Oi! Pillinger! No!

Space Daily has a rather combative article proposing that it's a good thing for space exploration that Beagle 2 failed.

It's odd to read this so soon after reading the Beagle 2 chapter of Backroom Boys - two utterly contrasting takes on essentially the same facts. Whilst the tone of this article is sure to raise many hackles, a lot of its claims are to a fair extent true - and the comments on the private expectations within the UK space industry re the outcome of the mission certainly tie with what I heard.

MC

Colorado Update

Observations from this most recent US trip...

Evry time I rent a car out here there's something new to confuse me. This time I couldn't find the headlight switch, only to find that the lights are controlled by the parking brake (which, as in many US cars, is a foot pedal). However, the car also features XM Satellite Digital Radio, which, I can report, absolutely rocks. (And jazzes, and classicals, and punks...) And it has the BBC World Service, so I can listen to proper news on the way in to work! Dum de de dum dum, dum de de dee...

Latest TV Programme Someone In The UK Must Pick Up: Mythbusters. It's essentially Hollywood Science on steroids, although more based on testing out urban legends in general rather than specific movie escapades. It is very silly but great fun.

Have also just discovered the local (and very big) games store. Exercised extreme restraint on grounds of limited space in baggage for return trip, bearing in mind that thanks to ukp/$ ratio, many games were about 60% of UK price!

MC