That's a Lot of Rockets

This is an illustration from physics professor 's 1995 book . That little black-and-yellow smudge in the second row, that's the V–2. Hit the jump for mega-size. Click on the picture to zoom or download the full 3,322×5,079 image . It’s quite amazing what a monster the Saturn V still...

Dec 22, 2024

How To Tow A Top Secret Spy Plane With A Pickup Truck

You may need a dually to tow a secret X37-B spy plane, but you certainly don't need a diesel engine. Or anything from the past ten years. God, I love heavy duty pickup trucks — tugging spy planes. [] ...

Dec 22, 2024

How the Strongest US Rocket Compares to a Heavy Duty Pickup Truck

PickupTrucks.com has put together , pitting a Delta IV, the ULA's largest rocket, against a Ram 3500 Heavy Duty pickup. Although the pickup wins the 0-to-60 contest, that's about all it wins. Astounding infoporn below. Today's one-ton Ram Heavy Duty 3500 has a gross combined weight rating (GCWR is the...

Dec 22, 2024

The Soviet space shuttle's final ride

For nearly two decades, the Soviet Union attempted to beat the United States in the space race with its own fleet of space shuttles. Here's the story of the final Soviet shuttle's last ride. Dubbed the , the Russian space craft was supposed to be safer, more nimble and could...

Dec 22, 2024

Space Shuttle Discovery's final ascent in entrancing HD

Space Shuttle mission STS-133's not even back on Earth yet, but our friends at NASA have already edited together this amazing HD video of Discovery's last takeoff and orbit before retirement. It's simply amazing. There's something exceptionally graceful about the way the solid rocket booster separates from the orbiter. The...

Dec 22, 2024

The Mole and the Car: Automotive dreams from behind the Iron Curtain

In 1954, the Czech cartoonist Zdeněk Miler was tasked with creating educational films about the merits of Communist industry. Miler subverted the project to create Krtek (The Mole), and showed children behind the Iron Curtain the wonders of American cars, rockets, and skyscrapers. Not in vain: this Friday, Miler’s creation...

Dec 22, 2024

Distracted driving group fears launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour

A company calling itself Advocate Auto Consultants says they're afraid this week's Endeavour space shuttle launch will cause . First, you're morons. Second, Floridians never need an excuse to crash. ...

Dec 22, 2024

Why America's first astronauts all drove Corvettes

Alan Shepard showed up to space training in 1959 driving his '57 Chevy Corvette. After becoming the first American in space 50 years ago this very day, GM handed over the keys to a special 1962 Corvette as thanks for his bravery. And thus began a love affair between Astronauts...

Dec 22, 2024

Second-to-last Space Shuttle launch in T-9 minutes

The Space Shuttle Endeavour launches for the last time in what is the second-to-last shuttle mission. We're T-9 minutes as of publishing this, watch it live . ...

Dec 22, 2024

The two most amazing shots of the shuttle Endeavour

Today's was remarkable for several reasons, a minor one being that NASA launched with low-hanging clouds over Cape Canaveral — leading to a remarkable photo from a Delta airline passenger. Due to the clouds, spectators on the ground had before the shuttle disappeared, as the first picture by a Getty...

Dec 22, 2024

This is the new "Space Shuttle"

With the and only one more launch before the program is retired, NASA officially announced the shuttle's replacement today: the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV). How uninspiring of a name is that? Based on designs created for the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, the is a dramatically different approach to manned space...

Dec 22, 2024

Meet "Curiosity," NASA's new nuclear-powered Mars rover

This fall, Nasa will launch its latest Mars rover dubbed "Curiosity" to further the Red Planet exploration done by Spirit and Opportunity. The differences? This one is the size of a compact car, shoots lasers and runs on nuclear power. Curiosity, , has been engineered to travel 200 meters a...

Dec 22, 2024

Behind the scenes of the final Space Shuttle launch

The very last Space Shuttle launch is scheduled for this weekend. To the men and women responsible for watching every detail what seems like a quick deal is more like an eternity. NASA Navigation and Flights Control Engineer George W. Hatcher those final moments. — Ed. Contrary to what you...

Dec 22, 2024

Yuri Gagarin drove around London in this Rolls with YG 1 plates

Fifty years ago on this day, three months after he became the first man in space, Yuri Gagarin was welcomed in London for a parade where he was given a Rolls–Royce bearing the plates YG 1 to drive. When and came back in one piece, he instantly became the world’s...

Dec 22, 2024

Spectacular photo of Shuttle's return taken from Space Station

This remarkable image of the Space Shuttle Atlantis returning home after its final mission was taken by the crew aboard the International Space Station, proving that sometimes the best view comes from the saps in the nosebleed seats. (Photo Credit: ...

Dec 22, 2024