This is the title chosen for an AP article about a NASA program to develop new space suits for the upcoming moon and Mars missions.

Does anyone else think they could have used better wording?

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Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by ignorance or stupidity.
Isaac Asimov

I saw it and thought astronaut candy. Really, I did.

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The Devil offered me power. I told him I preferred aperture.

It reinforces my belief that the only requirement for a journalist's section assignment is the utter lack of knowledge of anything to do with what it is you've been assigned to cover. The proverbial slate is blank, and there's not an eraser to be found.

An utter lack of knowledge about the language they're supposed to write in seems to be considered an advantage in many places as well.

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And the "driving on the freeway on a scooter" analogy still holds true because the pilots are sitting in 7 to 30 ton aircraft o' doom and you are running around them in your very own Meatbody, Mark I. Beep, beep.
Trying to make sense of computers, The Error Log.

Reminds me of an old story I saw about five years ago. A press conference was held after a record organ donation of seven separate parts. Some chucklehead in the press corps asked what the donor patient had any comments...

The doctor's rather droll reply was, "You're a sports writer, aren't you?" or something like that.

Why, this, for example, wasn't a big enough dud?

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

Eh, it's the mentality of journalism (and unfortunately the average reader). "NASA Developing New Space Suites" is boring, "Space Duds" Is "kitchy" (dunno if I spelled that right) and "fun".

Don't get me wrong; I'm not defending it. But that's just how the news is. Unless it's something gorey and attention grabbing (e.g. "10 Year Old's Body Found in River", "2 Dead in Whereverville; Police Suspect Murder-Suicide", etc etc) They haveta throw the rest of the news in as sorta an afterthought.

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.

"Kitschy," since you mentioned it. Also, I'm pretty sure you meant "suits", not "suites."

And you're right about the reasons they used "duds" over "suits."

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SeanF

"Ask to understand, but don't challenge unless you have the knowledge."--NEOWatcher

The contents of this post are ©2008 by SeanF and may not be copied or retransmitted in any form without the express written consent of SeanF

The recent Lunar eclipse as reported on a Local radio station the quote is word for word.

"Tonight the moon will eclipse, which means it will go a dark colour it will start at around twenty past eight and will be over by nine thirty" need I say more?


David

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But you're sure the astronauts are lying; you just don't seem to know what they're lying about: Jayutah


I are Learnding.

Not to go off topic, but couldn't nasa re-use the same suits they are currentley using for the shuttle missions...that probably sounds stupid.

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"To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit."
Stephen Hawking

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
Albert Einstein

^^^^^

But darling, They are so terribly last year.....

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But you're sure the astronauts are lying; you just don't seem to know what they're lying about: Jayutah


I are Learnding.

I'd like to know the real answer... but I have to admit, that did make me laugh!

Well, the old suits work, the new ones will work better :-P. I dunno, that's like saying "Couldn't they use the same rockets and LM they used for Apollo?". Sure, it worked then, it would work now. But doesn't mean they can't find better ways to do it.

I think generally safety and ease of movement are the two biggest areas for concern. Also, future manned moon/mars missions will most likely be longer duration, and protection for the radiation flares (I'm sure someone will fill in the correct term for me) will be an issue which they're probably trying to deal with in creating these new "duds".

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.

That's true but aren't we already stapped for cash for the upcoming moon missions? I mean if we have something that works already why use something new? Do the current "duds" not protect from radiation?

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"To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit."
Stephen Hawking

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
Albert Einstein

Dunno, I'm not familiar with space exploration or NASA technology. Just giving my best ed-ja-ma-kated guess. I do know that the current gear protects from radiation (or else those astronauts wear spf30000 when on the spacewalks ). But from what I've picked up around here it sounds like every so often you get a burst/flare of extreemely dangerious radiation, and the longer one is out there the better the chance they will be exposed to this.

But like I said, it's just a guess.

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.

According to the story, the shuttle suits are specifically designed for each individual astronaut. This means they fit better, but cost more. Also, they weigh 275 pounds (on earth, but that's still a lot of mass to maneuver).

The Russian suits are one-size-fits-all. So, they're cheaper and lighter, but wear out faster since each suit gets used more often.

NASA plans to develop a suit that weighs about 200 pounds and has a standard bottom and interchangeable tops. No mention of color coordination, though.

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Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by ignorance or stupidity.
Isaac Asimov

Hmm I think I'd rather share "tops" than "bottoms", but that's just me

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I'm like one of those idiot savants...well, except for the savant part.

I could also see where the current suits might be too cumbersome for, say, doing a lot of work on Mars. If NASA were to decide that a new suit is needed for that trip, it would be wise to develop and deploy it soon. It'd be easier to work out the kinks well before a several month trip to another planet.

They will still be white, which means launches will be restricted to after Memorial Day and before Labor Day.

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

One Earth, One Sky - IYA 2009

Why are the suits white anyway? Is it just because they look smart or is their some scientific reason?

__________________
"To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit."
Stephen Hawking

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
Albert Einstein