Comments on: Budget battles looming

By: common sense

common sense — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 17:11:12 +0000

@DCSCA wrote @ January 22nd, 2011 at 6:09 am

“Uh-huh. Well, ignorance is bliss, no doubt, however, it pretty much nullifies your viewpoints on the subject.”

I see. And you know so much more than I do, right? NASA under DoD right?

“Yes, the commerical space side of the argument is where you belong.”

Commerical? How about spelling lessons? It explains though why you have such a hard time with others’ posts.

By: common sense

common sense — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 17:09:22 +0000

@ DCSCA wrote @ January 22nd, 2011 at 6:04 am

Your post below. Where did you write “modern”? I know it is difficult for you to understand what “you” write let alone what others write. But try your life will be a-changing.

DCSCA wrote @ January 20th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
@common sense wrote @ January 19th, 2011 at 6:40 pm

Inaccurate. The 80-plus year history of rocketry demonstrates otherwise. Governments funds rocket/space projects- exploration or military- because of the huge costs involved and the geopolitical/strategic benefits derived. Substantial financial ROI is simply not there for the private sector. The very parameters of the free market in this era dictate the limitations of any ROI for private enterprised space ventures. Nothing is stopping the private enterprise from soaring to the stars except the very limitations of the free market they wish to service. Thatâ€™s the way it is in this era.

By: DCSCA

DCSCA — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 11:09:49 +0000

common sense wrote @ January 21st, 2011 at 1:20 am
“I never met von Braun. I never read his biography either.” Uh-huh. Well, ignorance is bliss, no doubt, however, it pretty much nullifies your viewpoints on the subject. Yes, the commerical space side of the argument is where you belong.

By: DCSCA

DCSCA — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 11:04:34 +0000

@common sense wrote @ January 21st, 2011 at 1:06 am
common sense wrote @ January 21st, 2011 at 11:27 am
Modern rocketry, if you’ve been following the narrative. Maybe you should keep up with the narrative. But then, Jupiter has a dense atmosphere, too. ‘Oh well’ indeed… deep subject for you.

By: common sense

common sense — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 22:36:29 +0000

@ William Mellberg wrote @ January 21st, 2011 at 3:54 pm

I see. So rocketry is about aiming for “space”? Maybe you want to check what a rocket really is? For example: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&defl=en&q=define:rocketry&sa=X&ei=Tgk6TaWYF4SasAOk67WhAw&ved=0CBcQkAE

You and others turn and twist history and technology (that you do not understand) until it fits your goals. The problem is that it does not work, eventually.

So the reality actually is this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket
I guess we are almost going full circle. Yep. China again? Can you believe this? Life is hard work…

Oh well…

By: William Mellberg

William Mellberg — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:54:43 +0000

common sense wrote @ January 21st, 2011 at 11:27 am

“Maybe you should read historyâ€¦ See how far back ‘rocketry’ goes â€¦”

The Chinese and Congreve weren’t aiming for space. Goddard was. Which is why his 1919 paper was entitled, “A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes” — the final chapter of which described how rockets could be used to reach the Moon. Moreover, Goddard built and flew the first ‘modern’ rockets. The basic design of his New Mexico liquid fuel rockets wasn’t all that different from von Braun’s V-2. Which is why von Braun testified on Esther Goddard’s behalf in her patent infringement case (even though the Peenemunde team had come up with the same ideas quite independently). And unlike Tsiolkovsky who was a theorist, Goddard actually built and flew his rockets.

Oh, well …

By: common sense

common sense — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 16:27:26 +0000

@ William Mellberg wrote @ January 21st, 2011 at 9:16 am

Maybe you should read history… See how far back “rocketry” goes…

Oh well…

By: William Mellberg

William Mellberg — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:16:56 +0000

common sense wrote @ January 21st, 2011 at 1:06 am

“I did not know that rocketry was 80 years old. Since when?”

Perhaps you should read von Braun’s biography (which you say you didn’t read). Or better yet, Milton Lehman’s classic biography of Robert Goddard. He launched the world’s first liquid fuel rocket in 1926. That was 84 years ago. Which answers your question, “Since when?”

By: common sense

common sense — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:20:37 +0000

I never met von Braun. I never read his biography either. Nope. Wait I did not meet his neighbors, his cousins nor his dogs if he had any. I could not say whether he’d support Elon Musk or Senator Shelby or both. And whatever he’d think I am not sure that would be reason enough to follow him today. Von Braun despite all his controversy was an improbable man that helped put people on the Moon for a few hours, 40 years ago. He is also someone who participated in the genocide of other people lest we forget. I don’t think his viewpoint would adequately represents today’s geopolitical context and people.

So I am glad to just ignore whatever some people are putting forth he might have thought and said, or not. I might as well consult a palm reader to make such statements. This only is a form of sensationalism. Sorry.

By: common sense

common sense — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:06:47 +0000

@ DCSCA wrote @ January 20th, 2011 at 4:48 pm

“Inaccurate. The 80-plus year history of rocketry demonstrates otherwise.”

I did not know that rocketry was 80 years old. Since when?

“Governments funds rocket/space projects- exploration or military- because of the huge costs involved and the geopolitical/strategic benefits derived.”

You mix up everything. Please tell us ALL the rocket/space projects that have geopolitical/strategic benefits. Especially those done under the auspices of NASA.

“Substantial financial ROI is simply not there for the private sector. The very parameters of the free market in this era dictate the limitations of any ROI for private enterprised space ventures.”

And you know that because?

“Nothing is stopping the private enterprise from soaring to the stars except the very limitations of the free market they wish to service. Thatâ€™s the way it is in this era.”

As you say “nothing” is stopping them and just showed it to you recently with SpaceX, a little while ago with VG, another time with X-Cor and Armadillo and so on and so forth. And some of these people are either contracted by NASA or have strong ties with NASA. So?