"Pong was designed so you could participate in athletics while maintaining a firm grip on a can of beer." -- Al Alcorn, co-founder of Atari
Saturday, April 07, 2007
Yet another space tourist
BBC: "Billionaire Charles Simonyi, 58, who led development of Microsoft's Word, lifted off from the Baikonur space station in Kazakhstan at 1731 GMT. "
2 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Cmon man, lighten up. It's SPACE! Who wouldn't want to go if they had the chance?
It's about damn time that space be available for non-government non-NASA non-scientists. Or in the dismissive words of NASA; "tourists".
It's still too expensive for mere peons like you and me, but if NASA had it's way private spaceflight would never happen. If what it takes to "kickstart" "tourists" dabbling in space is a dirt poor state program seeking money, then a goofy programmer dumping cash on Russia might be a good thing. Long live innovation and broke scientists looking for money.
Also, what better way to keep desperate rocket scientists busy? I'd rather have them heaving "tourists" into space than thinking of other things to do with their skills.
The saddest part is that it's the Soviets doing this seat of the pants "innovation" while we Americans shit our knickers every time the shuttle flies. Risk aversion is keeping us back. We're not dipping into free enterprise and we're keeping our spaceflights "pure" governmental (non-commercial) programs. We used to be the profiteering risk takers. What happened?
I appreciate your opinion. I don't share it, obviously.
The ISS, along with development of the STS, has cost taxpayers (me) hundreds of billions of dollars, not to mention quite a few lives. It's not Disneyland. Idiots who have earned a few extra dollars shouldn't have a chance to screw it all up.
The last tourist, a female, lost her lip gloss inside the ISS. Did it float behind one of the computers (such as life support) and melt into the cooling vent? This is idiocy of the highest order. If the idle rich want a playground, they can stick to cocaine-filled evenings in Vegas.
Russia should bow out of the space game because they're not up to the task.
2 comments:
Cmon man, lighten up. It's SPACE! Who wouldn't want to go if they had the chance?
It's about damn time that space be available for non-government non-NASA non-scientists. Or in the dismissive words of NASA; "tourists".
It's still too expensive for mere peons like you and me, but if NASA had it's way private spaceflight would never happen. If what it takes to "kickstart" "tourists" dabbling in space is a dirt poor state program seeking money, then a goofy programmer dumping cash on Russia might be a good thing. Long live innovation and broke scientists looking for money.
Also, what better way to keep desperate rocket scientists busy? I'd rather have them heaving "tourists" into space than thinking of other things to do with their skills.
The saddest part is that it's the Soviets doing this seat of the pants "innovation" while we Americans shit our knickers every time the shuttle flies. Risk aversion is keeping us back. We're not dipping into free enterprise and we're keeping our spaceflights "pure" governmental (non-commercial) programs. We used to be the profiteering risk takers. What happened?
Just my $0.02.
I appreciate your opinion. I don't share it, obviously.
The ISS, along with development of the STS, has cost taxpayers (me) hundreds of billions of dollars, not to mention quite a few lives. It's not Disneyland. Idiots who have earned a few extra dollars shouldn't have a chance to screw it all up.
The last tourist, a female, lost her lip gloss inside the ISS. Did it float behind one of the computers (such as life support) and melt into the cooling vent? This is idiocy of the highest order. If the idle rich want a playground, they can stick to cocaine-filled evenings in Vegas.
Russia should bow out of the space game because they're not up to the task.
Post a Comment