Daily Archives: July 23, 2016
Been There!
Another hot day here in Texas.
In fact, as far as we’re concerned, it’s the hottest one so far. We have a remote digital thermometer outside in the shade, and today was the first day it’s hit 100°. And tomorrow’s supposed to be a couple of degrees hotter.
Oh well, that’s Texas in the summertime. One thing that’s funny though, is that when I check the temps along our upcoming route when we leave here next Sunday, i.e. Breaux Bridge, LA, Biloxi, MS, and Gulf Shores, AL all the temps for the next week are in the mid to high 80’s, not the high 90’s like here.
Sounds like a good time to be moving on down the road.
We had originally thought about doing the park Potluck this afternoon, but decided it was cooler to just stay home, and also because then Jan wouldn’t have to heat up the coach preparing something.
Maybe next Saturday night right before we leave.
A few days ago I posted a time-lapse photo of the recent SpaceX Falcon 9 Take-off and the landing of the 1st stage back at the Cape.
Well, here’s a interesting video of the landing from both the land and the rocket itself.’
But the Falcon 9 is just the start. Next up is the Falcon Heavy, basically 3 Falcon 9’s tied together, making it the most powerful rocket since Apollo’s Saturn V. That’s 27 engines firing at once.
It even does mid-air refueling of a sort. All 3 engines are firing at lift-off, but the two side rockets are also pumping their excess fuel in the main rocket. So that when the side rockets shut down and fall away to land back on earth, the main rocket is left with a full tank of fuel to continue on into orbit. Then when the payload is ejected into orbit, the main engine then deorbits and also lands back at the Cape.
Its first launch is scheduled for this December.
In fact, the Falcon Heavy could launch a new moon mission in only two launches. And since all three rockets are recoverable, it would be at a fraction of the cost of a Apollo mission.
And according to SpaceX, the next stop is Mars.
I mentioned a few days ago that Jan and I sometimes go through old photos of our trips and play ‘Name The Site’, trying to figure out where we were parked in that particular photo.
Well, we also play ‘Been There’, The winner is the first one to yell out ‘Been There!” when they mention a place on TV that we’ve been to on our travels.
Today they were talking about Harrisburg, PA. ‘Been There’. A few days ago, the Statue of Liberty. ‘Been There’.
Even a few years ago when CSI was still on the air, and they visited a gun store in Las Vegas, and although they called it by a different name, it was obvious it was The Gun Store where Jan found a new favorite toy.
I guess this would make a good drinking game, but since Jan and I really don’t drink, you’re on your own.
Thought for the Day:
“Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the Government take care of him, better take a closer look at the American Indian.” – Henry Ford
dfasdfadf
