Why is space so unpopular!!!

JohnMcD348 wrote:

Well, I guess I need to get off my butt and start building those Space Shuttle Models I've been buying for the past couple of months and take a few pics and try my hand at writing.  Do it from the best prospective possible.  I'd be doing as someone getting back into the hobby after about 20+ years.

In actuality there are several variations to be built of the Saturn V alone.   The 500F Boiler Plate for assembly check out is the color scheme depicted on the box which didn't actually fly anywhere.  Then there are numerous variations of the paint scheme leading up to the Apollo VIII vehicle.  Apollo V only had a boilerplate CSM mounted and a boilerplate SIV as well if I remember correctly.

Granted by the time of Apollo XI things had settled down on the color scheme to some extent but there were still numerous variations of the markings.  Lets not forget the CSM went from the Block I vehicle prior to Apollo VII to the Block II thereafter which sports numerous detail changes.

I think the same level of subtle changes that occur from say P47B - M occurred in the evolution of the Saturn V as well espeically if you add the Skylab variant at the end of the program.

Here's my Saturn V built to represent the craft on display at Kennedy.

why   why   why  well....

limited subject matter

it not like say a p-47 you can buy a dozen of them paint them a dozen ways and they all are different

a saturn v rocket  buy a dozen of them and all you got is 1 .   they only come in one color and that's that

Well, I guess I need to get off my butt and start building those Space Shuttle Models I've been buying for the past couple of months and take a few pics and try my hand at writing.  Do it from the best prospective possible.  I'd be doing as someone getting back into the hobby after about 20+ years.

Hi all,

This has been mentioned before, but part of the scarcity of (insert your favorite overlooked subject) articles on  FSM is that people aren't writing them. I know that Matt Usher builds space models because I've read his articles.

If you want to see more, write an article. Writer's Digest magazine just listed FSM in its list of top 50 magazines for freelancers looking to get published! It doesn't hurt to submit an article query, maybe with photos and see what they say. 

In other words, if nobody writes the articles, FSM can't run them. Based on the Writer's Digest article, and the fact that other forum members have had their articles published over the past few years, people posting on this thread could get articles published too!

Regards, 

how about this: instead of adding it to the printed magazine, they add it to the electronic version.  Yes, writing the article will not be free but it would not take away pages from what pays the bills.  Looking at the posts on here, there are plenty of "guest contributors" that could write a periodic article, review a kit, or even have some of the kit designers write an article.  They get the free publicity, and we get something to read that we want.  What do you think?

sb36 wrote:

I agree, more coverage in this section would be a most welcome thing; however the bulk of readership and overall interset in the hobby is military aircraft and armor. At least we have this area on the forum.

Unfortunately, that is the way it goes in bussiness.  No matter how we feel about the hobby, FSM is a bussiness and they have to cater to the spending dollar to keep the magazine alive and well.

 I wonder how much extra it would cost to add maybe 1 extra page to the magazine to at least allow for a short article or review on the topic.  Maybe one page for the topic and the oposite page for another advertiser to help defray the cost.  Or maybe turn it into a back page article.

Just a thought.

With all of us here in this forum, I would like to ask for something from FSM.  The magazine deals primarily with military models.  How could we get FSM to have a section or article several times a year on space and sci-fi models?

If you look at the products coming from Atomic City, Real Space and Custom Replicas, there is so much to review and work with.  Atomic City designed the Mercury 1:12 model that is spectacular.  The 2001 Space Odyssey models they have are great as well.  Real Space has many models and enhancements for old Revell and Monogram models, and on and on...

Anyone other than me that would be interested in this? 

It's been so long, that I don't remember if I even posted on this topic but here I go (again maybe).

I think for some the lack of popularity is due to the fact that there just isn't any excitement for the Space program anymore.  Back in the day when it was the U.S.(us) versus the "Evil Soviet Empire"(them), there was a genuine fear of who was doing what to who and how was that going to affect us.  It was in the news ALOT more than it is now.  Today for example(Sunday Dec 9), how many people knew the Shuttle was set for launch and had been scrubbed and postponed until 1/2/08?  How many people even knew it was suppose to have luanched on Thursday the 6th?  There's just no excitement there anymore.  I'm different as it's been pretty much going on in my back yard since I was a kid in the 70's.  I followed Skylab and the beginnings of the Shuttle program.

Possibly with the beginning of the Constelation program(How many people even know what that is), and the Chinese planning on putting a man on the moon, it will respark the interest in the technology that will get us there.

I'm happy to say that my 4 year old son is extremely interested in the space program and the Shuttle especially.  We go to Kennedy Spcae center on a fairly regular basis.  We go there more often than to Disney World, See World, Busch Gradens combined.  We still have not seen a launch up close but had intended to this last trip.  Maybe next Feb 14th....  I have a few Shuttle kits that have not been put togther as yet and each time I go to KSC, I pick up another one.  The last one for me to get my hands on will be the Revell Saturn V rocket.

