Day 1 - Jestbot 1300

Today's challenge - a medieval robot and its operator! Behold, the Jestbot 1300 - everything you would ever want for your twelfth-century entertainment needs!

Cowplane!

Today is another critical milestone in the history of aviation. On February 18, 1930, Elm Farm Ollie became the first cow to ever fly in an airplane. During her flight, she was also milked and the milk was sealed in paper containers and parachuted to the ground.

Poppies, revisited

(This sonnet was inspired by the picture I drew last year at this time.)

A routine test, and then a tiny spark

A fire in the cockpit quickly grew

We ask why we must go explore the dark?

While poppies represent the fallen crew

A frigid morning, but the launch went on

Till one small o-ring brought us to our knees

We wonder why more heroes now are gone?

And seven poppies shudder in the breeze

The flight seemed fine, except nobody knew

About the deadly scar from falling foam

And we debate, why venture like we do?

While seven more mark those not coming home

Yet even poppies know the reason why

To grow, life must ascend from Earth to sky

In memoriam:

Apollo 1 - January 27, 1967 - Grissom, White, Chaffee

STS-51L - Challenger - January 28, 1986 - Scobee, Smith, Onizuka, Resnik, McNair, Jarvis, McAuliffe

STS-107 - Columbia - February 1, 2003 - Husband, McCool, Brown, Chawla, Anderson, Clark, Ramon

Go Philae Go

Tomorrow if all goes as planned

A spaceship called Philae will land

On a comet - what fun!

Cause it’s never been done

Although sadly the mission’s unmanned

(If you're interested, you can click here for a site with a lot of good information about the mission!)

Be Like Laika

On this date back in 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2. Onboard was a little dog the scientists had grabbed off the street a few days earlier - and that's how Laika became the first living thing in orbit! Here's a super inspirational poem to commemorate her daring achievement!

On this day, the old USSR

Changed a dog from the street to a star

So be just like Laika

When the right chances strike-a

And perhaps even you could go far

What I Want

After the recent tragic events out in Mojave on Friday I've been giving some thought to what I want, and I came up with a few things:

1) Peace and support for the wife and children (ages 10 and 7) of Michael Alsbury, the test pilot killed in the accident. A memorial fund has been established at this link.

2) A full, thorough and open investigation, so they (and everyone else in the industry) can figure out exactly what went wrong and how to fix it.

3) All necessary upgrades or redesigns made so the vehicle ends up as safe and amazing as Virgin Galactic says it is, even if it takes more time.

4) Continued public support and interest in the private spaceflight community. I would hate to see one accident end this industry in its infancy.

And all of this is because:

5)

Whether it's with Virgin Galactic, XCOR, NASA, SpaceX, Blue Origin or someone else entirely - I'm still expecting to make it up there (and come back safely) some day. 

Unspeakable Horrors

Prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and all those at Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic. 

That View Is Tremendous

Drawtober, Day 13 - Draw something inspired by your favorite movie

Based on the John Glenn "fireflies" scene from "The Right Stuff"

Taft

Well, the windows aren't completely in yet. They need to come back tomorrow to finish up some of the trim and the kitchen garden window and shutters are still being assembled at the factory, so they'll be installed at a later date. In the meantime, I have to post something else tonight, so...

Happy Birthday, William Howard Taft!

Machu Picchu

One day I’d like to voyage to the town of Machu Picchu

It’s too bad it’s on a mountain top and not some sandy beach-oo

That’s because I’m terrified of heights, but I’d be glad to teach you

Yes, I’ll teach you ‘bout the beach you will not find at Machu Picchu

(History lesson: the ruins of Machu Picchu were discovered by Hiram Bingham on July 24, 1911)

45 Years and Counting

When I think it’s been 45 years

Since a small group of brave engineers

Went and conquered the moon

Then we gave up so soon

Well, the thought nearly drives me to tears!

See, by now we should have cities there

With big domes to contain all the air

Filled with gardens and stores

Peoples homes by the scores

And the children play nicely and share

So I hope that this poem will inspire

All those leaders I greatly admire

To use all their skill

Make Tranquilityville

Because that’s where I want to retire!

Skylab

It was 35 years ago today, July 11, 1979, when the US space station Skylab re-entered the atmosphere. Most of it burned up, but some large parts fell in the Australian outback near Perth. Nobody was hurt, but according to legend one jackrabbit was killed by falling debris and the Australian government filed the US $400 for littering.

Everyone Needs A Towel

Today is a perfect trilogy of geekery:

1) May 25th is the birthday of Frank Oz, master puppeteer, who brought to life Yoda, as well as Miss Piggy, Fozzy Bear, Cookie Monster, Bert and Grover!

2) On May 25, 1977, the original Star Wars movie opened!

and

3) May 25th is also Towel Day, celebrating the life of "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" author Douglas Adams!

Here's my attempt to combine the three...

"Look at my bum, you should not!"

Happy Easter!

Here's a quick Easter limerick! Enjoy!

It’s Easter! Goodbye winter’s gloom!

We’ll hide colorful eggs in each room

Then eat candy and ham

While we hang with the fam

And it’s thanks to that old empty tomb

Crossing Over - Finally Done!

Here it is! The long-awaited 2014 update to my old 1983 drawing, "Crossing Over on the Rocks". In case you've forgotten, this is what the original looks like:

And here's the new and updated version. It's still not exactly the way I want it, but it's done for now. Maybe I'll go back and redo it again in another 30 years!

Crossing Over - Teaser 2

Still coloring - here's another look at a small part of it.

Crossing Over on the Rocks

It's Flashback Friday! Today let's take a journey back to October(ish) 1983 when I was the ripe old age of 12. Recently I was looking through an old file of school papers and found a fantastic picture I drew. I've been working on an updated version of it, but it's nowhere near done yet so tonight you'll have to make do with the original. I might actually end up redoing this scene in a variety of styles, we'll see.

April Lightning

Just a quick one tonight - I spent most of the evening at a lovely family dinner at my mom's. Looking through some old pictures with my sister reminded me of an April first from long ago, when I was probably around 7. My dad came into the room and told me there was a surprise for me on the dining room table. I said something like, "Yeah, right. April Fool's - ha ha!"but he said, "No, really. Go look." So eventually I went to check it out, and there it was! My very own, very first plastic airplane model kit! It was that classic WWII fighter, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. To this day, it's still my favorite airplane. Here's a very rough sketch that does not do it justice.

Get an Eye-Full

Happy 125th Birthday, Eiffel Tower!

Goddard

Tonight, just a quick little poem commemorating another big day in aerospace history...

On this day, eighty eight years ago

Robert Goddard stood out in the snow

He was thrilled by the sight

Of his rocket’s first flight

Borne aloft by a liquid fuel’s flow