http://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...nal-2009-05-18

Mission accomplished.
These guys hardly get recognized unless they're killed.
Space - The Final Frontier
Don't it just give you the goosebumps?

--Vic

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
news
http://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...nal-2009-05-18

Mission accomplished.
These guys hardly get recognized unless they're killed.
Space - The Final Frontier
Don't it just give you the goosebumps?

--Vic


Was just watching the wrap-up of their work. Gave the Hubble another 5-10
years of life with even more enhanced capabilities. Definitely have
received our taxpayer's money's worth out of the Hubble. Astronomers have
had to rewrite the books on our understanding of the universe. Your right,
unless you are interested in it, the data it has provided goes mostly
unnoticed by most of the public.

Sad that this mission was the last time human hands will ever touch the
Hubble. With the Shuttle program being shut down, it will no longer be
able to be serviced.

Eisboch

On Mon, 18 May 2009 19:52:32 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Vic Smith" wrote in message
news
http://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...nal-2009-05-18

Mission accomplished.
These guys hardly get recognized unless they're killed.
Space - The Final Frontier
Don't it just give you the goosebumps?

--Vic


Was just watching the wrap-up of their work. Gave the Hubble another 5-10
years of life with even more enhanced capabilities. Definitely have
received our taxpayer's money's worth out of the Hubble. Astronomers have
had to rewrite the books on our understanding of the universe. Your right,
unless you are interested in it, the data it has provided goes mostly
unnoticed by most of the public.

Sad that this mission was the last time human hands will ever touch the
Hubble. With the Shuttle program being shut down, it will no longer be
able to be serviced.

Eisboch

Maybe the Russians will maintain it.

Wasn't the Hubble another liberal higher ed wet dream when it went
into space, wasting the hard earned money of taxpayers?

On Mon, 18 May 2009 17:01:50 -0700, jps wrote:

On Mon, 18 May 2009 19:52:32 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Vic Smith" wrote in message
news
http://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...nal-2009-05-18

Mission accomplished.
These guys hardly get recognized unless they're killed.
Space - The Final Frontier
Don't it just give you the goosebumps?

--Vic


Was just watching the wrap-up of their work. Gave the Hubble another 5-10
years of life with even more enhanced capabilities. Definitely have
received our taxpayer's money's worth out of the Hubble. Astronomers have
had to rewrite the books on our understanding of the universe. Your right,
unless you are interested in it, the data it has provided goes mostly
unnoticed by most of the public.

Sad that this mission was the last time human hands will ever touch the
Hubble. With the Shuttle program being shut down, it will no longer be
able to be serviced.

Eisboch

Maybe the Russians will maintain it.

Wasn't the Hubble another liberal higher ed wet dream when it went
into space, wasting the hard earned money of taxpayers?

Actually, if the European Space Agency hadn't offered up 25% of the
production cost for 15% of the usable observatory time, the Hubble
would have never gotten off the ground because of - ahem - Democratic
opposition to the expense of a space born telescope which was - ahem -
described as a "frivilous" expense by none other than - ahem - Tip
O'Neil. Even at that it was a close vote passing by 10 I believe in
the house and by 13 in the Senate. I remember it well because one of
my dissertation advisors was involved in the campaign to revive Hubble
and he hated Tip O'Neil for balking at the program.

And even then, the mission was scaled back quite a bit - the mirror
was downsized by 25% and some science instruments and experiments were
eliminated.

On Mon, 18 May 2009 19:52:32 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:

Sad that this mission was the last time human hands will ever touch the
Hubble. With the Shuttle program being shut down, it will no longer be
able to be serviced.

I still find it hard to believe they can launch that thing.
What a triumph of science and dedication to a task.
I'm so proud of all those people behind it.
And the astronauts especially.
"The Right Stuff" fits them all well.

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...nal-2009-05-18

Mission accomplished.
These guys hardly get recognized unless they're killed.
Space - The Final Frontier
Don't it just give you the goosebumps?

One of my neighbors is good friends with one of the astronauts who did
the spacewalks that repaired the Hubble. And, my wife is going to get
one or two of the battery cells from the battery pack that was replaced.
My wife is very excited to get her hands on the batteries that have been
in orbital flight. This is the first time batteries have been returned
to Earth in the same packaging when they left in Earth.

