Category Archives: Aeronautics

Commentary on #ShirtStorm

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1 small shirt for a man, 1 giant leap backward for women (by Glenn Reynolds)

Brilliant anti-feminist spoof claims space scientist’s shirt is ‘sexist’ (H/t: Instapundit)

5 Reasons “feminists” can’t complain about comet scientist’s “sexist” shirt (H/t: Instapundit)

‘ A comet scientist who has just helped to land a probe on to a comet is unlikely think think, “oh, I’m going to be interviewed, so I’d better take off this inappropriate-but-geeky shirt full of sexy-women-with-guns on it….” ’  (H/t: Instapundit)

“Progressive” puritans Mau-Mau Dr. Matt Taylor for racy t-shirt

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“Progressive” puritans Mau-Mau Dr. Matt Taylor for racy t-shirt

H/t: Instapundit

Bomber jacket worn by U.S. airman in World War II:

The Right Stuff Theme

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Bill Conti’s music for the Right Stuff, along with a few images of Chuck Yeager and the cast members portraying the Mercury Seven astronauts.

I read somewhere that the studio only gave him about ten days to turn in a full score, and with such a tight deadline he was forced to adapt classical music instead of write original compositions.

Rather cheeky of him to use Russian music (Tchaikovsky) for a movie extolling American astronauts during the Cold War!

India’s mission to Mars

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India’s mission to Mars

But the “guns versus butter” argument, which assumes that there has to be a tradeoff between state spending on military and the basic needs of citizens, is negated by the concrete benefits that India’s satellite system has brought to the lives of ordinary people. From meteorological predictions that have saved thousands of lives from natural disasters, to broadcasting and telecommunications, India’s National Satellite System has greatly helped human development in the country. If India remains poor and plagued by economic imbalances and inequalities, blaming greedy space scientists is way off the mark.

H/t: Instapundit

Johann Sebastian Bach and the Voyager spacecraft

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Johann Sebastian Bach and the Voyager spacecraft

From John Eliot Gardiner’s book, Bach: Music In The Castle Of Heaven:

When in 1977 the Voyager spacecraft was launched, opinions were canvassed as to what artefacts would be most appropriate to leave in outer space as a signal of man’s cultural achievements on earth. The American astronomer Carl Sagan proposed that “if we are to convey something of what humans are about then music has to be a part of it.” To Sagan’s request for suggestions, the eminent biologist and author Lewis Thomas answered, “I would send the complete works of Johann Sebastian Bach.” After a pause, he added, “But that would be boasting.”

Voyager spacecraft

Voyager spacecraft from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science

A Photographic History Of Airships And Zeppelins

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A photographic history of airships and zeppelins

U.S. Navy blimp during World War II

U.S. Navy blimp watching for German U-boats during World War II. From The Atlantic

The Hindenburg zeppelin over New York City

The Graf Hindenburg near the Empire State Building in New York, 1936. From The Atlantic

Really strange to see a lighter-than-air vehicle with a Nazi flag…above New York City!

Click to enlarge:

The Hindenburg zeppelin over New York City

The Graf Hindenburg over Manhattan, 1937. From The Atlantic

H/t: Debbie Witt at NRO