Archive for the ‘Orbital Dynamics & Control’ Category

Edward Abbey on Celestial Mechanics

Wednesday, March 1st, 2006

Generally speaking, it’s a matter of only mild intellectual interest to me whether the earth goes around the sun or the sun goes around the earth. In fact, I don’t care a rat’s ass either way.

More Abbey witticisms here.
I’ve been reading some old Abbey lately. Arches National Park is still a wonderful place, even though Abbey is probably spinning in his grave because of the paved roads and modern visitor center. Here’s a photo from my trip last summer:

Cassini Spacecraft Returned to Titan on Monday

Wednesday, March 1st, 2006

Dang, I missed it: Cassini Spacecraft Returns to Titan on Monday. We’re thinking a lot about Titan around here, as we have a team of 18 seniors and 6 freshmen working on a mission to Titan. The novel project involves a fleet of buoyancy-driven gliders, a ground-based docking station, and a space-elevator. Great fun.