Space

Two Space Shuttles ready for Hubble repair on STS-125

July 21st — a date many of us will remember — in 1969 Apollo 11 brought the first moon landing, and forty-two years later the Space Shuttle program ended. One of the announcers referred to the Shuttle as having inspired a generation. Did it really? The awesome, hardworking folks at NASA did amazing things; however, I have not considered the Shuttle program inspiring for the last two decades. Not through any creative fault at NASA, but rather from a lack of imagination on the part of our political leaders.

The Hubble and Mars Rovers were among many things that showed NASA at its best. I can not help but feel that if the political imagination had existed then all those things we expected of 2010 (moon base, Mars visit, etc.) would have come to pass. If outsourcing and Capitalism work out, then maybe we’ll have a better story to tell in 2020.

SSC Tustara

As the last remnant of the Space Race ends, we are at least getting a car that looks like The Jetsons. This 1350hp carbon fiber beauty is expected to set a new production speed record ~270 MPH. That’s cool. Although, I’m still partial to the Tesla Roadster. Its top speed of ~125 MPH is usually enough for me and even if you can’t own a Tesla, you can own their stock.