The astronauts return ...

[Count Steer]

Much has been made of them being 'stranded' but they could have come back at any time as there's a return module docked in case there's an issue. It was decided to bring them back as part of the normal rotation schedule rather than use the 'emergency' module.

Musk offered to bring them back months ago, but Biden blocked it as he didn't want to give Musk the credit. This has been confirmed by the astronauts & NASA.. altho a NASA spokeshole waffled a bit when pressed on it this week.

Astronauts; "Euston we have a problem!"
Musk; "You want me to swing by and pick you guys up?"

Musk deffo wins bragging rights in the pub!

Yeah. Boeing haven't been covering themselves in glory recently have they?

[Taipan]

Musk offered to bring them back months ago, but Biden blocked it as he didn't want to give Musk the credit. This has been confirmed by the astronauts & NASA.. altho a NASA spokeshole waffled a bit when pressed on it this week.

Astronauts; "Euston we have a problem!"
Musk; "You want me to swing by and pick you guys up?"

Musk deffo wins bragging rights in the pub!

Yeah. Boeing haven't been covering themselves in glory recently have they?

True dat!

[Mr. Dazzle]

(In the 'Uplift Universe' novels by David Brin, dolphins operate starships 'cos they're good at navigating 3D space. I expect they'd cope with zero g quite well too).

They do that in Star Trek too - starting in TNG there are very small references to "Cetacean Ops" which were mostly a joke from the crew, but they get more serious over the next 30 years. They go fully into it in the new animated stuff

[Count Steer]

It looks likely that the Boeing Starliner is heading for the scrapheap. Good job NASA didn't give them the exclusive contract they lobbied for. Expensive flop and it looks like they will run out of launch units too now.

[Mr. Dazzle]

It looks likely that the Boeing Starliner is heading for the scrapheap. Good job NASA didn't give them the exclusive contract they lobbied for. Expensive flop and it looks like they will run out of launch units too now.

Congress likes Boeing though - well not Boeing per se, they like having a space programme spread across many states. SpaceX is just in California so it means sending billions of tax dollars to just one state, which is already the richest in the union.

[Count Steer]

(In the 'Uplift Universe' novels by David Brin, dolphins operate starships 'cos they're good at navigating 3D space. I expect they'd cope with zero g quite well too).

They do that in Star Trek too - starting in TNG there are very small references to "Cetacean Ops" which were mostly a joke from the crew, but they get more serious over the next 30 years. They go fully into it in the new animated stuff

The first Uplift book (Sundiver) was 1980 and TNG started in 87 so maybe David Brin should get a credit.

[Count Steer]

It looks likely that the Boeing Starliner is heading for the scrapheap. Good job NASA didn't give them the exclusive contract they lobbied for. Expensive flop and it looks like they will run out of launch units too now.

Congress likes Boeing though - well not Boeing per se, they like having a space programme spread across many states. SpaceX is just in California so it means sending billions of tax dollars to just one state, which is already the richest in the union.

+ when Boeing lobbied for exclusive and some in NASA supported it someone big at NASA said 'Whoah, we're supposed to be introducing competition here' so it's a good job he had some clout. They overspent, overran and produced a turkey.

[Mr. Dazzle]

The first Uplift book (Sundiver) was 1980 and TNG started in 87 so maybe David Brin should get a credit.

Ha....google says.

"According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, the ship's dolphins work in navigation and are overseen by two whales of species Orcinus orca takayai, or Takaya's Whales. This references the 1988 anime OVA Gunbuster, where the starship Exelion uses dolphins for navigation due to their natural familiarity with moving in three dimensions; as well as the name of that series' protagonist, Noriko Takaya."

So maybe Gunbuster also needs to credit Brin.

[KungFooBob]

Wonder if they have been faithful to their partners.

I'd have a badge made ''Mile High Club? Ptoui!'.

Nice touch having a 'Dolphin Debrief' on splashdown - report to the real bosses first. (In the 'Uplift Universe' novels by David Brin, dolphins operate starships 'cos they're good at navigating 3D space. I expect they'd cope with zero g quite well too).

Many years ago I bought the omnibus, I read the first book, Sundiver, it was so fucking boring I didn't bother with the rest. The only other Brin book I'd read was Kiln People which was great so I had high expectations.

[Count Steer]

The first Uplift book (Sundiver) was 1980 and TNG started in 87 so maybe David Brin should get a credit.

Ha....google says.

