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At Forbes, time is a relative concept

10.02.07

Forbes.com posted today a review of Michael Belfiore’s book Rocketeers published earlier this summer. Or, at least, the review is time-stamped October 2, 2007, at 3:24 pm Eastern time. The review’s lede: “At California’s Mojave Airport last week, an explosion killed three and critically injured two.” Last week? That accident took place over two months ago, of course. (And they also got the number of people injured wrong; it was three.)

So maybe they’re recycling a review published two months ago. Or maybe not. The start of the next paragraph: “A burgeoning industry was launched 50 years ago today with the launch of Sputnik by the Soviet Union.” Erm, not quite: Sputnik was launched 50 years ago Thursday, the day after tomorrow. So either time is a relatively unimportant concept for Forbes’ traditionally well-to-do readership, or they’re unable to afford an editor.

(For the record, the review is generally favorable to Rocketeers, noting that “Belfiore’s writing is lucid and energetic, and his passion for all things space-related makes even technical discussions of aerodynamics easy reading.”)

Ansari: the difficulties of being a female space tourist

10.02.07

Getting accepted by the training staff at Star City was a particular challenge of Anousheh Ansari in her bid to fly in space, she said in an interview with the Collegiate Times, the campus newspaper of Virginia Tech, where Ansari spoke last night. Ansari explained that the staff at Star City was not used to training female cosmonauts, given that there are virtually none in Russia. “Having a woman was a big adjustment for all of them and they were not so welcoming at the beginning,” Ansari said. “All throughout my life I learned that I just do what I think is right and go after what I want and just do my best and usually the people change their minds. They saw my passion and how excited I was, and my excitement finally transferred to them and they were excited for me. I felt welcome after about the first month and a half.” (Presumably, though, the training personnel there were used to female American astronauts like Susan Helms and Peggy Whitson, who both flew long-duration missions to the ISS before Ansari.)

Ansari didn’t offer much in the new of new insights or developments in her interview there. Asked if she would like to go to space again, she said, “I would love to. I loved being in space and I felt at home. If I get another opportunity to do it, I will.”