Jump to content

M'Kyuun

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    4771

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by M'Kyuun

  1. M'Kyuun
    To be fair, the Gemini and Apollo missions were far more about ideological and political oneupmanship than science. Of all the Apollo missions, only the last carried a scientist, Jack Schmitt, a geologist, and there was a bit of a concerted effort by scientists to get him in the lineup. Most of the astronauts, including his commander-to-be, Gene Cernan, felt that only highly qualified pilot astronauts should go. But, the effort to have Schmitt go paid off, and he proved to be an astute student, learning to be a pilot, learning the LM's systems, and becoming a trusted member of Cernan's crew. But politics was was really at the forefront of Apollo, and after kicking enough sand in the Soviets' faces, and with public interest after Apollo 11 and 13 waning to nigh zero, the moon just wasn't a cost effective goal. Moving into the Shuttle age, national security was at the heart of that program, with all the science and technology that followed becoming a healthy boon to our economy and way of life. But yeah, pure science seems to interest few politicians, and NASA's budget was always the victim of cuts. And, as Dewpoint mentioned, as a federal agency, they're at the mercy of various politicians wanting this or that program at the fore, or they demand changes to a program at the risk of pulled funding. A civilian company is far freer to develop a project as envisioned, without the interference of political bias. They only have to answer to their stockholders and customers. And stay within federal regulations, of course. To that end, I think the current relationship between NASA and SpaceX holds the greatest promise of actualizing some of the dream projects , like going back to the moon, or putting humans on Mars, that have been percolating and inspiring scientists, engineers, and future astronauts since the 60s. Von Braun had his eyes on Mars back then. It just wasn't to be. But now, with enthusiasm seeming to build for humanity to become spacefarers once again, and with SpaceX making good strides, and with Boeing also working on a space vehicle program, there's some solidarity to the hope of putting boots on another planet within a decade. 2024 is the goal for the next moon mission- not far off. I'm excited to see it. I was too young to appreciate the awesomeness of the accomplishment the last time a human stood on the lunar surface, so I'm stoked to see it happen once again when I can more fully appreciate the achievement.
  2. M'Kyuun
    Those vertical rocket recovery landings will never cease to amaze me; it's sci-fi turned real, just an incredible feat of engineering. It's why I made my water recovery statement earlier; if we land a rocket on its tail, why not bring a capsule down on land. but I digress. What was notable to me was how clean the exhaust plume was from the rocket as compared to the Gemini, Apollo, and STS missions, which created huge fireballs and lots of smoke. When they called ignition and liftoff, there was no indication that the engine was firing until Falcon left the pad. Also notable was how stable the view in the Dragon appeared; I'm sure there's some vibration, but looking at the flatscreen from behind the astronauts, there was no discernable difference between prelaunch and flight. Incredible stability. It's a great feeling to see that rocket go heavenwards, to see the staging go off without a hitch, to see all those clear views of the ship separating and of course, to see the good Earth in the background. It's a proud day for America. I feel it.
  3. M'Kyuun
    Y'know, with all of the other advancements this program represents, it seems a bit anachronistic that the American space program continues to prefer water landings instead of a controlled ground landing. The Soviets have been landing on the ground since the beginning of Soyuz, so it's not like there's no precedence. It just seems a step back to me. Moreover, with water landings, there's always the possibility of losing the capsule if it takes on water. Gus Grissom was pissed when his Gemini capsule was lost. Anyway, with 18 minutes to launch, it's looking promising to a celebratory return to space via American technology. Go Demo2!
  4. M'Kyuun
  5. M'Kyuun
    Live coverage.
  6. M'Kyuun
    Huge thanks, guys. He was a long time dream project, and after many years of trial and error, mostly error, those cockpit parts gave me a nexus around which to design his look. I've taken him to LEGO conventions, and he's almost invariably people's favorite of my variable mecha, which is very personally satisfying, as of my four variable models, he's my own design. The other three are based on Macross designs. My VF-4 is my avatar.
  7. M'Kyuun
    Demo2 is scheduled to takeoff around noonish Pacific time, about four hours from now. Weather's 50% today, so fingers crossed for favorable conditions when the countdown is nearing launch time. Godspeed Doug and Bob!
  8. M'Kyuun
    Got my 52Toys BeastBox Xenomorph and Alien Queen today. The Xenomorph is a bit limited in the articulation/poseability dept, mostly b/c of its size. The Alien Queen definitely manifests some improvements, both in getting the anatomy closer to source, and improved articulation compared to the Xenomorph. The Queen is just a brilliant bit of engineering to compress her down to a 2"x2"x2"cube. Both are a lot of fun to mess with. I've got their Powerloader PO'd; the only downside is that it doesn't come with a Ripley figure to strap in. For those interested, 52Toys already have a proto for a Predator in the same line, so something to look forward to.
