Kinja reply list

Read More
yandatMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 11:14am
These astronauts are human heroes from every nation. We waste on conflict, espionage, realpolitik and vanities while a few people pioneer space. All of us forget to place the International Space Station in perspective for the marvel it really is.

We're destroying our planet with burning carbon and petty conflicts yet continually cut the budget for exploration. These brave souls venture out in a dark vacuum, understaffed and underfunded to fix our only space station.
Reply
- Read More
  QCICyandat
  12/21/13 11:42am
  I don't think doing a highly coveted job makes you a hero.
  
  They are well compensated, highly skilled professionals doing extremely dangerous things. They aren't fighting space monsters and they aren't "doing it for you" any more than your garbage man takes away your garbage for you. Almost all of them are fundamentally doing it because it is what they want to do it (for curiosity/fame/ego/competitiveness), not as some selfless beneficence. Just like most people.
  
  Real life really isn't a story of "heros" and "villans" and we need to fight against the medias' attempts to sell us such silly fantasies.
  Reply
- Read More
  apeshapedmanyandat
  12/21/13 11:42am
  That's funny. Some think space travel is a purposeless boondoggle that detracts from the needs of humanity.
  
  Launching telecommunication and GPS satellites is totally cool. Putting people up there is a pricey venture with limited merit.
  Reply
Read More
Collapsed ConversationMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 11:16am
Couldn't NY Times and Gawker come up with a better word than "drown" for dying in space due to lack of oxygen? The word drown I would associate with death resulting from water or liquid; whereas in this scenario, death is the result from the absence of any atmosphere whatsoever.
So why couldn't they just use the words "suffocation" or "asphyxiation"?
Would any scientists, I09ers or even editors like to weigh in here?
Reply
- Read More
  PrayForDentonCollapsed Conversation
  12/21/13 11:24am
  
  Officials have attributed the problem to the suit's cooling system, where they found that a filter had become clogged. The astronaut hurried back inside the space station, but not before water had blocked his nostrils.
  
  His suit was filling up with water. How do you like them apples?
  Reply
- Read More
  stayawayfrommeCollapsed Conversation
  12/21/13 11:25am
  Did you even read the story?
  Reply
Read More
apeshapedmanMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 11:30am
This is all to fix a malfunctioning cooling system. Maybe the more technically minded people abound these parts could help me understand this, but space is pretty cold. Couldn't they just vent the heat into space?

P.S. Before any schmucks chime in, no, I'm not talking about cracking a window on the ISS. All of their paperwork would fly around.
Reply
- Read More
  Obliteratiapeshapedman
  12/21/13 12:32pm
  Nope!
  
  When you say "venting heat", what you are really saying is "moving heated air". You are transferring heat by thermal conduction or thermal convection.
  
  But, there is no air in space, so there is no convection or conduction. Heating and cooling have to take place by thermal radiation, which is not nearly as nimble. It makes temperature regulation a more complicated and delicate process than here on Earth.
  Reply
Read More
secretagentmanMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 10:35am
Gravity 2: Electric Boogaloo.
Reply
- Read More
  foreigndutchmansecretagentman
  12/21/13 11:37am
  A joke made in bad taste, i like it.
  Reply
- Read More
  PseudoHermesforeigndutchman
  12/22/13 9:52am
  How is that possibly in bad taste?
  Reply
Read More
baddoggyMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 10:45am
Drowning in your space suit on a space walk sounds pretty freaking horrifying.
Reply
Read More
XyloMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 10:36am
A few minutes ago a smoke alarm on the station went off, quickly determined to be a false alarm. Imagine drowning out there and the smoke alarm was going off.
Reply
- Read More
  Búho se PierdeXylo
  12/21/13 11:23am
  I hate that prank.
  Reply
Read More
Mount_PrionMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 11:08am
They had snorkels on the space station? What astronaut decided pack those?
Reply
Read More
AgentExampleMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 10:43am
Where did they get snorkels from in space? Did walmart deliver some water gear up there? Did they get foam noodles too?
Reply
- Read More
  ShockinglyBlehAgentExample
  12/21/13 10:59am
  Walmart, Psh.
  
  Everyone knows is the only way you can ship your items by rocket is through amazon
  Reply
- Read More
  peoplecareboutmeAgentExample
  12/21/13 11:47am
  I saw a thing on ABC about it last night. They're not really snorkels, more like small tubes they can breathe out of.
  Reply
Read More
GlibandBitchyMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 11:07am
Snorkels and Maxi-Pads — way to MacGyver on the fly!

Apparently, in zeroG water can pool up at face level, so the snorkel will provide emergency access to air down near the astronaut's midsection. Yet another reason not to fart in space.

Reply
- Read More
  WilliamShatnerPantsGlibandBitchy
  12/21/13 2:20pm
  I was wondering how that worked. I was thinking "I thought there was no air in space."
  
  I imagined a tragihilarious scenario where one engineer smacks his forehead, saying "How did I forget that?"
  Reply
- Read More
  GlibandBitchyWilliamShatnerPants
  12/21/13 2:21pm
  HA!
  Reply
Read More
alvinstraightMax Rivlin-Nadler
12/21/13 12:08pm
At least we know their dialogue will be better than Bullock's and Clooney's.
Reply