A ship in harbor is safe..

 

 ... but that's never been what a ship is for:

 

 

Crew Dragon - 10 million streams

We watched the Crewed Dragon flight live, with 10 million of our closest friends.

That is, between NASA, NASA TV, and SpaceX livesteams there were over 10 million folks watching.  And note, that's devices, not people.  So the person count is far higher.

I of course, wrote a song.

Virtual Conventions

Thanks to all the restrictions, Sci Fi conventions are being cancelled left and right.  Several have moved into virtual spaces, using Zoom, and Facebook, and YouTube (and all three mixed together).

I was asked to do a concert for HELIOsphere.  Here it is in all it's ugly glory.


https://youtu.be/BeVVarKOEE0

16 Minutes

Columbia (STS-107) flew apart 16 minutes prior to her scheduled landing:

16 Minutes
Words and music (c) Mark E. Horning 5 Feb 2020

16 minutes from home, and the board is looking green
16 minutes from home, and the danger's still unseen
--Radar trace says she's right on track
--Coming home now, out of the black
--Once you commit, there's no going back...
16 minutes from home.
Just 16 minutes from home.

16 minutes from home, and the weather's looking great
16 minutes to home, where we all will celebrate
--Bearing eastward and homeward bound
--Families waiting down on the ground
--A sight that never ceases to astound...
16 minutes from home.
Just 16 minutes from home

16 minutes from home. When the alarm began to blare
16 minutes from home. They didn't have a prayer
--A leading edge that was compromised
--Fire blazing across the skies
--Just seconds of warning -  before they died...
16 minutes from home.
Just 16 minutes from home

16 minutes from home - so close... yet so far
16 minutes from home - they died to touch the stars
--16 minutes from home
--16 minutes from home
--16 minutes from home
16 minutes from home
Just 16 minutes from home