Space!

India has just launched their first lunar probe.

A couple of weeks ago, Chinese astronauts performed a spacewalk.

I’ve said before that this may be the new space race, between the world’s largest democracy and the world’s largest single-party state.

While China certainly has the upper hand in terms of government will to embark on wildly expensive prestige projects (as well as old Soviet hardware to crib their designs from) I believe India has the advantage when it comes to cutting-edge technical talent. I would not be surprised to see astronauts from one of those nations on the Moon before Elizabeth graduates high school, possibly even before the U.S. goes back to the Moon.

My bet is on China getting there first. When it comes down to it, getting to the Moon is largely a matter of “bigger is better”, and the Chinese ability to embark on big projects is not as tied to fiscal realities as that of India. China has set a target date of 2020 for a manned Moon mission, and many of the basic technologies they’ll be using to get there were developed by the Soviets in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and are proven and dependable designs.

The U.S. has set a target date for 2018, the 49th anniversary of the first moon landing, but I suspect this date will largely depend on the overall health of the economy over the next few years.

I’m curious to see if either China or India will resurrect the insane and pointless (but terribly cool) idea of a manned Venus or Mars flyby. Both the U.S. and U.S.S.R. were pursuing projects along those lines in the early 70s. NASA planned to launch a year-long manned mission in the Fall of 1973, using an Apollo module cobbled together with an extra launch stage and elements of the Lunar Excursion Module. The astronauts would get to Venus, zip past it in a couple of hours, and then basically continue on to intercept the Earth’s orbit on the opposite side of the sun, eight months later.


Imagine living in that thing for a year, with two other people… before the invention of DVD players, the Internet, video games, MP3 players, or, heck, table-top RPGs.

It’s still terribly cool. And the Russians wanted to do something similar, except with a Mars fly-by.

Views of God

From CNN.com:

"FINDLAY, Ohio (CNN) –- In an interview posted online Wednesday, Sarah Palin told Dr. James Dobson of “Focus on the Family” that she is confident God will do “the right thing for America” on Nov. 4.

Dobson asked the vice presidential hopeful if she is concerned about John McCain’s sagging poll numbers, but Palin stressed that she was “not discouraged at all.”

“To me, it motivates us, makes us work that much harder,” she told the influential Christian leader, whose radio show reaches tens of millions of listeners daily. “And it also strengthens my faith because I know at the end of the day putting this in God’s hands, the right thing for America will be done, at the end of the day on Nov. 4.”

She also thanked her supporters — including Dobson, who said he and his wife were asking “for God’s intervention” on election day — for their prayers of support.

“It is that intercession that is so needed,” she said. “And so greatly appreciated. And I can feel it too, Dr. Dobson. I can feel the power of prayer, and that strength that is provided through our prayer warriors across this nation. And I so appreciate it.”

The interview was taped on Monday by phone while Palin was campaigning in Colorado Springs, where “Focus on the Family” is headquartered."

I'm not quoting this to spark debate about the election, or basic politics. I feel their comments raise interesting questions about how they view God, and prayer.

If Palin loses, will she say it was because:
A) God did not consider her or McCain to be the best candidates?
B) God had no control over the outcome of the election?
C) God did not chose to "intervene" because people didn't pray hard enough?

I'm sure there are other options.

Does Dobson's comment about praying for God to intervene mean that he believes God is usually "hands off," unless specifically petitioned?

It seems to me that they regard God as a magic fairy who gives you things, but only if you want them hard enough.

In any case, they might win, so... we'll see.

"Come soon."

Arthur C. Clarke's Last Interview.

He delivered a final media interview while on his death bed, in March of this year.