"According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, the ship's dolphins work in navigation and are overseen by two whales of species Orcinus orca takayai, or Takaya's Whales. This references the 1988 anime OVA Gunbuster, where the starship Exelion uses dolphins for navigation due to their natural familiarity with moving in three dimensions; as well as the name of that series' protagonist, Noriko Takaya."

So maybe Gunbuster also needs to credit Brin.

Very much so since the Gunbuster cetaceans are genetically/cybernetically enhanced...which is what 'Uplift' refers to.

[Mr Moofo]

All of a sudden this thread has gone very weird !

Too much weed is being smoked!

[MrLongbeard]

(In the 'Uplift Universe' novels by David Brin, dolphins operate starships 'cos they're good at navigating 3D space. I expect they'd cope with zero g quite well too).

They do that in Star Trek too - starting in TNG there are very small references to "Cetacean Ops" which were mostly a joke from the crew, but they get more serious over the next 30 years. They go fully into it in the new animated stuff

Pffft, Tardigrades surfing the mycelium network can out navigate clever fish

[JamJar]

(In the 'Uplift Universe' novels by David Brin, dolphins operate starships 'cos they're good at navigating 3D space. I expect they'd cope with zero g quite well too).

They do that in Star Trek too - starting in TNG there are very small references to "Cetacean Ops" which were mostly a joke from the crew, but they get more serious over the next 30 years. They go fully into it in the new animated stuff

Pffft, Tardigrades surfing the mycelium network can out navigate clever fish

You're dead to me now!

[Sunny]

Wonder if they have been faithful to their partners.

I'd have a badge made ''Mile High Club? Ptoui!'.

Nice touch having a 'Dolphin Debrief' on splashdown - report to the real bosses first. (In the 'Uplift Universe' novels by David Brin, dolphins operate starships 'cos they're good at navigating 3D space. I expect they'd cope with zero g quite well too).

Many years ago I bought the omnibus, I read the first book, Sundiver, it was so fucking boring I didn't bother with the rest. The only other Brin book I'd read was Kiln People which was great so I had high expectations.

That's disappointing. I was reading this thread thinking that I loved Kiln People, and hadn't read any of his other stuff so should give these a go...

[KungFooBob]

I'd have a badge made ''Mile High Club? Ptoui!'.

Nice touch having a 'Dolphin Debrief' on splashdown - report to the real bosses first. (In the 'Uplift Universe' novels by David Brin, dolphins operate starships 'cos they're good at navigating 3D space. I expect they'd cope with zero g quite well too).

Many years ago I bought the omnibus, I read the first book, Sundiver, it was so fucking boring I didn't bother with the rest. The only other Brin book I'd read was Kiln People which was great so I had high expectations.

That's disappointing. I was reading this thread thinking that I loved Kiln People, and hadn't read any of his other stuff so should give these a go...

I've just read the synopsis of Stardiver and it doesn't ring any bells, I think it was Startide Rising I found a bit dull.

[Count Steer]

I'd have a badge made ''Mile High Club? Ptoui!'.

Nice touch having a 'Dolphin Debrief' on splashdown - report to the real bosses first. (In the 'Uplift Universe' novels by David Brin, dolphins operate starships 'cos they're good at navigating 3D space. I expect they'd cope with zero g quite well too).

Many years ago I bought the omnibus, I read the first book, Sundiver, it was so fucking boring I didn't bother with the rest. The only other Brin book I'd read was Kiln People which was great so I had high expectations.

That's disappointing. I was reading this thread thinking that I loved Kiln People, and hadn't read any of his other stuff so should give these a go...

I pretty much read everything he published and enjoyed the lot. Although, oddly, not read Kiln People, must root that one out.

The 'Uplift' books had some flat spots though but that's not unusual in series. I guess the publishers put the pressure on and sometimes things just get cranked out.

TV series sometimes feel like that - Battlestar Galactica and Boardwalk Empire had a couple of 'best forgotten' years.

[MrLongbeard]

They do that in Star Trek too - starting in TNG there are very small references to "Cetacean Ops" which were mostly a joke from the crew, but they get more serious over the next 30 years. They go fully into it in the new animated stuff

Pffft, Tardigrades surfing the mycelium network can out navigate clever fish

You're dead to me now!

But very much alive in the distant future

[gremlin]

They're both gonna have a shit-load of milk bottles on the doorstep when they get home.

[ZRX61]

Back in the day Boeing was run by the engineers & they did great things.

The trouble started when they bought out McDD & installed the executive morons who had run that company into the ground in senior management positions at Boeing.