Science!

[maumann]

Firefly's Blue Ghost sticks the landing. Pretty impressive feat, given that nobody else seems to have perfected the landing without a couple of humans onboard. Always awed by the photo of home from so far away.

Private lunar lander Blue Ghost aces moon touchdown with a special delivery for NASA

 

[Twirling Time]

6-feet-6 tall and 11 feet wide?

I would've named it Charles Barkley.

 

[tea and ease]

I claim my ignorance that until earlier today when this was announced I had no idea it was attempted.

 

[Neutral Corner]

The lander I'm really interested in lands later this week at the Moon's South Pole. It's got a number of experiments searching for a source of water or water ice, which would be very useful if there is ever to be a moon colony.

 

[Twirling Time]

TIL the famous Earthrise photo taken from Apollo 8 was flipped 90º clockwise for public consumption because of how the orbit of the Moon was entered.

 

[maumann]

TIL the famous Earthrise photo taken from Apollo 8 was flipped 90º clockwise for public consumption because of how the orbit of the Moon was entered.

Thank goodness Bill Anders was adept at taking pictures -- and was able to get color film from Jim Lovell so quickly -- because he had been snapping black and white images of possible future landing sights up until that point.

Anders is also responsible for one of the greatest quotes about the Apollo program: "We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth." A devout Catholic, Anders questioned his religion after seeing how insignificant the Earth was in the vastness of the universe.

Also, TIL I learned NASA techs drove the undeveloped film some four hours to a family-owned photo shop in Corpus Christi to get slides and glossies printed.

 

[Twirling Time]

Also, TIL I learned NASA techs drove the undeveloped film some four hours to a family-owned photo shop in Corpus Christi to get slides and glossies printed.

I read that last part too. That's because there wasn't anyone else in Greater Houston who was equipped to develop color film in 1969. That was a wild revelation to this young.

 

[Slacker]

Also, TIL I learned NASA techs drove the undeveloped film some four hours to
a family-owned photo shop in Corpus Christi to get slides and glossies printed.

Four-hour drive? ... It's NASA. So why didn't they fly something there?

 

[Neutral Corner]

Gas was 27 cents a gallon and the minimum wage was $1.30.

 

[Starman]

SpaceX completes rocket booster catch but loses contact with Starship spacecraft during Flight 8 | CNN

Eighth launch of "Starship"

Eighth launch in which at least one stage blew up.

Countdown until Elmo Husk goes online to horn-honk about the flight being a "complete success" ... 5, 4, 3, 2 ....

 

[Neutral Corner]

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

This is the second failure in two launches for the "Block 2" version of Starship, which is slightly taller to get in more propellants. Elongated Muskrat calls it a "minor setback."