Broadcast 2635

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  • The Space Foundation Conference

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  • The Space Foundation Conference

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The Space Foundation Conference

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Guest:  Open Lines with Dr. David Livingston; Topics:  We discussed multiple space topics as outlined in the tags below.  Please direct all comments and questions regarding specific Space Show programs & guest(s) to the Space Show blog which is part of archived program on our website, www.thespaceshow.com.  Comments and questions should be relevant to the specific Space Show program. Written Transcripts of Space Show programs are a violation of our copyright and are not permitted without prior written consent, even if for your own use. We do not permit the commercial use of Space Show programs or any part thereof, nor do we permit editing, YouTube clips, or clips placed on other private channels & websites. Space Show programs can be quoted, but the quote must be cited or referenced using the proper citation format. Contact The Space Show for further information. In addition, please remember that your Amazon purchases can help support The Space Show/OGLF. See www.onegiantleapfoundation.org/amazon.htm.  For those listening to archives using live365.com and rating the programs, please email me as to why you assign a specific rating to the show. This will help me bring better programming to the audience. 

Welcome to our Open Lines discussion covering many different space and related discussion topics.  During the first segment of our two hour program, I listed about six possible topics for discussion including another explanation of why VoIP phone lines, Skype, Google lines, and others do not work for The Space Show.  I also mentioned the recent space bucket list show with Loretta Hall and went over a few sort of bucket list items that I'm interested in though they were more about what I would like to see happen than something I want to do.

Michael Listner was our first caller to talk about Senator McCain, the RD180 engine issue which is not dead, ULA, competition, Putin, the Ukraine, and more.  Next, Michael talked about the Georgia Spaceflight Act, liability limitation proposed in the Act and a Georgia spaceport with direct access to flights over the Atlantic Ocean. 

John from Ft. Worth was our next caller.  He wanted to talk about the AR1 rocket engine as a replacement for the RD180.  He talked about Sen. McCain, the proposed ULA Vulcan rocket, methane engines and more.

Marshal called next suggesting the U.S. Congress needed to do more to compel rocket reusability to lower the cost of spaceflight.  I was not clear on what Marshall was suggesting because as of yet there is no commercial reusable operation plus only certain types of missions will likely lend themselves to reusability.  I asked Marshall if he was suggesting congress take over the mission planning for satellite and rocket companies as I was not fully understanding his view of congress & rocket reusability.  Doug sent in an email supporting what Marshall was talking about. Doug suggested the government should facilitate reusability directly.  He said "it seems as though reusability ought to be in the long-term interest of the government and yet they aren't investing in it."

In the second segment, Doug was our first caller wanting to talk about retirement on Mars.  He had much to say about subject but eventually zeroed in on a few things such as medical care on Mars, staying connected with family members, loved ones, and friends, the realization that you could not return to be with a family member or loved one in need of help, and more.  His next topic addressed his position in working on Mars tracks for ISDC which will be held later this year in Puerto Rico.  He said it was hard getting Mars people to participate.  See what you think of his Mars and ISDC comments plus retiring on Mars.  Would you want to retire on Mars?  Both Doug and I wondered how many takers SpaceX would get for retiring on Mars.  I suspect there will be no problem getting lots of people to do it depending on the cost and how one must pay for it.  Remember, Mars One did not plan on charging people as they intended to raise money via different ways to finance their Martian settlement program.  We don't yet know the settlement and mission plans for SpaceX but they will be announced later this year at the IAC in Mexico.  I for one am very excited about hearing their plans and looking forward to learning more about their program.

John from Fremont called to ask if I had started my lunar simulation experience per the recent show with Loretta Hall on The Space Bucket List.  So here is the space lunar simulation mission.  According to Loretta in her book, Apollo 13 took 5 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes  and 41 seconds for the roundtrip voyage.  My simulated lunar flight launched from Cape San Rafael, CA adjacent to the SF Bay at 12 PM PST Sunday, Jan. 31.  I should splash down in the SF Bay, after returning the Moon, across the street from my Cape San Rafael launch pad on Saturday, Feb. 6, 10:54:41 AM PST.  I will briefly share my experience, if there is anything to report, on my Sunday, Feb. 7th show before I start the discussion with our guest Jim Funaro.  I will discuss it in detail, again assuming there is some detail to discuss, on my next OL show which is set for Monday, Feb. 15 at the special time of 7PM PST, 10 PM EST.

Our last caller for the day was John in Redding, CA.  He wanted to suggest as a guest Chris H. cooper regarding his work on a space drive.  I will follow up on his suggestion.  Notice how many listeners with the name of John call the show.

One other topic that came up and that was the upcoming 2016 presidential election.  Several times I expressed my complete frustration with the candidates for president of all parties and my initial thoughts that for the first time ever in my voting life, I may not vote for president given there is nobody I would like to see in that office, at least not as of the time of our Open Line discussion.  I also expressed frustration with a one party rule state as I am a strong believer in the two party system, not a one party system.  I further expressed displeasure with the Electoral College system giving all of the state's electoral college votes to the majority winner.  This means that if one votes for a minority candidate, for all practical purposes the vote does not count for president.  Given California being a one party state and the winner take all for the Electoral College, it seems to me that there is not much of an incentive to vote for president because in states like CA, Blue or Red, the outcome is a given (sure, exceptions can happen, I know that).  At one point during this discussion, I suggested I would write in the name of a Space Show listener and would start a contest to determine the listener I would write in for the presidential office.  Believe it or not, a few listeners emailed me to say they wanted to make sure their name was not on the list.  As I said on the show, lots of big egos out there to think they would be the listener winning such a make believe contest.  So listeners, here is the bottom line on this.  Voting is a privilege and not everyone in the world has the ability to vote for their "leaders."  I urge everyone to vote, to select a candidate that you believe would be the best for the nation now and for our future.  While many of us realize the system is rigged or fixed or the outcome all but certain (short of a miracle or some unknown last minute event), still go vote and exercise this important part of our democracy, even if you are frustrated, angry, and cynical like me.  Despite my rhetoric, I am quite sure I will cast a vote for President of the United States.  Even if I seriously bite my tongue in doing it. And for the record, there is NO SPACE SHOW CONTEST TO SELECT A LISTENER FOR ME TO WRITE IN FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT.  I WAS KIDDING AROUND.  DO NOT FOR A MINUTE BELIEVE SUCH A CONTEST EXISTS.  IT DOES NOT!!!

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Open Lines Discussion

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31 Jan 2016 Dr. David Livingston
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