What's New Robert L. Park Friday, July 17, 2009

WHAT’S NEW   Robert L. Park   Friday, 17 Jul 09   Washington, DC

1.  WATER: IS H2O A FORMULA FOR ROCKET FUEL?
Even as I write this, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite is 
getting itself aligned in a lunar polar orbit.  Its job is to look into 
deep lunar craters for any sign of the frozen water that some are certain 
is hidden in the shadows.  It would be very expensive water.  I told NASA 
that I would be happy to leave my garden hose out and they could come by 
and take all the water they want.  They weren’t interested.   They wanted 
water on the Moon, where they could use it to refuel rockets.   "Is water 
rocket fuel," I asked?  "Hydrogen is a component of rocket fuel," I was 
told. "You have to split the water."  "Doesn't that take energy," I 
asked?  "Excuse me," he said, "my cell phone is ringing."

2.  LUNACY: A PLAN IS NOT A PLAN UNTIL IT HAS A BUDGET.
While most of the media must have been at the tedious Sotomayor 
confirmation, Andrew Lawler of Science was covering the smooth Senate 
confirmation of Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden as NASA Administrator.  "We will 
go on to the Moon," Bolden declared.  He is a former astronaut who piloted 
the Shuttle that took Hubble into orbit, for which we must thank him.  Six 
months ago, president Obama also talked about returning to the Moon.  But 
when the budget came out, there was no money for the Moon, nor should there 
be until the report of the Augustine panel is out in Audust.  Besides, 
plans change: Apollo 18, 19 and 20 were abruptly canceled to make money 
available for the Vietnam War.   A return to the Moon could be canceled to 
make money available for the Energy War.

3.  MARS: ASTRONAUTS REMAIN STUCK IN 1969.
This is the 21st century.  Telerobots have been invented.  Our two Mars 
rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, are merely robust extensions of our fragile 
human bodies.  They don't break for lunch or complain about the cold 
nights, and they live on sunshine.  They do suffer the afflictions of age. 
Their teeth are worn down from scraping rocks, and one has an arthritic 
foot that he drags behind him.  But their brains are still sharp since they 
are the brains of their PhD handlers.  No need to bring them home when they 
are no longer able to explore, they will just be turned off.  Bolden also 
said he wants to go to Mars. How incredibly old-fashioned!  We are on Mars 
now.  This is the 21st century.  We have discovered robotics.  More than 
that, we have telerobots.  Spirit and Opportunity are merely robust 
extensions of our fragile human bodies. They don't break for lunch, or 
complain about the cold nights, and they live on sunshine.  We have been on 
Mars for more than five years, looking for evidence of water and life.  A 
human on Mars would be locked in a spacesuit with only the sense of sight.  
Our rovers have better eyes than any human, and we don't have to take their 
word it; everyone can see what they see.  How wonderfully democratic!  
Moreover, they have the IQ of their PhD operators back on Earth. 

4.  SURGEON GENERAL: OBAMA CHOOSES REGINA BENJAMIN.
A family health physician from Alabama, she became famous for her public 
efforts to rebuild her rural health clinic after it was devastated by 
hurricane Katrina. She is expected to play a key role in preparing for a 
surge of the H1N1 flu this fall.

THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND.
Opinions are the author's and not necessarily shared by the
University of Maryland, but they should be.
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