  9. M'Kyuun
    I've looked about on Instagram for LEGO leaks showing pics to no avail. However, I believe it was on the Eurobricks forums that someone commented about the Osprey's color scheme being orange and black. The tone of the comment made it seem as if they'd seen pics of the thing, so I'm assuming it's correct until official pics are finally revealed, which will probably be a couple weeks prior to release so the set can't be copied by Chinese KOs. It makes sense, though, as it's a real military aircraft, so to distance it from military association, I'm assuming the orange and black will be indicative of some sort of rescue livery. LEGO already made an Osprey inspired City set a few years back: #60021 Cargo Heliplane. I used the cockpit as the base for my VV-1 Samson
  10. M'Kyuun
    I received a couple shipments of some BeastBOX figs from 52Toys today. These lovelies were among them.
  11. M'Kyuun
    I don't see a hand controller anywhere, which, in my mind, is a startling omission. It has to be somewhat foreign to a couple of jet jockies, as well. All the craft during Gemini and Apollo had some sort of a manual control stick with which to fly the thing, and one would think that'd be the kind of instinctual holdover that would find its way into any craft we build until some form of reliable mind/machine interface is achieved. The sad thing is, the only true test of the theory is for something to fail catastrophically causing some disruption to attitude control or the automated flight system, thereby forcing the astronauts to take control of flight input manually. I'm sure they practice in the simulators for "all" eventualities, but it's a little different when an unforeseen event , such as Apollo 13's infamous explosion, changes the situation. I certainly don't hope for that; I'd like to see the tech proven, but the fact that sh!t happens always remains in the back of one's mind.
  12. M'Kyuun
    You said anything goes. Took a few action shots of my LEGO VB-6.
  13. M'Kyuun
    It's an impressive model, but I stopped collecting Technic cars about a decade ago. I'm anxiously awaiting the announcement for the upcoming Osprey, though. I've heard they did it in orange and black. Yuck- orange and yellow are two of my least favorite colors. But, I love the Osprey, so I intend to get it. I'm also planning on getting a couple of the new AT-ATs when they release. I think I'm going to have to mod the legs, though; they look too skinny to me, and the hip joints should be wider than the knees. No matter how many of these things they release, somehow I always come back to good ole 4483, as it just seemed to have the right look externally, overall. It's definitely not perfect (what LEGO set is?), but it's still my favorite of the AT-AT releases.
  14. M'Kyuun
    From my reading, I know the Apollo guys had a hard time with dexterity and tactile sense in their gloves, especially when the suits were pressurized. They experienced a lot of cramping in their hands trying to muscle past the stiffness of the gloves to hold onto tools, or just curl their fingers. I was looking at the SpaceX gloves while Doug and Bob were making their inputs, and they look to be noticeably improved over those old gloves. The thinness of the suit itself, and the fact that the gloves can just roll up into the sleeves, are really impressive advancements over the old suits. I like the new helmet design, as well. With the visor rotated up, they reminded me of Macross helmets, especially Isamu's. Concerning old school knobs over flat screen, absolutely yes. Flip switches, too, I think are preferable in a situation where there's likely to be a lot of vibration. There's also the possibility of a system failure throwing the capsule into a spin where a tactile feel of a switch or knob is far easier to discern, especially in high G situations. I think of Armstrong's Gemini 8 predicament. The flat screen is pretty, it offers a lot of info at a touch, but again the practicalities of an incident tending towards instability, high G forces, and extreme vibration make them, IMHO, not the optimal choice. I guess time and experience will tell.
  15. M'Kyuun
    I also tend more towards hiding them; FT's Dinos really spoiled me on that front, and I thought it was fantastic how well they cleaned up. Since then, I tend to like to see them hidden or integrated in a meaningful way rather than just hanging off as kibble. The Beast Wars figs are notable exceptions; I just accept them as they are.
  16. M'Kyuun
    I collect Transformers, but I like mecha in general, so I also collect some Zoids, and build the infrequent Gundam. I've recently discovered the 52 Toys' BeastBOX figs, and ordered a slew of them (actually expecting two packages of them tomorrow). I'm also into LEGO, which far outweighs any of my other collecting both in terms of money and volume. I'm a MOC builder as well as a set collector, and I attend one or two LEGO conventions every year. I also read, both fiction and non; the most recent book I read was The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Recommended, BTW. And I dabble on the piano, although I have no talent to speak of. And I enjoy cycling through various forums dedicated to LEGO, Transformers, and, of course, Macross, along with Pinterest , Flickr, ArtStation, and DeviantArt. Almost forgot video games; mostly open world RPG/FPS like Fallout 3 & 4, stuff like Deus Ex, Dishonored, etc, and every now and again some old school C&C or Civilization IV.
