I'm a space crank
I love space as much as the next monkey, but I have no idea why this private ascent into space is such a big deal. To me, it heralds an age of unaccountable space polluters, shitty space meal service, and, quite likely, low earth orbit space ads. Will my daughter remember a time before the giant Pepsi logo in the sky eclipses the sun twice a year at sunset?
Comments
"...an age of unaccountable space polluters?" How many tons of ozone depleting chemicals are spewed every time the space shuttle goes up? Where is the accounting there, especially when the payload is often a classified defense department satellite. I don't know about you, but no one checks with me on those flights.
Posted by: Swami | June 22, 2004 1:47 PM
At least with NASA we have FOIA, right?
It's probably just a case of sour grapes, as my greatest accomplishment to date, aside from my kids, is building a rain barrel.
Posted by: sudama | June 22, 2004 4:08 PM
I'd like to see this barrel. Got any pictures?
Posted by: nedlog | June 23, 2004 10:08 AM
It releases a gas that is unstable and if released at ground level would never make it up tot the stratosphere but since it is released within the stratosphere it is a problem. We had to get an exemption from the Montreal Protocol for this. This is what i found on the ozone secretariat site: Finally, although the exhaust from the Space Shuttle and from some rockets does inject some chlorine directly into the stratosphere, the quantities are very small (less than 1% of the annual input from halocarbons in the present stratosphere).
Posted by: james | June 23, 2004 1:19 PM