https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58885555
Star Trek star William Shatner ready to boldly go into space
Hollywood actor William Shatner will later become the oldest person to go to space when he takes a ride in the Blue Origin sub-orbital capsule.
Launch is currently scheduled for 15:00 BST (9:00 local time).The 90-year-old, who played Captain James T Kirk in the Star Trek films and TV series, says he is looking forward to seeing Earth from a new perspective.
Last edited by Seiko7A38; 13th October 2021 at 09:20.
Billionaire vanity flights whilst the rest of the world frets about the state of the planet. I honestly cannot believe they get such positive press for these sorts of things.
They probably said similar when aeroplanes first took off. We need to conquer space flight for future generations.Originally Posted by Davidd
Not too sure there was a pending ecological catastrophe back then though. Also in what way is this helping us ‘conquer space flights’? Isn’t it sub-orbital anyway?
Shatner is simply incredible - at age 90 he has all his marbles, looks great, and seems to defy age.
I think it is great he's going into space. Bon voyage Captain Kirk.
So clever my foot fell off.
Pretty sure the industrial revolution was well into its stride by then, so it was well on the way!
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
Yes of course but we can’t really compare the breadth of knowledge we have now regarding the impact it was/is having.
Still, if sending a nonagenarian into sub-orbital space floats your boat/spaceship…
Have you watched this?
Suggest you do.
The only way forward is to become inter-planetary, in the very short term at least. If we can get out of the inner Solar System we won't be swallowed by the Sun.
There is no long-term proposition.
Blue Origin New Shepard Mission NS-18 webcast live stream. 90 minutes to launch and counting.
I disagree; my personal opinion is that in order to sustain mankind god the greatest length of time, we need to reduce the population to sustainable levels and stop glorifying mass consumption.
Unfortunately, the invention of money and human greed has made this all but impossible.
Whilst a booming economy may be good for the population in the short term, it’s a long term disaster and if we can’t get it right here on earth, we’ve absolutely no right to spread our disease to their planets.
Yes, the solar system will end (and the universe eventually) but humanity doesn’t actually deserve to survive long term.
Certainly the best thing for the planet currently is the mass extinction of the human race; COVID appears to have failed but something else that comes along may be more successful.
Last edited by number2; 13th October 2021 at 14:49.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Ooops ! The thread suddenly got shorter.
Last edited by Seiko7A38; 13th October 2021 at 14:24.
Amazing, saw the news conference the other night, he looks like a healthy man in his seventies!
So befitting that he is able to do it.
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good on him , warp speed sir , :-)
See @ 30 seconds: https://youtu.be/Pw8HNep1RX4?t=30
I'm Captain Kirk and I'm terrified of going into space.
Last edited by Seiko7A38; 13th October 2021 at 09:32.
Someone should run a sweepstake on what catchphrase he'll deliver when they're floating round (from 3mins) up there.
It can't be his catchphrase from the Twilight Zone. Capsule doesn't have wings, sadly.
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I’ve no axe to grind against scientific exploration at all and the trickle down of the science behind it will be essential if we’re to stand a chance of surviving i reckon. These vanity efforts are a waste of resources and ultimately damaging the planet.
Well, I'm sure a lot of embryonic industries were considered similarly to be vanity projects before they became more efficient or widely adopted.
I don't actually know where space launches and space exploration rank in terms of damage to the planet when placed against the global negative externalities from non-essential industry (such as luxury goods production) or leisure activities such as travel or holidays.
Do you?
It would be useful to see the size of the problem for comparison purposes.
With respect, I think your opposition to this is driven by envy rather than anything else. It's because it's rich folk having fun. The environmental impact is microscopic compared to the impact which poor folk create when they have fun (Budget airlines for a start) and as you say, there area at least some potential trickle down spin offs from this.
The damage they do ranks higher than the damage the wouldn’t do if they weren’t launched.
What scientific advancements are they making or what experiments are they performing? These are nothing more than billionaire willy-waving competitions. YVMD.
https://www.latimes.com/business/sto...race?_amp=true
I honestly have no problem with this at all - even if it is currently being driven by billionnaire egos - so what? Spaceflight is advancing, after several decades of being in the doldrums. Humanity needs to develop and reach out into space if it is to survive and flourish in the long term, and the sooner we establish off-world colonies the better. Having all our eggs in one collective basket isn't a great idea.
If nothing else, this Blue Origin flight is showing that space can be accessible to "normal" people in that they don't have to undertake years of training, or be in tip top physical condition. That alone is significant.
