Avatar photoSpacecraft for the Unmanned Modification of Orbits (SUMO)

DARPA is the gift that keeps on giving. I noticed this new start in the DARPA budget: Program (US$ Millions) 2006 2007 Spacecraft for the Unmanned Modification of Orbits (SUMO) 12.6 22.3 “SUMO combines detailed stereo photogrammetric imaging with robotic multi degree of freedom manipulators,” DARPA exclaims, “to autonomously grapple space objects without custom interfaces.” …

Avatar photoIran Wankery

Will someone in the press please, for the love of God, notice that Bush’s description of Washington’s Iran diplomacy does not constitute anything anyone could reasonably call “success”? Bush told an audience on Friday that: we [the US and the Europeans] worked together on the issue of Iran, to make sure that we speak with …

Avatar photoGriffin to Head NASA

Don’t let the “Opie” grin fool you. He’s nuts, too. President Bush will nominate Michael Griffin to succeed Sean O’Keefe as NASA Administrator. Despite drawing bipartisan praise, Griffin’s missile defense background— he served as deputy for technology at the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization—should raise alarm. Griffin was a signatory to a Heritage Foundation report entitled …

Avatar photoDon't Make Us Call Him Mister Ambassador

Undersecretary Bolton hard at work, fighting proliferation. Michael Roston—author of Looking for Someone to Lie to Me and Nuclear Test Watch—has written a scathing opinion piece for Arms Control Wonk.com arguing against Bolton’s nomination. The full text is reproduced here. Don’t Make Us Call Him Mister Ambassador Michael Roston Most of the criticism of John …