On Mon, 18 May 2009 20:30:12 -0400, BAR wrote:

Vic Smith wrote:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...nal-2009-05-18

Mission accomplished.
These guys hardly get recognized unless they're killed.
Space - The Final Frontier
Don't it just give you the goosebumps?

One of my neighbors is good friends with one of the astronauts who did
the spacewalks that repaired the Hubble. And, my wife is going to get
one or two of the battery cells from the battery pack that was replaced.
My wife is very excited to get her hands on the batteries that have been
in orbital flight. This is the first time batteries have been returned
to Earth in the same packaging when they left in Earth.

Cool.
Reminds me of Gus Grissom - or at least what was reported, don't know
if it was true - almost sinking himself with coins he had brought
along for the trip. The Gemini capsule that sank.
Totally different though, as the shuttle is a heavy duty weight
carrier.
Did you ever hear about meteorite hunters?
Some meteorites are quite valuable.
Always thought that would be fun - 4-wheeler on the desert looking for
meteorites.
Almost did something like that long ago, but with a gold prospector.
Didn't pan out.

--Vic

On Mon, 18 May 2009 19:40:31 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 18 May 2009 20:30:12 -0400, BAR wrote:

Vic Smith wrote:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/bl...nal-2009-05-18

Mission accomplished.
These guys hardly get recognized unless they're killed.
Space - The Final Frontier
Don't it just give you the goosebumps?

One of my neighbors is good friends with one of the astronauts who did
the spacewalks that repaired the Hubble. And, my wife is going to get
one or two of the battery cells from the battery pack that was replaced.
My wife is very excited to get her hands on the batteries that have been
in orbital flight. This is the first time batteries have been returned
to Earth in the same packaging when they left in Earth.

Cool.
Reminds me of Gus Grissom - or at least what was reported, don't know
if it was true - almost sinking himself with coins he had brought
along for the trip. The Gemini capsule that sank.
Totally different though, as the shuttle is a heavy duty weight
carrier.
Did you ever hear about meteorite hunters?
Some meteorites are quite valuable.
Always thought that would be fun - 4-wheeler on the desert looking for
meteorites.
Almost did something like that long ago, but with a gold prospector.
Didn't pan out.

Correction: Mercury capsule. Gus deserves some accuracy.

--Vic

"Vic Smith" wrote in message
...


Almost did something like that long ago, but with a gold prospector.
Didn't pan out.

--Vic

Groan.......

On Tue, 19 May 2009 02:34:09 -0400, "Eisboch"
wrote:


"Vic Smith" wrote in message
.. .


Almost did something like that long ago, but with a gold prospector.
Didn't pan out.

--Vic

Groan.......

Hey, can I help it when the truth ends with a pun?
It just worked out that way.
Guy's name was Bob Fagin.
He was a cabinmate of mine on a merchant ship.
Degreed geologist and bonafide gold prospector.
WWII vet, disbursing officer in the Pacific.
The guy already had an ATV, first time I heard the term. 1971.
Wanted me for the muscle work on some desert areas he thought had good
potential. He wasn't too strong and had lingering ailments he picked
up in the Solomons. Beri-beri I think. Can't remember, but he took
meds.
Taught me a bit about alluvial deposits and how to recognize ancient
riverbeds. I've forgotten most of the geology.
He had pulled about $36,000 of gold out of a national park in 3 weeks.
Was so gold stricken at his find he wasn't repairing his diggings and
the park rangers threw him out and banned him. Was still kicking
himself in the ass for that one.
I suspect Yellowstone, but he wouldn't tell me.
Kept his finds close to the vest.
Said nobody even knew he pulled the gold out.
At the time we were on the gold standard, but he sold his gold in
Detroit to a mob-connected buyer and got 60 or 70 bucks an ounce
instead of the regulation 35 bucks.
He had quite a few interesting stories, and since he was a WWII Navy
officer and a fine gentleman far as I could tell, I believed every one
of them.
Including a deal he had worked out in decommissioning PT boats after
the war. Apparently those Packard engines were worth a chunk of
change.
But he required I stake myself, and I had zilch in the bank.
So it didn't pan out. I went on to other things.
Called to the Seafarers union hall to touch bases with him 6 or 7
years later. He had been shacking up with the hall secretary.
Found out he had died just a few months before my call.
I've always regretted not having that stake and spending more time
with him. Interesting guy.

--Vic