These Guys Are Smarter Than NASA
Well, actually, they used to be NASA rocket scientists, but they decided that the current plan for replacing the shuttle, returning to the moon and going to Mars was fatally flawed.
Not the idea of doing those things, just the current NASA plan for accomplishing those goals.
So, after being marginalized, they branched off on their own and founded the Direct 2.0 initiative.
After looking over their plan, I have to agree with them. Their flight hardware architecture is quicker off the pad, more powerful, safer, more robust and offers more long-term options for crewed inner solar system exploration than anything I have ever seen.
These folks have really done their homework.
You can read their entire proposal in .pdf format here.
The full graphics are on flickr here
In the meantime, here are some space porn for ya...
I'm convinced these folks are on the right track.
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5 comments:
WTF????
Let me invest, as a father of 3, my life savings in this venture.
After all, with this endorsement:
"After looking over their plan, I have to agree with them. Their flight hardware architecture is quicker off the pad, more powerful, safer, more robust and offers more long-term options for crewed inner solar system exploration than anything I have ever seen."
XO, you are the Swiss Army Knife Of InterStellar Aviation.
Thanks for the informed opinion. I'm emailing Bloomberg right now with the tip, hope you don't mind.
Anonymous:
1. Nobody is asking you to invest anything. Just write your congressional representative and ask them to redirect already allocated NASA funds to this new initiative.
2a. Have no idea how Swiss Army Knives enter into this. I suspect you would be hard pressed to explain the reference.
2b. I never said anything about "InterStellar". I said "inner solar system". That means Mercury, Venus, Luna, Mars and the asteroids. Travel to other stars ("InterStellar") is not possible with our current technology. Unless you grandfather in the Pioneer and Voyager probes. Go google them. I don't have time to explain them to you.
2c. Aviation? "InterStellar Aviation"? Seriously? Do you not have access to a dictionary?
3. "...as a father of 3..." don't try to help any of your children with their homework. No good can come of that.
It is possible that I may know a bit more about "rocket science" than you, anonymous father of 3.
But if you would like to actually read their proposal and offer a counter argument, or even an alternate hardware architecture and flight profile, I'd love to see it.
I offer up my blog as a platform for YOUR plan for the exploration and colonization of the inner solar system.
Knock yourself out.
"Colonel, you better have a look at this radar."
"What is it, son?"
"I don't know, sir, but it looks like a giant--"
"Dick! Dick, take a look out of starboard."
"Oh my God, it looks like a huge--"
"Pecker!"
"Where?"
"Over there. What sort of bird is that? Oh goodness, it's not a bird, it's--"
"Privates! We have reports of an Unidentified Flying Object. It has a long, smooth shaft, complete with--"
"Two balls! Two Strikes! ... What is that? It looks just like an enormous--"
"Johnson!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Get on the horn to British Intelligence and let them know about this."
Wow, those sure are some big, rockets!
keith sader - nah. I'm just happy to see ya!
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