SPACE

[merman]

Fingers crossed that ESA goes ahead with developing its own manned vehicle...

[Zoot]

Soyuz capsules have always been a bit hairy, I understand. I'm reading 'Too Far From Home' a the moment, a book about the three astronauts who got stuck on ISS after Columbia went down, and there's as much background on the Russian space programme as the American and it's all a bit of an eye-opener. If you've read 'For All Mankind', too, the contrast is sometimes startling.

Just finished it - really nice call, so thanks very much.

The Americans spent millions of pounds developing a pen that would work in a zero-G environment. The Russians used a pencil

[Sir_LANs-a-lot]

Soyuz capsules have always been a bit hairy, I understand. I'm reading 'Too Far From Home' a the moment, a book about the three astronauts who got stuck on ISS after Columbia went down, and there's as much background on the Russian space programme as the American and it's all a bit of an eye-opener. If you've read 'For All Mankind', too, the contrast is sometimes startling.

Just finished it - really nice call, so thanks very much.

The Americans spent millions of pounds developing a pen that would work in a zero-G environment. The Russians used a pencil

I've got a pen that can write under water.



And any other words you can think of.

[RedOktober]

The Americans spent millions of pounds developing a pen that would work in a zero-G environment. The Russians used a pencil

It's a myth. Fisher developed the pressurised pen by themselves, not for NASA.

[Zoot]

The Americans spent millions of pounds developing a pen that would work in a zero-G environment. The Russians used a pencil

It's a myth. Fisher developed the pressurised pen by themselves, not for NASA.

Doesn't matter whether it is a myth or not - it is indicative of the wholly different approach to space that the two countries displayed. And despite the fact that the Russians used very basic tech, they kept the ISS going when the Americans couldn't.

[axel000]

Nice development - latest NASA funding authorization, as well as providing funding for additional Shuttle flights after the original planned retirement (more ISS servicing missions and delivery of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer), and accelerating the development of Aries/Orion has specified the name of the first permanent NASA outpost on the Moon - Moonbase Armstrong.

I think its quite fitting.

[RedOktober]

It doesn't indicate anything. NASA used pencils like the Russians until they were offered a better alternative. The Russians were also given the same pens.

[Zoot]

Presumably you focussed on the pens there and didn't actually read what I said? i.e. that the pen (myth or whatever) is indicative of the two different approaches taken by the USA and Russia?

[RedOktober]

How is a myth indicative of anything?

[Darkflame]

Why is a pen better then a pencil anyway?

Was sharpening it too hard/messy?

[RedOktober]

Yes.

[Zoot]

The ISS is back in visible view - http://www.heavens-above.com (although you will have to stay up late as it gets dark later), and Discovery is due for launch on 31st of this month.

[merman]

Exploding star caught in the act

Ladies and gentlemen, we have SEEN a supernova!

[planetoftheclams]

Why is a pen better then a pencil anyway?

Because pens generally don't shed little bits of electrically conductive material.

[Darkflame]

Depends what type of pencil.

Of course, I vote;


Cheaper, Faster, Prettyer