09 Mar 04
Originally posted by nosvaratueThe USA has had some great successes in space, most notably the moon landings, but a lot of spectacular failures as well. Check out the early history of space travel, when the USSR was well ahead. Of course, both sides made extensive use of German rocket scientists captured at the end of WW2. There's a great line about this in the movie The Right Stuff. An American official wants to know why the US is behind in the space race, and asks if it is the quality of the German scientists. His underling reassures him with: 'our Germans are better than their Germans'...
leave space 2 the professionals/ usa
:'( sdh :'(
09 Mar 04
1 edit
Originally posted by dfm65he he he... you've just reminded me of an artical I read, I think called "It's not rocket science...". It was about all the mistakes that were made during the space race. Examples were:
The USA has had some great successes in space, most notably the moon landings, but a lot of spectacular failures as well. Check out the early history of space travel, when the USSR was well ahead. Of course, both sides made extensive use of G ...[text shortened]... assures him with: 'our Germans are better than their Germans'...
In the early launches, no toilets or even a way to leave the seat was provided; why bother, the whole launch to landing was under an hour. Unfortunatly they forgot about the 7 hours the pilot would be strapped into his seat before launch, meaning that he had to relieve himself in his space suit. Concidering he was lying horisontaly in a waterproof suit this was even more unpleasant than it might first sound.
On a later orbital mission a toilet was included in the design. The first person to use it go a bit of a shock because no one had taken into account that they would be in 0 gravity, so what was supposed to go down instead floated around the cabin.
Having learnt from this the next mission installed a 'fan' system in the toilet to cause a slight down draft, all that would be needed to make other things also head downwards. The unfortunate first person to use this device discovered that the fan blades had been installed upside down, causing an updraft...
There were many other examples that left me wondering how anyone had every got anywhere in the space race. My favourate still has to be that when the US discovered that pens wouldn't work in 0 gravity because there was nothing to draw the ink downwards they spend 2 million (worth a lot more in the 60's than today) developing the space pen, that could write anywhere with or without gravity or atmosphere. The Russians took pensils.
11 Mar 04
Originally posted by belgianfreakHey BF,
he he he... you've just reminded me of an artical I read, I think called "It's not rocket science...". It was about all the mistakes that were made during the space race. Examples were:
In the early launches, no toilets or even a way to leave the seat was provided; why bother, the whole launch to landing was under an hour. Unfortunatly they forgo ...[text shortened]... en, that could write anywhere with or without gravity or atmosphere. The Russians took pensils.
I want to use your post to get a gripe off my chest. It has to do with my "religion"... the conquest of space and getting our civilization out where it has a chance to survive.
The very first flights of mercury had "absorption" pads, developed at a cost of several million dollars built into them. These have since been given to the public and billions of dollars have been made from that simple idea. Diapers for babys and "Depends" for incontinent old folks. The story about the first leak is from the book by Tom Wolfe, and is apochraphal at best. It made the book, and movie interesting, but are not even close to the truth.
The first Toilets were installed by the Russians on Vostok craft. The second was a system in the Space Lab. They worked quite well. One did malfunction. One time, giving rise to the urban legends.
The part about the pens is true. There was need for ink to write on plastics. Pencils wouldn't cut it. So the US spent several million dollars developing the pen that would write in any condition. We now know them as the "Sharpie" and "Dry Markers" used around the world and which have generated billions of dollars of return for the few miserable millions it took to develop them. The russians are still using pencils. And probably will be for the next thousand years.
As to Varq... and his implied belief in the "flat earth" society... Never mind. It just leaves me speachless and sad. Ain't much hope for a better tomorrow with supposed intelligent people trying to deny progress by bald-faced lying and/or shameless derision of the obvious truth.
I do believe Varq is a free thinker, and I must remind everyone that free thoughts are like anything else... you get what you pay for.
Mike
12 Mar 04
Originally posted by StarValleyWyWARNING: SENSE OF HUMOUR FAILURE!!!
As to Varq... and his implied belief in the "flat earth" society... Never mind. It just leaves me speachless and sad. Ain't much hope for a better tomorrow with supposed intelligent people trying to deny progress by bald-faced lying and/or shameless derision of the obvious truth.
I do believe Varq is a free thinker, and I must remind everyone that free thoughts are like anything else... you get what you pay for.
Of course I don't believe that rubbish...
12 Mar 04
Originally posted by thepunterhmmm, it is debatable if it really is a complete waste of money. When you push the boundries of our abilities in any field then you drive people to make breakthroughs. I personally don't know about space travel but there ghave already been examples where technology developed for it has filtered down to improve out daily lives. The example I know a little more about is formula 1 racing. Although someone will probably correct me about the exact origins I have heard that ABS, crumple zones, traction control, power strearing... all these things were invented by the tech guys for racing teams tryin to get an edge on the competition in a 'pointless' race, but ended up in our day to day lives, saving lives or just making them more pleasent.
who cares. what difference does it make to our humdrum daily grinds. COMPLETE WASTE OF MONEY TIME EFFORT etcetcetc😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