Slashdot Mirror
ISS To Get Man Cave
Nancy_A writes "There might be a new favorite hang-out for astronauts aboard the International Space Station later this year. The Leonardo Multi Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) will become a permanent module on the station, and will be brought up on the STS-133 mission, scheduled for September 2010. The new module might provide a haven for astronauts to get away from it all. '"The thought is, the PMM might become sort of a 'man cave,'" said Mike Kinslow, the Boeing payload manager at the Kennedy Space Center. "It won't have all the background noise of fans, computers and other equipment running like in the laboratories, so it will be a quieter atmosphere that might appeal to the astronauts during their off-duty hours."' Plus, NASA's Robonaut 2, or R2 will be brought up on the same flight. Any chance R2 could be programmed to serve drinks or bring food into the man cave?"
"Man Cave?" Really? That's just wrong on so many levels, I don't know where to start.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
Just remember to turn the mic to Houston off of VOX.
HOUSTON: "Uhhh, were getting a pretty steady 2-3 Hz slapping sound down here guys. Are all systems ok up there, and any ideas on a cause?"
- "Hear that?! The percolations are imminent! Cease your ingress!"
You should be able to program the drink-serving robot so that you can utter a quick command without say missing something on the space-sized big screen tv. Some command for example to get drinks for two could be D2 (meaning drinks for two). You would thus, command the robot by getting its attention and ordering by uttering thusly: R2D2!
If you could threaten to have a restraining bolt installed if it should disobey, things could get very cosy.
The Leonardo Logistics Module is most commonly used as a Trash Can, bringing garbage back from the ISS.
That seems appropriate as a Man Cave.
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
This is how "Silent Running" started! ;-)
"Klaatu, verada, necktie!" -Ash
Wake me up when they install the holodeck.
If you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people
I can't imagine pinball would work well in zero gravity. Hopefully they'll at least have a bitchin' big screen to watch all the games...
I can understand that a mainstream (non-tech) news website would focus on a cutesy term like "man cave" to describe this new module, but would it have killed the Slashdot editors to include something about what the module is actually going to be used for?
(turns out it'll be used as a storeroom. It doesn't have enough radiation shielding to allow it to be used as crew quarters).
No, it's not a "man cave", and no, the R2 robot will not be used to serve drinks. It'll be used to investigate the potential of robots to perform EVA duties.
"A week in the lab saves an hour in the library"
It almost like its asking for D2 to be attached to that name.
It is no coincidence that in no known language does the phrase 'As pretty as an Airport' appear.
'Man Cave' didn't raise any alarms for me, probably because I remember 'Tool Time'. But Artoo? Really?
Uhhh.. the article provides no references.. so I don't know where Nancy Atkinson is getting this information from.
As far as I'm aware, Robonaut 2 isn't even functional yet, let alone ready for flight testing. Did the writer just make this up?
Leaving aside the obvious sexist overtones of the article, it's almost entirely a rehash of last year's news that the Leonardo MPLM will be modified to be left permanently attached to the station when it flies on STS-133, becoming the Permanent Multi-Purpose Module.
What is it about humanoid robots that makes people report bullshit?
How we know is more important than what we know.
R2 was perfectly capable of serving drinks on Jabba's sail barge so I don't see why he couldn't do it on the ISS?
No need to shave or change clothes.
A man's paradise.
I am anarch of all I survey.
How much does it cost to boost a decent amp and a pair of Magnepans up there? I'm assuming they can access their hoard of FLAC files form the ISS network, but might need a decent DAC.
... no one can hear you wank.
__ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
ALBANY -- Two state workers who allegedly smoked pot and snoozed away their days inside a secret "man cave" racked up more than $28,400 in taxpayer-funded overtime in the past five years, records show.
Technology -- No Place For Wimps! Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia Chatroom -- http://www.wemissjerry.org
Evidently the female astronauts were up in arms about this so NASA has promised to add a special module for them called "The Kitchen".
Why don't they just call it something like a "Space Lounge". Sounds much nicer than "Man Cave".
Sure, I can hold out for a few days but there' no way I'd last over a month in space without a little private time.
Agreed. This is the first I've heard of it and I work for a NASA contractor that has been involved with Robonaut since 2003.
a Man Cave? The I saw it was ISS. I thought the express purpose of the "Man Cave" was to get away from the wife. Isn't space far enough away?
Badges!?! We don't need no stinking badges!
Is there any reason they can't install the holodeck in a cylindrical compartment?
W00t Porn for the astronauts!
Ten Forward.
With a fridge for cold drinks. And a Flatscreen.
Xbox? Of course.
Guaranteed! This comment 100% Anthrax free!
Robots in space? ...hey, has anyone seen Jinx?
MAX! MAAAXXXX!
are astronauts allowed to drink any alcohol?
There is a fine line between being a cultivated citizen and being someone else's crop. - A. J. Patrick Liszkie
One of these scientists just watched too much television ... ... Back to the bat cave!
--- I am known for the ones who want to find me on the net. Is that a privacy risk or a privilege? One might wonder..
"Robonaut, fetch me a beer!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Dave..."
"Any chance R2 could be programmed to serve drinks or bring food into the man cave?" - I don't think so, Dave
OK, so does somebody want to bet that DVD with the Wah-wah guitar music and the pizza delivery guy will be on steady loop play in there on something with a screen?
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
Where I live... the "Man Cave" is a certain cave in a nearby park where men have repeatedly been found... um... exposing themselves to each other. So naturally, my first thought was... are the ISS astronauts primarily homosexual?
why make Robonaut 2 bring drinks to male astronauts when there are female astronauts who could serve drinks? LOL
Remember kids, if you're not paying for the service, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT THAT IS BEING SOLD.
Why can't people use words the way they want to use them instead of the way you'd prefer they use them?
Can you imagine the millions it will cost to blast Tony "The Goose" Siragusa into orbit to build this for them?
Also more ashtrays, a kegerator and a HDTV. Then it will be a man cave. Not to be confused with the bar "The Man Hole" (entrance in rear).
I wonder how one plays billiards in microgravity?
More music, fewer hits
There seems to be a pearl necklace floating in the man cave. Who didn't clean up?
Also, we are running out of paper towels.
Oh man, I might have to turn in my nerd card...
OK, so what was the name of the bar on the Venus Equilateral, from George O Smith's series of the same name (as the space station, not the bar)?