Watch this now. Amazing archival videos.
https://www.netflix.com/title/80036433
See also Rocket Man and Rocket … Men
Tag Archives: Rocket Man
Strong, Powerful Women
Despite my joke that that I like my coffee the way I like my women …
The Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR), a Possible Contendor for Nuclear Propulsion Systems
Possible propulsion source for long-haul trans-Martian and trans-Terran transport.
The Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors (LFTR) are purportedly safer (no harmful radioactive wastes produced), less expensive, smaller in size, does not use weapons-grade radioactive fuels and run on thorium-232, which is apparently an abundant heavy metal. The nuclear reactions in an LFTR can be started and stopped easily. The fuel does not have to be refined or enriched or made into pellet shapes. The reaction products are supposedly less harmful and have short half-lives.
Thus, I feel that the above qualities make LFTRs a potential fit for nuclear propulsion applications. LFTRs can be made smaller to fit an air/space vehicle. The controllability of the reactions gives us the ability to throttle power output on a vehicle. The reactors can be designed to withstand explosions. At present, aircraft black boxes are made tough and rugged, and designed to withstand crashes and submersion in water. So is the case with nuclear warheads…
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Mexican Spicy Crickets
This one possible recipe for the roasted crickets that are a favorite food of the Martian Colonists in my sci-fi short story Rocket Man.
https://contrafactual.com/2014/01/08/rocket-man/I need to try this as part of my research.
September 5th, 2010
Whilst on a food shoot yesterday, somebody turned up with a jar of Mexican Spicy Crickets. I was intrigued and delighted to find that they are quite crunchy and flavoured with chilli, garlic and lime. The crickets came from Oaxaca, Mexico, where they are a popular snack.
Spicy Cricket Recipe:
lots of crickets
lime juice
crushed garlic
chilli flakes
olive oil
salt
Drop your crickets into some boiling water to kill them quickly. When they turn red, remove them from the saucepan. Dry the crickets with some kitchen towel and marinate over night in a bowl of lemon juice, crushed garlic, chilli flakes and a little salt, to taste.
Remove the crickets from the marinade, but don’t dry them. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and add the crickets when the oil is hot. They don’t take very long and it’s important to…
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Rocket Man
In case you missed it …
Yes, I am desperate to have you read this …
For background context on this story, you are encouraged to read: Phobos Rising and Jumper.
Rocket Man – a short story
Copyright © 2014 by Christian Bergman, All rights reserved.
All people, places, and events are fictional … except when they aren’t.
Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids. In fact, it’s cold as hell. – Elton John, Bernie Taupin (1972)
“Rocket Man, burning out his fuse, out here alone.” I recall the lyrics of the ancient Elton John song that has become the anthem of our profession, as I prepare for our deorbit burn. “Pressurizing the primary fuel loop … now,” I call out to my copilot.
“Roger that. Pressures coming up nicely,” Sam replies. “Prepping the igniters. I have New Masdar on the com. They have us in the flyway.”
“Roger that. Double-check the voltage on main B bus. I don’t like what I’m…
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Rocket Man – what is wrong?
Despite all the other fun bits that I include in my blog … my cats, the interesting YouTube video, various fun facts, music, history … my real reason for blogging is that I want to write fiction. I currently have two main streams of fiction: the Day 42 zombie saga and the Mars collection of science fiction short stories.
I recently wrote a new short story titled Rocket Man.
I included various supplementary material on either side of it. Prior to posting Rocket Man. I reblogged both Phobos Rising and Jumper. After I posted it, I included a history of the Rocket Man song. Intermixed with this was a variety of other video posts and a cat post.
The material on either side of the Rocket Man short story got numerous ‘likes’ … yet Rocket Man got only a single ‘like’.
I am perplexed.
• Did you read it and not like it?
• If you read it and did not like it, can you tell me what you disliked?
Be frank I’m a big boy I can take criticism.
• If you didn’t read it why not?
As always I am extremely appreciative of your feedback.
Thanks cb
Rocket … Men
A history of Rocket Man through the decades …
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_Man_(song)
1972
1978
2009
2012 (40th Anniversary)
If you enjoyed this, you might also enjoy my short story Rocket Man
PS I especially like William Shatner’s 2011 rendition of Rocket Man on Seeking Major Tom
Rocket Man
For background context on this story, you are encouraged to read: Phobos Rising and Jumper.
Rocket Man – a short story
Copyright © 2014 by Christian Bergman, All rights reserved.
All people, places, and events are fictional … except when they aren’t.
Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids. In fact, it’s cold as hell. – Elton John, Bernie Taupin (1972)
“Rocket Man, burning out his fuse, out here alone.” I recall the lyrics of the ancient Elton John song that has become the anthem of our profession, as I prepare for our deorbit burn. “Pressurizing the primary fuel loop … now,” I call out to my copilot.
“Roger that. Pressures coming up nicely,” Sam replies. “Prepping the igniters. I have New Masdar on the com. They have us in the flyway.”
“Roger that. Double-check the voltage on main B bus. I don’t like what I’m seeing.”
“It’s on the low-end of nominal, but within tolerance. It should get us home.”
“Okay, bringing reserve batteries online. Request NAV fix.”
“Patching in NAV from New Masdar”
“Got it. Ten minutes to ignition,” I confirm. “Better notify our passengers.”
Contrafactual 