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Old 25-January-2002, 12:20 PM
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ToSeek ToSeek is offline
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I'll try on a couple of the issues.

Quote:
a mission only 1/100thas complicated, the Earth orbit of a telescope (Hubble), was nearly as many years behind schedule as the entire duration of the lunar landing goal, and then, after its sixth launch attempt, didn't even work when it arrived at its destination which was 1/1000th the distance to the moon. In addition, it took another two years to make the necessary repairs to get it operational. Even today, an unmanned probe (to Mars), the size of a large toaster, requires nearly ten years to develop.
As someone on Usenet said, for Apollo NASA was given three specifications: Man. Moon. Decade. Full stop. Budget wasn't an issue; priorities weren't an issue. NASA had one primary objective. Hubble was built to a budget (that it blew, nonetheless) and was not NASA's top priority.

And I don't even know where he gets his bit about Mars missions taking ten years to develop - we're sending them out every two, so I don't think they take that long.

Quote:
In this footage Neil Armstrong himself is clearly visible staging part of the mission photography.
The people who have commented on this footage say it's unconvincing and appears to be the astronauts preparing for a television broadcast. And isn't it interesting that you have to pay Sibrel for the privilege of viewing this footage? You'd think the networks (or someone) would be clamoring for it!

Quote:
the Russians launched the first artificial satellite, the first human in space, the first human to orbit the Earth, the first space walk, the first woman in space, the first crew of three into space, and the first of two simultaneously orbiting spacecraft rendezvousing.
First artificial satellite: the Russians beat us by all of four months, and only because of government policy issues.

First human in space: If Al Shepard had had his way, this wouldn't have happened.

First human in orbit: A legitimate item - the Russians beat us by about ten months.

First space walk: The Russians raced to beat us, and succeeded.

First woman in space: Technologically irrelevant.

First crew of three into space: Almost technologically irrelevant - the spacecraft was quickly jury-rigged to support three astronauts instead of two, and those not very safely. The US space program would never have countenanced such a risk.

First of two simultaneously orbiting spacecraft rendezvousing: False. The spacecraft did pass within a few miles of one another but with significantly differing velocities. I liken it to you driving down I-95 while I drive up it on the same stretch, which means that at some point we were within a couple of hundred yards of each other. But it doesn't count as a rendezvous.

And this all discounts the significantly greater technological and financial capabilities of the US. The Soviets were inherently incapable of beating us at anything we were determined to compete in. By the same argument, one could say that we couldn't possibly have beaten the Japanese or the Germans in World War II. Does Sibrel think that was faked, too?
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