Last month was the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of Sputnik I, which propelled humanity into the Space Age. Today, November 3rd, is the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of Sputnik II, the first space craft to carry a living creature — the dog, Laika. Laika died a few hours into her flight due toContinue reading “On the First Space Traveller”
Tag Archives: Space Exploration
On Sputnik
Fifty years ago today the Russians launched Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite. Humanity made its first tentative step into space. I don’t have anything profound to say, unfortunately. I wonder what the kids of 1957 imagined the future would be. The moon, Mars, the stars? Well, we got to the moon, then came back.Continue reading “On Sputnik”
On Going to Pluto
When I was very young I remember the excitement at seeing pictures taken by Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 when they encountered Jupiter and Saturn in the late 1970s. (I don’t remember any similar excitement during the Uranus or Neptune encounters–certainly nothing mainstream.) According to this article, an encounter with Pluto was a real possibilityContinue reading “On Going to Pluto”
On a Martian News Release
Passed along without comment. 🙂 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Martian Air Force denies UFO crash Gusev Crater (MPI) – A spokesthing for Mars Air Force denounced as false rumors that an alien spacecraft crashed in the desert, outside of Ares Vallis on Saturday. Appearing at a press conference today, General Rgrmrmy The Lesser stated that “theContinue reading “On a Martian News Release”