Comments on: Dueling astronaut op-eds (and the utility thereof)

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 19:07:40 +0000

The California launch site is for polar launches. This is a disjoint market from that served by Florida.

By: Dave Hall

Dave Hall — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 17:06:22 +0000

I’d also like to hear or read more about Hillary’s interest in space. I like to imagine Obama as being more bold and clear in his goal setting in a 2nd term (with the potential to hand over to 2 terms of Hillary) than Romney would be in a 1st term.

By: Neil Shipley

Neil Shipley — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 07:48:26 +0000

Hi DCSCA. Would you care to share your sources wrt Hillary and her interest (dare I say abiding interest)in space? I guess I must have missed her speeches, press releases, et al.
Many thanks.

By: DCSCA

DCSCA — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 20:44:12 +0000

“really? The most modern vehicle that comes and goes at ISS is the Dragon.”

That’s not saying much. Really.

By: CharlesHouston

CharlesHouston — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:47:12 +0000

How does this relate to the original intent of the discussion? Why can’t our technology leaders (retired astronauts, retired professors, retired executives) write an op-ed (well I guess some have but where is the effort that resulted?) that points out that a new effort takes ten years to come about – and we are diverting our resources to unproductive programs (like SLS)!

And Boeing is not going to launch anything from OPF-3, they rent the facility. KSC needs to do a lot more of that, rent out more buildings.

While some of us are watching KSC convert into something – the launches already moved. They are gone. Now many just moved to the Air Force side but lots of flights will originate from Wallops and maybe South Texas.

Does either campaign give us a chance that KSC will not just end up as a rusty visitor’s tour? I don’t see it.

Now, that may not be a big problem. We will still launch from CC AFS. But it is sad to see KSC end up a visitor’s center only.

By: Stephen C. Smith

Stephen C. Smith — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 10:48:45 +0000

XCOR has already signed a contract to use the runway and build a launch facility at the runway.

Boeing has already leased OPF-3 with the goal of using it as a base to launch CST-100s for NASA and private customers going to Bigelow habitats.

As Bob Cabana said, other tenants are about to sign as well.

You can be negative and cynical and claim nothing will ever happen, but that can be said of anything on Planet Earth — until it happens.

Me, I’m watching KSC convert into the 21st Century space launch complex. Please feel free to stay at home and ignore all the flights coming in a couple years.

By: DCSCA

DCSCA — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:52:58 +0000

Memo to Geno: There’s a McDonald’s in Red Square. That’s how we measure victories today, Gene. The Big Mac is a more powerful symbol than your flag on the moon these days.

By: DCSCA

DCSCA — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 09:45:56 +0000

The tone and tect of Geno’s reply echoes the flavor of fellows his age about 40 years ago who found themselves forced to watch moonwalks on Japanese TV sets and seeing their kids buying goorvy VW bugs. What Gene doesn’t seem to accept is he did his job, won his Cold War battle and got the accolades– and the nation moved on. Both Willard and Eugene should realize that Russia stopped being the enemy over 20 years ago and Japan as well as Germany are close allies today.

It’s rather sad.

By: Neil Shipley

Neil Shipley — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 07:39:25 +0000

Yes agreed. There’s lots of ifs, buts, and maybes, nothing of substance as yet.

By: Robert G. Oler

Robert G. Oler — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 05:01:06 +0000

Outside of Vandy I bet the first Falcon heavy goes from Texas RGO