"...the Ukraine has better things to do...someone else fund this expensive field trip/ego trip..."

Actually, Ukraine is a player in space.  They own a significant piece of SpaceLaunch and provide Zenit boosters.  Also, in the US program, there are a significant number of Ukrainians in engineering and senior management, and don't forget Heidi Stefanyshyshn-Piper, who flew on the shuttle just a few months ago.

Going back to the question of the forum, what would it take for people on here to get back into space modeling or just getting there in the first place?  For me, it would be kits of the quality from Atomic City of some of the craft from history.  If you look at the prebuilts Code 3 made a few years ago, they are going in the range of $400-900 on eBay.  I belive accuracy, quality, and a consistent line in scale would do it.  I also believe, that anything under 1/48 probably will not excite the builder.  Larger scale offers the details and ability to scratch build modules that the smaller scales just don't provide.  I have done a great deal with lighting over the years and displays with sound as well.  Makes a huge difference. How about a group of us doing a 1:1 build of a craft and donating it to a children's science museum?

Mansteins revenge wrote:

espins1 wrote:  Bgrigg wrote: But not enough to prevent you from posting, eh? No kidding, I think he's beat us all for posting in this thread.... must not be THAT boring.  ...actually, it was to be my last post, but since you asked, THIS is my last post...

Are you sure that's your last? 

espins1 wrote:

Bgrigg wrote: But not enough to prevent you from posting, eh? No kidding, I think he's beat us all for posting in this thread.... must not be THAT boring.

...actually, it was to be my last post, but since you asked, THIS is my last post...

Bgrigg wrote:

But not enough to prevent you from posting, eh?

No kidding, I think he's beat us all for posting in this thread.... must not be THAT boring. 

But not enough to prevent you from posting, eh?

But Manstein as a true Ukrainian you must know how many of your people have been/are cosmonauts? 5, 10, 15 ? More than all US Astronauts combined? US Astronauts on the Moon? Or, but this is inponderable, Ukrainian kids who can name the major craters on the Moon? 1000, 5000, 20,000?

Please answer.

steelrudi wrote:

Why is Space so unpopular?  Tell me when will the average person be able to go into space?  Not in our lifetimes.  I like Sci-fi, but real space to me is a bust.  We will never see the day that man travels to another galaxy, or lives for prolonged periods of time on another planet in the Solar system.  Most people, kids even tend to gravitate towards what is on the ground, or close to it.  Don't forget video games either.  I have problems getting me kids into modeling let alone a specific subject of modeling.  I have modeled ICBM's. Does that count as space?  Best of luck.

I have never looked at space/astronomy/astrophysics (which I do for a living) as something that is "for me".  My exploration of the Universe is something I do to seek the answers to my own questions about it and to share those discoveries/revelations with mankind, for future generations.  I would love to go into space and travel to the moon, Mars, Titan or another planetary system.  Barring some very sudden and extremely miraculous discovery, that is not going to happen in my lifetime.  But *MAYBE* something I do/discover/come to understand about the Universe may, some day, become one of the small bricks in the larger wall of knowledge that will lead us back to the stars - which is where we came from in the first place.  All great adventures are built one brick of understanding at a time.  If I can be a small part of a larger puzzle that helps spacecraft and/or a few humans to reach these objectives, then I have succeeded beyond my wildest imagination!

As for your kids and video games...well....I feel sorry for kids today.  They have nothing left to ignite their imaginations.  All they get to do is sit in front of a tv screen or monitor and push buttons to *kill the enemies*......Our Nation and our world is beginning to stare inwards and away from our destiny in the stars.

-Ro

PontiacRich wrote:

Bondoman - You are quite correct and Yes...I meant U.S. Citizen . Funny thing, Rich. We are all entitled to our opinions. Bgrigg- I agree 100%!  It just seemd to me that this thread was turning into a U.S./NASA bashing exercise and I didn't think it was quite fair for non U.S. citizens to be so negative since very few nations have put as much money and hardware into space as the U.S. - and for the benefit of all humans! Canada contributes a decent amount of research funds, training and astronauts to NASA. The aforementioned Canada Arm is just a small part of what Canada does to help our neighbor. The recent space walk record was made by Canadian Dr. Dave Williams. So you see, my tax dollars ARE being used to partially fund NASA, and that gives me the right to express my opinion. Besides, we are mostly getting along! Yes, Canada has provided to NASA...probably more than I know and I in no means want to diminish any country's contribution.  However, IMO the tone of this thread thus far seems to be wondering why and/or bashing the U.S./NASA for not going back to the Moon or to Mars and beyond.  I simply wish to let my opinion be known that no country has to wait for the U.S. or NASA to do these things.  I'd love to see the Maple Leaf, or the Ukranian flag on Mars. Just belly up to the bar, pony up the big bucks and be the next nation to plant a flag on another celestial body !

