benzman

Brilliant. It reminds me of a screensaver we had at work about twenty-five years ago. It displayed a series of impressive graphs and a random mix of three words from three lists of tecnobabble words. You could have it show graphs with comments like 'phase-conjugate hypergolic capacitance' or 'stochastic systolic variance'. It added a bit of humour to the room and caused wonderment to casual passers-by.

I just watched this and thought it was great! Very well done. Can't wait for the whole movie, although I rather hope it can be dubbed into English.

Probably, but I sincerely hope not. A forlorn hope, I suspect. My most fervent wish is that humans will evolve past this childish fascination with war and weapons.

I am no mathematician, but I did hear once that 1 is not a prime and proving that it is not is quite a neat party trick - but only at certain parties!

Why is the alphabet in that order? What was the best thing BEFORE sliced bread? If on your foot you wear a boot, then on your feet you should wear beet.

According to 'How Apollo flew to the Moon' by W. David Woods, the skip was only planned to be used to extend the re-entry flightpath and in the event, only Apollo 11 used it because of bad weather in their planned recovery area. Apollo 11 'skipped' an extra 600 kilometres to a safer recovery area. CSM pilot Michael Collins was not pleased by this as almost all their simulator work had been with the standard re-entry parameters.

I don't actually collect them but I have a few, including a circular one. I have never used them for work but I can do basic stuff on them. I find them very handy for working fractions, proportions and conversions, such as Imperial to metric or currency exchange rates.

I really enjoyed that video! We were so innocent back then. It is hard to believe that Apollo 8 actually circled the Moon only thirteen years after that video was shown, almost to the very day. And I liked seeing a slide rule in Von Braun's pocket. Who nowadays uses a slide rule?

Mike Collins was the most skilled writer of the Apollo astronauts who wrote their memoirs. Read his book 'Carrying the fire'. Also, after Apollo 11 Deke Slayton, who was in charge of crew assignments, offered Mike a lunar landing which, under Deke's rules, would probably have meant that Mike would have replaced Gene Cernan on Apollo 17. However, Mike could not face the thought of two further years of intense training away from his family and declined. Had he accepted he would have been the last man to walk on the Moon. So far. He said that he has no regrets about declining the offer. After all, he had flown solo in a spacecraft around the Moon and not many people can make that claim!

I saw this 'mockumentary' some years ago and thought it was brilliant. Very clever.

If your orbit is not degrading go for a rescue mission. Rendezvous and docking takes a bit of practice but is vital for your development of the joy of the game. And for me personally, a successful rescue mission that gets everyone home safe gives the greatest satisfaction that the game has to offer.

Well, that is a major bummer! I have had those links bookmarked for a year or more and the very day after I post them they vanish? I must have done something really bad in a previous life.

favourite environment? Deserts. Long, clear distant views. Silence. Elbow-room. Clear starry nights. Bliss. American deserts are my favourites because they have distant mountains to give some interest to the horizon. Least favourite? Noisy, crowded bars and pubs. I am a miserable old git.

Dogs have masters, cats have slaves. Yes, I own a cat! And a quote that I came across. Don't flame me! I am only quoting someone else! Poets and artists have cats. Thugs and soldiers have dogs.

These two links will take you to two fascinating articles that will tell you everything that you want to know.:- Read first:- http://www.baen.com/rendezvous.asp Read second:- http://www.baen.com/rendezvous-part2.asp

I was never a Doctor Who fan although I watched it on and off over the last few years. However, now that the gorgeous Jenna Coleman has left the series I will probably give up on it. The scripts seem to have degenerated into incomprehensible gobbledygook.

When my wife and I were on holiday in the USA we stopped at Jacob Lake, Arizona and went into the roadhouse. We are Australians, essentially Flatlanders, and didn't realise that we were about 8000' above sea level. I innocently ordered poached eggs and was gently told that at that altitude it would take about half an hour to cook them! I didn't make that mistake again.

I also think that four was pronounced 'fore-wah' but I don;t know why.

Edgar Allen Poe wrote a short story in 1845 called 'The Imp of the Perverse' pointing out this very problem.

My favourite car is the one I own now. 1963 Jaguar MkII. 3.4 litre, four speed manual with overdrive. http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c65/Nige_1943/IMG_1433_2.jpg

I am very much enjoying this site as it brings back so much of the wonder and excitement of that incredible time that seems to have gone forever. And I am only up to 17:08:08!

I think we have to differentiate between 'records' that can always be beaten, and 'milestones' when the first of something is achieved. Like the first supersonic flight, the first man in space, the first unrefueled world circumnavigation, etc. I suspect the OP was referring to milestones rather than records.

In New York:- http://www.intrepidmuseum.org/

This is my first attempt at a haiku no competition and ruled by corporations blind but happy

Favourite space movie? The Last Starfighter. It doesn't take itself too seriously and is quite funny in parts.