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Astronaut Wants Space Program With No Frills
colonist writes "A veteran astronaut wants less comfort and more exploration for future missions. British-born astrophysicist Michael Foale has clocked up 374 days in space, more than any other American astronaut. Foale said, 'We need lean and mean spaceships with no frills', such as toilets or kitchen. However, he would like better oxygen-producing systems for the space station. Foale also talked about the Russians: they played 'some sort of Russian folk song. I'm not so sure it calmed me a lot.' As Foale boarded the Soyuz, an official kicked him in the back: a Russian launch tradition. From space, Foale saw a large black cloud over the Middle East: smoke from a bombed oil pipeline in Iraq."
Not sure what I think of no toilets :-|
-nB
whois gawk date unzip strip find touch finger mount join nice man top fsck grep eject more yes exit umount sleep dump
At least he didn't get a wine bottle smashed on his face or something. I bet they just tell foreigners the kick-in-the-back is customary. "Get a load of this guy, Vladimir!" Da!
Explore strange new worlds, my ass!
an official kicked him in the back: a Russian launch tradition
What? Kicking ass is a proud American tradition with a long history. This is just an example of the westernization of Russia.
No toilets? Wouldn't that make for a really shitty space program?
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
3 1/2' of 3/4 PVC tubing could replace both of them.
That will stop all those people joining the space program just for the free feed, right!
Norman Cook's Ode to Sl
We had to travel into orbit, UPHILL BOTH WAYS. We didn't have any of this new-fangled technology. We used duct tape and chewing gum, AND WE LIKED IT THAT WAY. Damned young whipper snappers, always wanting comfort.
Alright, that's it. I've had it with you people. I'm going back to Tralfamador. And I'm taking your wife with me...
Those are my principles, and if you don't like them... well, I have others.
Groucho Marx
"As Foale boarded the Soyuz, an official kicked him in the back: a Russian launch tradition"
I doubt that this is a Russian tradition. It's what my last boss did when he showed me my cube.
ass kicks YOU!
An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
Back in my day...we simply had to hold it until we got back to Earth. You kids and your weak bladders/intestines.
Based on his philosophy of efficiency rather than comfort, I thought he was Klingon.
"kicked him in the back"
Ah, the nature-loving Russians, simulating the snap of surface tension felt by a raindrop departing its childhood cloud, precipitating away from its teeming comrades, hurtling towards the planet it could before have only stared at in wonder.
--
make install -not war
Well, it's about time to get rid of those fancy space shuttles!
I'd say we attach a big bucket (made of a potato chip) to a hot air ballon, and float the astronauts into space!
They can also eat the bucket when they are going up too. By the time they reach the zero gravity zone they won't need the bucket anyway! Then for reentry they just use the ballon as a parachute!
The ultimate no-frills space travel!
Online backup with Mozy, sounds like Ozzie, but more!
Nonetheless, the prospect of a Christmas feast for two was depressing until the two astronauts found a solution: Invite some guests. The memorable feast was captured in a photograph showing the two men with their guests, two empty spacesuits carefully propped in dining position.
Lincoln would like some more dehydrated yams, and tell Hitler over there to stop staring at me.
Did he kick back?
If you don't know what AltaVista is (was), get off my lawn.
You don't read the SpamAssassin changelogs? What are you doing on Slashdot?!
apterous.org
So was Benjamin Franklin, and look how that turned out...
My dad told me once that rain comes from astronauts emptying the sewage tank on the ships...
:P
I guess there is more truth to it than I thought
NASA planners "correctly worry a lot about loneliness."
[...] the prospect of a Christmas feast for two was depressing until the two astronauts found a solution: Invite some guests. The memorable feast was captured in a photograph showing the two men with their guests, two empty spacesuits carefully propped in dining position.
Yeah, they were a few weeks away from dressing up as their mothers.
Maybe they need a few more people up there.
You can't take the sky from me...
From space, Foale saw a large black cloud over the Middle East: smoke from a bombed oil pipeline in Iraq." :)
Ahhh, that's also the black cloud of freedom and victory.
This is why someone needs to convince Bush there's oil on Mars, shouldn't be too hard.
Something I've always wondered but have never heard mentioned either way. Has anyone had sex in space yet? The Russians and US have both been sending up women for awhile. I'm sure someone must have joined the 100 mile(or however high it is) club by now.
I bet it's NASA dirty little secret:)
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everybody agrees that it is old enough to know better." - Unknown
Speak for yourself, but I'd pay to hear Dan Rather open a show with "The recent space exploration project has been called off, after one of the austronauts had his anus sucked too fast"
Ryanair, the pioneers of no frills air flight should be able to help out here. They even use their toilets as seats on fully booked flights.
Yes, yes, sure it is a tradition, uhm, we do it ALL the time. Now turn your capitalist *cough* butt here.
... to see the "Celebrity" version of that. Particularly if they REALLY do the airlock part. :)
:-D
"Oh, I'm sorry, Carrottop. You've been voted off the station. The crew has spoken."
Oh... I salivate at the very thought.
-Jellisky
-enjoying morbidly fun thoughts since 1978.
[i]Nonetheless, the prospect of a Christmas feast for two was depressing until the two astronauts found a solution: Invite some guests. The memorable feast was captured in a photograph showing the two men with their guests, two empty spacesuits carefully propped in dining position.
"Hey, we wanted company," Foale deadpanned. [/i]
- Some of our unnamed sources also report that on the sound records from the space station they could heard the following:
-Wilson. WILSON! Don't go, Wilson, don't go.
You can't handle the truth.
Don't we have enough Americans that want to be astronauts? Next thing all our spacemen will be from India and mission control will be a call center in Bangalore.
.....Hello, Hello....
CC: Hello, this is Sri. How are you this evening?
SM: Not too good. The oxygen generator has stopped working.
CC:Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I see you have a Acme SpaceOx Mk IV oxygen generator. Let's try a few things. Are you by the unit? I'm going to ask you to turn the power off and back on again? The power switch is the red one in the lower left corner. Can you see it?
SM:I got it.
CC:Now push down on it. The unit should be off now. Is it off?
Every day? Really?
"Hey, this photocopier is broken, you'll have to use the one downstairs."
"I shall do this! Today is a good day to die!"