So clever my foot fell off.
Haha, ‘normal people’ oh come on! 😆
David, I agree with TFB on this.
We shouldn't waste resources, you're correct.
But the reality is we could all do better. Well, apart from Dave-O of this parish who is now training as a monk.
Look at the interest we have in watches. Is that necessary? Could we use one cheap mechanical instead and reduce our impact on the planet?
So the question becomes how can we all change our lives to ensure we look after the planet as well as survive as a species?
I would say space programs are an integral part of reaching the next stage. Whatever that is. Your focus on ensuring they are done correctly is an admirable one.
I've always liked "The Shat" and wish him well on his flight. He's also on my Death List, so if a Klingon Bird of Prey suddenly appears, at least I'll get a point...
Haha, nope, never a monk, have/had far too many vices! I’ve driven a car just once though and gave up meat and fish 30 something years ago. I’m sorely tempted to buy a scooter at the moment though, so shoot me! My decisions done for my reasons.
I have agreed that a proper scientific space programme is something necessary, just that these aren’t part of that and can’t honestly be compared, just people having a jaunt.
The environmental impact of having watches is pretty negligible i’d say compared to rocket ships.
"Normal" in the sense that they aren't trained astronauts - I thought that was clear in what I said?
I am also not making comparisons with what astronaut scientists do on the ISS and these pleasure flights for the wealthy, worthy or connected. But that isn't the issue here - these are the very early steps in making space more accessible and that will ultimately open up all kinds of new possibilities, not tight now, or even in the next decade, but in the next fifty or a hundred years, definitely.
I was very concerned when Obama changed the direction of Nasa, closed down the shuttle programme, and redirected funds toward Space-X and others, but I think it is now clear that this was a smart strategy. If multi-billionnaire industrialists want to spend their money on furthering humakind's reach into the cosmos, then good on them. At least they are doing something that has potentially global value and significance, and not just spending it all on endless luxury yachts (although they have those as well of course...)
So clever my foot fell off.
3 - 2 - 1 .... Lift off. Warp speed James T Kirk.
I think it's a step forward towards spaceflight becoming more common. Maybe not this year or this decade, but progress can make sudden leaps.
In a century we've gone from Orville and Wilbur Wright making an extended hop in the 'Wright Flyer' at Kitty Hawk to launching people into space with reasonable safety.
Maybe in 100 years time people will look back at these flights and wonder at how primitive they were. There could be new methods of propulsion and flight just waiting to be discovered. Let's hope so.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
^^^
Pleased for you!
To be honest i took you to mean ‘normal’ as in not ludicrously wealthy rather than those without a scientific background.
I don’t think these flights will be within reach of those who are at least extremely wealthy for many, many years and probably not in the lifetime of my children and honestly don’t think that they’re advancing anything much other than their own pleasure and egos. Surely they are using tech that has been tried and tested and are just adapting it for their expensive hobby rather than pushing the boundaries? This one in particular is ‘just’ a sub-orbital flight, i’m sure it’s lots of fun though!
Watching it live... moved by the emotional impact it had on Shatner.
Yes, beautiful words, sincerely felt. Sending him was a master stroke in every way.
Last edited by TheFlyingBanana; 13th October 2021 at 19:42.
Tech has to start somewhere and usually at very great cost initially, I’m sceptical of this but I look at the possibilities of the future. Barnes Wallis had the vision of a plane that would do London to Sydney in I think about an hour and a half. Now we have a launch system and capsule that could test that theory and with a bit of thinking it could be developed only to the boundaries to the imagination of the money men sometime in the future.
My gran remembered the wright brothers first flight and the titanic well, her son died flying during the war, her grandson spent his early life in recce helicopters with the army and it was fun. Now we’ve stopped advancing because there’s no money, there is money but it’s in the pockets of Tesla and Bazos so let’s give them there vanity projects and let them move the whole thing forward. We used to have wars to move technology this quickly.
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Could always put your name down for an 'economy' flight to the edge of space in a Mig-29 Fulcrum when they resume operations.
https://migflug.com/flights-prices/m...edge-of-space/
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
That’s the one I’ve got a little fund going for ! Blagged trips in a Hawk, Jaguar and F4 but that’s the one I’d pay for.
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I really want to do it. And I don't!
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Well Done Captain James T Kirk
Just in case, theres any Space Cadets here who wish to become Astronauts, just complete the application form here
https://www.blueorigin.com/new-shepard/reserve-a-seat
One small step away......
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Or his ‘singing’!
Legend
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
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