Slog - Comments on European Space http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space The Europeans are tired of catching American and Russian rides to the stars. They now feel a great want for a spaceship of their own. This is a model of the future European spaceship... The interior is more PR-orientated. We have three leather benches in there; we have touch screens - we can show simulated flights on the monitors; but of course the accessible volume is a lot larger than the real vehicle, which would have lots of equipment, a docking port, and these kinds of things. Russia and America! Move out the way, move out the way.... Copyright 2008 Wed, 28 May 2008 16:10:12 -0800 Thu, 29 May 2008 16:00:13 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by The Baron I suspect European space is still going to be dominated by more practical robot craft for the near future.

]]> The Baron http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034158 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034158 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 16:28:17 -0800 Comment by elenchos The leather looks Corinthian. Rich.

]]> elenchos http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034159 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034159 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 16:32:32 -0800 Comment by Toe Tag I hope they build a better Space Toilet than the Russians.

]]> Toe Tag http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034160 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034160 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 16:33:59 -0800 Comment by COMTE This is just a man-rated version of ESA's current Jules Verne "Automated Transfer Vehicle" (ATV) that went into service this past March, and the idea of converting it to manned operation has been kicking around for four or five years now.

At any rate, even if the Europeans decide to upgrade the ATV to carry human passengers, they won't have a functional Crew Return Vehicle available until 2018 at the earliest, so don't go holding your breath there, Chaz.

And besides, it's not the Europeans OR the Russians we should be looking over our shoulders at - I'd be much more concerned about what the Chinese are up to with their "Shenzhou" program, which has already successfully completed two manned missions, with a third scheduled for October of this year.

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034176 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034176 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 16:52:17 -0800 Comment by bz-ishi Everyone with a half-assed space program has designed a manned spacecraft. The key word here is 'designed'. The ESA has existed only about 5 years less than NASA and they have accomplished a grand total of zero manned spaceflights and about a dozen probes. I won't be holding my breath waiting for this craft.

I'd put my money on the Japanese getting a manned spacecraft operational before the Europeans. Less bureaucracy and competition with the Chinese will give them the motivation that the ESA lacks.

]]> bz-ishi http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034178 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034178 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 17:00:00 -0800 Comment by BTW The US is retiring its shuttle fleet in T-minus a year and a half, and from then on is planning to hitch rides on Soviet spacecraft, until/unless a replacement manned spacecraft can ever be launchpad ready.

CNSA is planning to have their taikonauts do a spacewalk from their Shenzhou craft this fall.

]]> BTW http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034180 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034180 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 17:02:38 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle The Euro spacecraft will have two toilets - one for heteros and one for LGBTs.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034191 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034191 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 17:15:37 -0800 Comment by COMTE Why would LGBT astronauts need their own toilet, Will?

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034225 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034225 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 18:19:17 -0800 Comment by Jeff Stevens elenchos @2,

That leather is indeed rich and Corinthian. Not to mention smooth and luxurious. Just like the luxury seats in my brand new Cordoba!

(Cue Rodrigo's "Concierto de Aranjuez")

]]> Jeff Stevens http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034229 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034229 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 18:28:36 -0800 Comment by lawrence clark Stop it! American plastic chairs are so much more practical.

]]> lawrence clark http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034233 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034233 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 18:41:28 -0800 Comment by NapoleonXIV That looks a little bit like Mr. Poe's bedroom.

]]> NapoleonXIV http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034251 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034251 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 19:25:17 -0800 Comment by Dr_Awesome What the fuck kind of word is "PR-orientated" ?

]]> Dr_Awesome http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034279 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034279 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 20:51:47 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Well, just in case.

But at least they have a backup ...

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034315 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034315 Science Wed, 28 May 2008 23:42:52 -0800 Comment by Mikeblanco The obvious advantage is that they can get their spacecraft interior from Ikea, flat in a box, and not assemble it until in orbit.

]]> Mikeblanco http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034343 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034343 Science Thu, 29 May 2008 02:51:58 -0800 Comment by Spoogie I have a leather chair, a touchscreen, and an empty closet in my home office. Does this mean I'm more advanced than the American and Russian space programs?

]]> Spoogie http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034359 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034359 Science Thu, 29 May 2008 07:09:30 -0800 Comment by Cato the Younger Younger I will be impressed when we build this....

http://www.smallartworks.ca/Gallery/EnterpriseA/Beauty1.JPG

]]> Cato the Younger Younger http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034360 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034360 Science Thu, 29 May 2008 07:09:55 -0800 Comment by opticsdoug Funding for unmanned earth-science missions has been dwindling in favor of manned missions. This needs to stop.

Yeah, putting a man on the moon is sexy, but it's pretty useless. Tracking hurricanes and tornadoes in real-time with multi-spectral imagers is damned useful.

And before some romantic starts in about how humanity needs to go to the stars... Just NO. If we can't make nice here on earth, we've no business trashing the galaxy.

While my examples are from US space policy, I hope the Europeans don't follow us down this path.

]]> opticsdoug http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034383 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034383 Science Thu, 29 May 2008 09:20:51 -0800 Comment by notonthehill Kinda has that "Dr. Who" vibe to it...

]]> notonthehill http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034478 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034478 Science Thu, 29 May 2008 10:45:58 -0800 Comment by CP Three leather bench seats?

Is there room in there for Charles, Monica Belluci, and Natalie Merchant?

Charles didn't want to say it, so I said it for him.

]]> CP http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034953 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/european_space#c1034953 Science Thu, 29 May 2008 16:00:13 -0800