of the many ways in which I achieved fail)

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Kreeben ( 995363 )
      I find it hilarious no one modded parent funny.
  • a Man Cave? The I saw it was ISS. I thought the express purpose of the "Man Cave" was to get away from the wife. Isn't space far enough away?

  • Is there any reason they can't install the holodeck in a cylindrical compartment?

  • Ten Forward.

    With a fridge for cold drinks. And a Flatscreen.

    Xbox? Of course.

    • finally a valid excuse for blasting whoopy goldberg of the planet!

      off topic, i wonder how the disc-tray stuff on the xbox would work in zero-G, makes game swapping an interesting experience i'd say

  • drinks in space (Score:3, Interesting)

    by LS ( 57954 ) on Thursday March 25, 2010 @01:09AM (#31607378) Homepage

    are astronauts allowed to drink any alcohol?

    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Sure, just at 4:20 when they smoke up. Thank God for geosynchronous orbits.

  • One of these scientists just watched too much television ... ... Back to the bat cave!

  • "Any chance R2 could be programmed to serve drinks or bring food into the man cave?" - I don't think so, Dave

  • OK, so does somebody want to bet that DVD with the Wah-wah guitar music and the pizza delivery guy will be on steady loop play in there on something with a screen?

  • why make Robonaut 2 bring drinks to male astronauts when there are female astronauts who could serve drinks? LOL

  • Also more ashtrays, a kegerator and a HDTV. Then it will be a man cave. Not to be confused with the bar "The Man Hole" (entrance in rear).

    I wonder how one plays billiards in microgravity?

  • There seems to be a pearl necklace floating in the man cave. Who didn't clean up?

    Also, we are running out of paper towels.

Slashdot Top Deals

On the eighth day, God created FORTRAN.

Close