Trying out this new “tool”. A bit slow but appears to bring everything about a book in one place. Book description, look inside, audio (podcast clip), shop links to all online stores for purchase and social media sharing options. Check it out and let me know what you think (about the tool and the book!)
Space and Social Justice
I listened to this week’s episode on https://theorbitalmechanics.com/ and learnt nothing about orbital mechanics or space. But did walk away with something much more profound. I have listed a few of the points from the episode below but take a listen yourself here.
It was by chance that I bumped into Ben Etherington, David Fourman, Dennis Just and Richard Durdan on the final day of IAC2019 in Washington DC in October last year. All five of us had dinner. A huge bowl of noodle ramen, a memorable first for me. They paid.
Afterwards, we walked back to the Air BnB place and chatted about space, podcasting and of course the IAC itself whilst Dennis started to pack for his early morning return flight. I was already a listener to their podcast before our meeting. I continued to listen and learn from an exquisitely well-produced weekly show.
This week’s episode was entitled Black Lives Matter and probably the most influential of the 263 episodes so far. David could not be present. The episode was a conversation between Ben and Dennis. Some of the points discussed include..
- Ben declares that he is “conflict-averse”. (Me too but you guys had the balls to put this episode together.)
- Call to action: Educate yourself. Not good enough to be non-racist. Actively be anti-racist
- We are being killed (this in a conversation between as they say – two white guys)
- Don’t let small things slip by. Speak out.
- Support black-owned businesses.
- Donate to Black Lives Matter organisations.
- It’s important to be political.
- Demilitarise the police. (Three weird, surprising, poignant and shocking words for those of us not in the US.
- Address root causes of crime rather than attacking people who have been victims of those crimes.
- History of state terrorism against the black community.
- This is systemic, historical and going on for a long time because we are good at hiding this from ourselves.
- This injustice won’t end this year or next year. It is fashionable to talk about this subject now but we need not to stop talking when it does.
Ben referred to a comment that he should keep away from this subject because otherwise “You are going to drive away your audience”. I think you may increase your audience. Even if you do not – this episode demonstrates something more important – the value of doing the right thing. It did not happen in the past. We were not there then but are here now. It’s up to us.
Episode 87: Apollo Era recollections of a Brit working in NASA
David Baker has been involved with the USA since childhood. First attending a US school in England and then studying in the US under a scholarship program sponsored by Senator Clinton P Anderson. He returned to the USA and worked for NASA on various programs from Gemini to the SpaceShuttle. After leaving
(Note – following questions on the veracity of his Phd, David Baker resigned from the BIS as the editor of Spaceflight on 25th March 2021.)
Today he is the editor of the British Interplanetary Society’s monthly journal – Spaceflight and a prolific author of space books. Some of the topics we spoke about include
- Early interest in space and astronomy stimulated by milestones such as breaking of the sound barrier, Sputnik and Gagarin’s flight.
Completed hisPhD in Earth and Planetaryphysics . - Worked for Nasa between 1965 and 1984. Mainly in the mission
Setup a consultancy in 1984 to bring US launch and satellites services to the wider international community. - Setup a consultancy in 1984 to bring US launch and satellites services to the wider international community
- Delayed the launch of STS-41B in February 1984 carrying payloads for Indonesia and Western Union but problems with the payload Assist Modules did not meet the insurance certification requirements.
- Was involved in the purchase by India its 4 INSAT satellites (INSAT 1A-1D) from Ford Aerospace in the USA.
- Published over 110 books and more in the pipeline to mark the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.
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Episode 86: Moon: Art, Science, Culture
The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing was a momentous event and expected to be marked by numerous publications. Most books cover the technologies, events, personal recollections and politics of the first human voyage to another world. One book jointly authored by an art historian and an astronomer has a fresh perspective.
The guests in this episode are the authors of the book Moon: Art, Science, Culture – Dr Alexandra Loske Associate Tutor in Art History, University of Sussex and Dr Robert Massey Deputy Executive Director Royal Astronomical Society.
The book is attracting an interesting eclectic mix of readers with an interest in science and art. Some of the topics we spoke about include
- Fritz Lang’s 1929 sci-fi movie (watch full-length movie on Youtube here) Frau im Mond.
- The book has a chapter about the Nebra Sky Disk and we also discussed the Antikythera Mechanism.
- One of the earliest books with a picture of the Moon, called The Moon: Considered as a Planet, a World, and a Satellite (link offers free download) written in 1874 by James Nasmyth and James Carpenter. Here is an interesting review of it from Dr Stephanie O’Rourke from the University of St Andrews.
- The Bluedot Festival at Jodrell bank starts on Friday 19th July
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