An Open Letter to Carolyn Porco: How More Women In Mil-Space can advance Science An example of her work: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Closest_ever_Views_of_Saturns_Moon_Enceladus_999.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dear Carolyn, I have been a big fan of yours ever since you worked on J.J. Abrams new Star Trek movie. I loved your Wired article in favor of large rockets. http://archive.wired.com/politics/law/magazine/16-10/sl_porco Even Bill Nye has come around and he is no longer trying to get the Space Launch System (SLS) killed. I think this launch vehicle will be vital to larger JIMO type probes needed to explore the outer solar system. Sadly, many of the same male fan-boys who made your life miserable are also in the SLS bashing community. I want to see more empowered women involved in space--and we may have a new friend in Deborah Lee James: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/James_named_new_principal_DOD_space_advisor_999.html https://www.facebook.com/Deborah.Lee.James This may be a somewhat odd request, but I'd like you to talk to her about getting the DoD to use the SLS. Here is why: One of the great uses of Heavy Lift Launch Vehicles (HLLVs) is the greater payload shroud diameter. Many want to see large radio telescope dishes--that would also be of use to those of us who want to communicate with probes farther afield. Take these articles for example: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2007/25jun_l2/ http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/20/opinion/20porco.html?_r=2&oref=slogin& "missions for the Ares V range from a 150-meter-wide (492 ft) radio telescope dish to detect whispers from deep space." SLS could be used for this, being a slightly smaller Ares V: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/10/orbital-atk-booster-production-sls-maiden-flight/ How to pay for this? A new space friendly DoD. There was some talk awhile back about the need for Space-Based Radar. You remember the site nasaspaceflight, where commenter "Jim" was proved wrong by a Space News article I cited on the subject of Space based radar: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=sf32ckq4unru84hthv4jvibqj3&topic=5028.55;wap2 "Calculations showed that the radar antennas would need to be 300 metres long and up to 10 metres wide." Sadly male bullies have come to dominate all talk on space: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-inexcusable-jingoism-of-american-spaceflight-rhetoric/ But you were very brave to enter into the Lion's den: http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=27703.msg849813#msg849813 Many dullards in DARPA/DoD/USAF have no use in SLS. Indeed, the fighter-jock-ockracy that runs the Pentagon make us less safe by scriping on all matters regarding space, missiles, and rockets: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nuclear-missile-crews-burdened-by-old-phone-system/ http://www.cbsnews.com/news/whos-minding-the-nuclear-weapons/ There we learn this chilling fact: The former missileers told us that the missile corps has long been treated like the step child of the Air Force. Pilots get all the glory; missileers have fewer chances for advancement. We now have a woman on the inside who can change all this. Please consider reaching out to Deborah Lee James. Space Based Radar can be vital in finding real threats, without pro-active war--and will allow larger structures in space the science community can also use. Taxpayers deserve the most of their money. And with more women in the military, tax dollars can at last have positive uses. Thank you for your time: --signed, publius
Re: An Open Letter to Carolyn Porco: How More Women In Mil-Space can a I really should--but it is an issue all blogs on astronomy (that would doubtless be more popular than mine) should address. Updates: http://www.universetoday.com/122925...-sexual-harassment-in-astronomy-and-academia/