Posts: 1184
From: Canada
Registered: Jul 2001

posted 03-08-2021 08:58 PM               

---

I remember when people were lamenting about the end of the space shuttle program, Robert wrote "No, no! It's just the beginning, this private industry thing. It will be wonderful!" Here's a person in an authoritative position to say so, having seen — and participated — to this new chapter of space affairs in the early days. And was he right!

And in writing so, I felt he reminded our community: we are not just about space collecting and space history: we're also about space news.

Yet, I don't see much discussion here about SpaceX, Starship, Electron, and all the others. "Commercial Space," the category set up for us to share about this on our message board, is aggregated with "Military Space," and is not busy enough, in my opinion.

And I wonder: why is that? Nowadays I spend about 30 minutes every evening perusing YouTube channels covering space news, and I am in awe of all the wonders of space news. How is it that we, as a community of space exploration — and space exploitation — lovers, seem to be passing on all this excitement?

Posts: 1617
From: Cape Canaveral, FL
Registered: Mar 2010

posted 03-09-2021 10:32 AM               

---

I have lamented about this before. It seems this community focuses on mostly Mercury, Gemini and Apollo era and then shuttle next. Especially since they were manned.

I have a huge milspace and unmanned space patch and coin collection but it am in the minority.

I also have over 30 flown patches/flags certificates from missions, but I didn't collect those, I earned them from working on the missions. I just don't care to collect more like these. The rarer and more varying unmanned missions interest me.

Posts: 300
From: Louisiana
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 03-09-2021 10:40 AM               

---

I'm just spit-balling here, but I can think of a couple of possibilities.

I grew up in during the heyday of the shuttle era of the 80's and 90's. It's what I know and remember most. Also, most of the Mercury/Gemini/Apollo guys were still alive and accessible. People may be just sticking with what they know, and are most nostalgic about.

For others, it may be the gap between the last shuttle mission and the first SpaceX missions. Their interest may have just been cut off with the end of STS-135.

And it could be the exploration vs. commercial aspect of it. Some are just not interested in the pay for a flight in Earth orbit side of the industry. Those that are are the most dedicated of space fans. Once we get back to the Moon and beyond, that will change.

Posts: 1006
From: CA.
Registered: Jan 2011

posted 03-09-2021 12:17 PM               

---

I suspect that the reason for fewer articles/comments about New Space is that as of now it's launched a grand total of two crewed missions.

I am fascinated by New Space, as I suspect most people are on these boards, but unmanned missions don't tend to get the blood flowing, unless they are a "sexy" mission like Perseverance. The vast majority of the Falcon 9 and Electron rocket launches are for pretty pedestrian missions. After all, Starlink might be transformative, and I watch pretty much every launch of it, but truthfully, who really cares about the satellites per se?

Starship is obviously awesome, but clearly we are fairly early in the development cycle of the machine. I think most of us here follow the progress of the program and are wishing SpaceX well with it. The discussions I suspect are somewhat short circuited in that normally either SpaceX or Elon will come out with an explanation of the latest flight stand down or big Boom within a few hours to a few days after the incident, thus cutting down on speculation, here for example, on what happened.

Posts: 2685
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006

posted 03-09-2021 06:38 PM               

---

I think part of the issue here is new space is commercial space and like all aerospace company's their schedules and data are proprietary. It would be like following an aircraft company's new aircraft that is in development, only so much information is available and typically only that which the company wants the media to hear.

Very much different than NASA, a government entity, wanting support and tax payers dollars. An agency wide open showing all things to keep the public engaged.

Posts: 403
From: Michigan
Registered: Mar 2012

posted 03-09-2021 10:58 PM               

---

For what its worth, NASA Spaceflight forum seems to be the go to place for these discussions.

Typically I'd see a headline, summary, or article posted here on cS and if I'm interested in learning more, then dive into the details on NASA Spaceflight.

There are daily updates on many program activities I'm following (SpaceX, Electron, SLS, etc.) with great photos and insight into what has happened so far and what is planned for the future.

For the recent and ongoing Starship builds and test flights, a dedicated team of contributors post what they see and hear from the Boca Chica area and there are tons of photos to browse. Some even live in the village next-door and are given written notice when SpaceX test activities are happening and/or when the area must be evacuated. An interesting way to follow the progress for sure.

Posts: 1824
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002

posted 03-10-2021 11:33 AM               

---

If it's human space travel, I'm interested. If it's satellite or mechanical space travel, going where we haven't been or someday will be, I'm interested.

I lived in an era where there ws no such thing. Now I live in an era where it is evolving. I'll take it all, thank you.

Posts: 2685
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006

Posts: 121
From: Maryland
Registered: Jan 2014

posted 03-11-2021 03:19 PM            

---

cS has always felt a bit more like the hub for the spaceflight enthusiast, rather than a news site.

If I want to know about books, events, hardware, models, or anything else like that in spaceflight I come here.

If I want to discuss the latest news in spaceflight I can go to any of 200 other sites.

Posts: 2685
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006

Posts: 2039
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007

Posts: 2685
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006