So I saw the space shuttle fly over DC

[CajunRaven]

http://thumbsnap.com/7cuBy9LF

Not the best pic, my zoom wasn't working.

Nice, wish I had seen that live. Good stuff.

[Passerine]

And we can't even go 10% of the speed of light though we have the technology, because of the nuclear test ban treaty.

How was the Orion drive supposed to work anyway? That kind of acceleration doesn't seem survivable for any human crew, and it would have to be launched conventionally to avoid causing an upper-atmosphere EMP on liftoff.

At least that's how I understood it.

[betamanlet]

How was the Orion drive supposed to work anyway? That kind of acceleration doesn't seem survivable for any human crew, and it would have to be launched conventionally to avoid causing an upper-atmosphere EMP on liftoff.

At least that's how I understood it.

They'd build it in space. There's a lot on it online. Check out wikipedia for it. There would have been a blast plate for the detinations. They don't have to be particularly powerful. I don't even think they would have gone even high into dozens of kilotons, I don't believe they were referring to huge strategic nuke strength.

[Passerine]

Oh, okay. It sounds like it's going a bit into "awesome, but impractical" territory, though

[can you hear me now!]

Nice shot. Anyone catch any shuttle launches down in FL?

Actually went to three, including the first night launch, Atlantis. It's an awesome sight to watch. The night launch was really awesome as the shuttle was clearing the tower the entire area light up like it was noontime. Took a lot of pictures with a 35mm using a 70-210 zoom and 1000 speed film (for all you youngsters, ask your parents to translate).

They are very noisy and 5 miles away the ground shakes very hard. The Space Center is one of my favorite places to visit.

you read Clarke too? You actually do have some redeeming qualities..who knew? :-).

[kudzu]

Going even the speed of light is impossible.

Theoretical nonsense.

Put a spacecraft accelerating at 1-2 G out there and it will eventually approach (and surpass) the speed of light. Or do you suppose it will vanish into the unknown once it reaches C ?

[Balt Observer]

Actually went to three, including the first night launch, Atlantis. It's an awesome sight to watch. The night launch was really awesome as the shuttle was clearing the tower the entire area light up like it was noontime. Took a lot of pictures with a 35mm using a 70-210 zoom and 1000 speed film (for all you youngsters, ask your parents to translate).

They are very noisy and 5 miles away the ground shakes very hard. The Space Center is one of my favorite places to visit.

you read Clarke too? You actually do have some redeeming qualities..who knew? :-).

Well, looks like we have something in common. Space travel and older science fiction are some of my interests.

[Balt Observer]

Theoretical nonsense.

Put a spacecraft accelerating at 1-2 G out there and it will eventually approach (and surpass) the speed of light. Or do you suppose it will vanish into the unknown once it reaches C ?

Last theory I heard was that surpassing the speed of light was impossible. I recall reading something recently that that may not necessarily be true though.

[can you hear me now!]

Well, looks like we have something in common. Space travel and older science fiction are some of my interests.

Did you know that Clarke worked the science and predicted the communications capabilities for geo-stationary satellites long before they even went on the drawing board? That's why geo orbit belt is called the Clarke Belt...

Clarke used to have a show "Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World"..watched it when I lived in England in 1980..it was good stuff. It's available on DVD...

he also is responsible for one of my favorite quotes "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

[kudzu]

Last theory I heard was that surpassing the speed of light was impossible. I recall reading something recently that that may not necessarily be true though.

I'd go with the latter until it's proven otherwise.

[Balt Observer]

Did you know that Clarke worked the science and predicted the communications capabilities for geo-stationary satellites long before they even went on the drawing board? That's why geo orbit belt is called the Clarke Belt...

Clarke used to have a show "Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World"..watched it when I lived in England in 1980..it was good stuff. It's available on DVD...

he also is responsible for one of my favorite quotes "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

He was a visionary. I wish that the space travel he envisioned was closer to fruition. Unfortunately, few of Earth's citizens have the same passion for the world around and beyond them.

[kudzu]

Did you know that Clarke worked the science and predicted the communications capabilities for geo-stationary satellites long before they even went on the drawing board?

Yes .

[can you hear me now!]

Yes .

you are erudite and obviously well-read....makes you way too smart to be here :-).

[kudzu]

you are erudite and obviously well-read....makes you way too smart to be here :-).

Et tu.

But everyone's gotta be somewhere, right ?

[can you hear me now!]

very true....