...the Ukraine has better things to do...someone else fund this expensive field trip/ego trip...

I think the biggest challenge of sending humans to Mars is not the technology or the money but more Psychological.

We do not know the effect of such a trip to humans.  We made several experiences in the arctic regions where people were isolated for more than a year and several problems occured. 

On Mars, you are very far from home and I think it could be very hard for a human soul to withstand that for such a long period of time.  A very few people will afford doing this.

I really look forward for the next big exploration project, I think we have alot of work to do before going there but I also think we have all the reasons of the world to do it.

Here is VERY brief summary of Zubrin's model to get to Mars.  Again, a significant savings is based on using available technology such as the Energia booster...very high payload capability and man-rated.  Fascinating concepts....

 The plan involves launching an unmanned Earth Return Vehicle (ERV) directly from Earth's surface to Mars using a heavy-lift booster (no bigger than the Saturn V used for the Apollo missions), containing a supply of hydrogen, a chemical plant and a small nuclear reactor.

The ERV would take some eight months to reach Mars. Once there, a relatively simple set of chemical reactions (the Sabatier reaction coupled with electrolysis) would combine a small amount of hydrogen carried by the ERV with the carbon dioxide of the Martian atmosphere to create up to 112 tonnes of methane and oxygen propellants, 96 tonnes of which would be needed to return the ERV to Earth at the end of the mission. This process would take approximately ten months to complete.

Some 26 months after the ERV was originally launched from Earth, a second vehicle, the Mars Habitat Unit, would be launched on a high-energy transfer to Mars carrying a crew of four. This vehicle would take some six months to reach Mars. During the trip, artificial gravity would be generated by tying the spent upper stage of the booster to the Habitat Unit, and setting them both rotating about a common axis.

On reaching Mars, the useless spent upper stage would be jettisoned, with the Habitat Unit aerobraking into Mars orbit before soft-landing in proximity to the ERV.

Once on Mars, the crew would spend 18 months on the surface, carrying out a range of scientific research, aided by a small rover vehicle carried aboard their Habitat Unit, and powered by excess methane produced by the ERV.

To return, they would use the ERV, leaving the habitat for the possible use of subsequent explorers. The propulsion stage of the ERV would be used as a counterweight to generate artificial gravity for the trip back.

The initial cost estimate for Mars Direct was put at $55 billion, to be paid over ten years.

you are forgetting that launching from the moon, you are now in a different plane.  From earth, you are taking advantage of the earth's movement through the solar system which is around the sun, similiar to mars.  The moon on the other hand, revolves around the earth.  While in a similiar plane, we lose the energy of moving in the same plane as mars.  The premise is DIRECT launch to mars without going into earth orbit first. If you want an excellent book which goes through the math on this, I very strongly recommend Rob Zubrin's book The Case for Mars.  He basically published the concepts we have been promoting for a very long time: live off the land.  He describes how to get to Mars within 10 years at a significantly reduced cost.  Again, there is additional risk involved but nothing I would not be willing to take on myself, given the opportunity.

Bondoman -

You are quite correct and Yes...I meant U.S. Citizen .

Funny thing, Rich. We are all entitled to our opinions.

Bgrigg-

I agree 100%!  It just seemd to me that this thread was turning into a U.S./NASA bashing exercise and I didn't think it was quite fair for non U.S. citizens to be so negative since very few nations have put as much money and hardware into space as the U.S. - and for the benefit of all humans!

Canada contributes a decent amount of research funds, training and astronauts to NASA. The aforementioned Canada Arm is just a small part of what Canada does to help our neighbor. The recent space walk record was made by Canadian Dr. Dave Williams. So you see, my tax dollars ARE being used to partially fund NASA, and that gives me the right to express my opinion. Besides, we are mostly getting along!

Yes, Canada has provided to NASA...probably more than I know and I in no means want to diminish any country's contribution. 

However, IMO the tone of this thread thus far seems to be wondering why and/or bashing the U.S./NASA for not going back to the Moon or to Mars and beyond.  I simply wish to let my opinion be known that no country has to wait for the U.S. or NASA to do these things.  I'd love to see the Maple Leaf, or the Ukranian flag on Mars.

Just belly up to the bar, pony up the big bucks and be the next nation to plant a flag on another celestial body ! 

Funny thing, Rich. We are all entitled to our opinions.

Canada contributes a decent amount of research funds, training and astronauts to NASA. The aforementioned Canada Arm is just a small part of what Canada does to help our neighbor. The recent space walk record was made by Canadian Dr. Dave Williams. So you see, my tax dollars ARE being used to partially fund NASA, and that gives me the right to express my opinion.

Besides, we are mostly getting along!