@peerpul: Into 'space' and into 'orbit' are not necessarily the same thing.

Log1c

Epic fail for NASA, letting the smart asian kids just figure everything out.

fogel1492

No commercial companies are able to get to space STILL?

I thought Virgin Galactic did it already?

I'd much rather resort to our National Space Agency giving our money to another country instead of supporting our "local" economy. *sarcastic* I guess we alread only import everything pretty much anyway, might as well import our space stuff too.

Lame.

peerpul

Like no-one saw this coming. God Bless us for being such planners.

totoro

@Hectorvex: It does indeed, as referenced in "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator".

(Just beware of Vermicious Knids, even if they burn up on re-entry.)

strider_mt2k

Am I the only one that sees a flying Bud-Lite can in the first pic, and a floating Bud-Lite bottle in the second?

Chromeo is typing this on his iPhone 3G

Out sourcing at it's finest!

SkipBlue

What about Willy Wonka's Great Glass Elevator? Doesn't that go to space? They could drop off Everlasting Gobstoppers and some Oompa Loompas, who - when cooked properly - are delicious.

Hectorvex

"Eh, comrade, I juss bought de Watchmen on eee-beh!"

"How much for shipping?"

"45 mil......O' shtool"

Kaiser-Machead's Chips Ahoy!

@blazedshaggy: damn, you beat me to the punch.

rer89

why is a can of pepsi floating through space?

blazedshaggy

Like the "lime in the ocean" article, I agree, Chromeo... looks like an excellent opportunity for beverage companies to get their logo (Bud Lite, CocaCola, etc) on those buggers (we can split the take on this idea).

NASA and JAXA, give us a call... we've got some advertising opportunities for ya.

zanella

They're planning to drop the price a bit by printing 'Fosters' on the side.

Slartibartfast

paint peels off during takeoff, it would be hard to do adverts on the side of the ship ... although fun

is anyone else wondering why NASA retired their ship only to look around and realize they didn't have a back up plan? it seems like they should have retired a ship once they got a new one commissioned ... or was registration for 2 space vehicles to much for the billion dollar budget?

king_of_fools

With Ariane 5 and Soyuz 2 being proven launch vehicles, NASA could save on the exploding budget of Orion and just license these launch vehicles. Heck, maybe they could even work with the Russians to actually bring Energia out of moth balls.

NASA is in a sad state of affairs and makes you wonder where all the rocket scientists have gone?

twilight-arc

@king_of_fools: Massive budget cuts and a president with the mind of a child.

Yes, I'm saying MasterBlaster would make a better president.

Not to get political here, but I do admire his energy policy.

strider_mt2k

@king_of_fools: At the risk of answering a rhetorical question, it's the opposite. NASA didn't "retire their ship only to look around and realize they didn't have a back up plan." They extended it in the face of objections. The shuttle is probably the most complicated machine ever built, is highly experimental, and has been plagued by problems (some of which can never be fully fixed). That there isn't something in the wings ready to take over the moment it's mothballed isn't a reason to prolong an experimental, flawed, program beyond essential missions.

frigg

what about the Jules Verne that makes the trips and docks by itself?
i know it's an ESA ship, but at least it's bigger than a soyuz :)

pharago

@Chromeo is typing this on his iPhone 3G:

I saw the pic an i thought the exact same thing. In fact i clicked on the link jus to see if anyone else was thinking it. .. cool

tdeckard2000