  17. M'Kyuun
    There's something to be said about the modern, sci-fi inspired look of both the Dragon capsule and the new spacesuits. SpaceX aren't just rehashing old designs and ideas, they're pushing the technology and giving the look and feel to space travel what we've been seeing in movies for the last 30 years. I was pretty impressed by the clean, spacious, spartan look of the Dragon's interior. The only negative thought in my mind was, with all the vibration during launch, it'd be difficult to accurately touch the right thing on those flat screens. Having read a few books by 60's astronauts, the vibration made it difficult to see the instruments clearly. But, this is a new rocket, and perhaps, with new technologies applied, it's a much more stable ride. I guess we'll see on Saturday. I hope they show interior footage during the ascent, just to see how smooth it looks from inside Dragon. I hope the weather proves more forgiving on Saturday, and Doug and Bob make it to the ISS without a hitch. We're nine years overdue having an American vehicle to get people and resources into space. And while I wish we had another spaceplane to replace the old orbiters, what SpaceX have accomplished with their rockets is nothing short of amazing. I remember watching their boosters land themselves vertically- just a sci-fi turned reality moment. Regardless of what you think of Elon Musk, you can't argue with the results of his company's work; they're outpacing all competitors, and doing it with style.
  18. M'Kyuun
    I hope this is an unbridled success from start to finish; it's great to see an American spacecraft finally taking astronauts to space rather than relying on the Russians, but to have it go off flawlessly will be a nice point of pride, and hopefully a boost of confidence for the other American space programs. It's well past time that we retook the lead in space. Godspeed, Doug and Bob!
  19. M'Kyuun
    Mr. Herd, despite his appearances in many shows over the years, will always be John, the commander of the Visitors in V to me. That show had such an impact on me at the time; the scope and production value of it was unlike anything I'd ever seen on tv. IMO, it still holds up to a modern viewing. It was also my introduction to Robert Englund of Freddy Krueger fame, and also the lovely Faye Grant, for whom I'm sure a lot of boys' hearts pined. Mine did too, Chris. Anyway, it's sad to have lost yet another wonderful actor who brought joy into our living rooms for years. RIP, Richard.
  20. M'Kyuun
    Kinda diggin that TW Bulldog; The old British Mark IV/V tanks were really cool looking, even if they were realistically inefficient. Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade was my intro to the thing, as I'm sure it was to most of my generation, and I've always thought it one of the coolest looking military machines ever built. Years ago, Don Figueroa designed a concept version of Grimlock in a GI Joe / Transformers crossover set in WW I where Grimlock's alt was a Mk V. I would've loved a toy of it. One thing I dislike about the majority of tank alts is the breakup of the treads for bot mode. Working treads on a toy, and especially on a Transformer, is just a fantastic realistic feature, and I love to see it. I bought Combiner Wars leader Megatron more for that reason than any other, as the figure is so-so. The way the legs were engineered to allow for knee functionality is fantastic. Admittedly, the look of the lower legs are one of the fig's weakest points, but I still love the working tread feature. The working treads on TW's Scavenger and Bonecrusher , as well as their having the most G1 accurate Long Haul of the 3P Constructicons, were primary deciding factors for me to get the set. While the treads on those figs hang up a little, I still love that they employed that feature. Anyway, here's Don's take on Grimlock.
  21. M'Kyuun
    I watched the first three eps, and the writing and tone, with exception of the new guy, Standard, feels pretty close to SAC. It helps that the original English cast are reprising their roles. Standard is written as a cocky dumbass, and just doesn't seem a logical choice against the skillset and intelligence of the rest of the team. The background and vehicle graphics look alright to me, but I'm not too crazy about the character animations, especially the mouth movements, which look terrible. And as someone else mentioned, Aramaki's hair looks like it's a piece of molded plastic attached to his head; a little bit of texturing would have gone a long way. The new Tachikomas are ok, and while the retractable wheel under the abdomen is a neat feature, it just makes it look odd in profile. I prefer the original design. I keep wondering about the odd external armature that seems to adorn the tires of nearly every wheeled vehicle in the show- it makes a sort of sense on the military vehicles, but it's even on Togusa's little car in Japan. Sensor for autopilot? it would explain why the Mustang doesn't have it. Anyway, mouth/character animations and Standard aside, I'm enjoying it so far. The first ep, though, stretched belief well beyond its tensile capacity, what with so many people firing weapons and no one getting hit. Moreover, it appears that every vehicle in that scene is armored and has bulletproof glass, b/c direct hits shown don't seem to make much of an impact, let alone penetrating, even from high powered weapons. Batou is completely exposed in the Major's jeep, taking a lot of incoming fire, and is never even grazed. It was all very A-Team-ish, with lots of lead flying and no blood to be seen. Quite odd for a mature anime known for blood and gore.
  22. M'Kyuun
    Wow, over five grand to experience weightlessness and most likely barf until you dry heave seems a bit much. I realize operating costs for an aircraft are high, and the pilots have to be specially trained to perform those maneuvers safely, but wow. If you've got the money and the gastrointestinal fortitude, go for it. I'll stick to vicarious experience.
  23. M'Kyuun
    I don't own either, and and have no plans to buy them, but I will say what looks good on a screen doesn't always translate to how something feels in-hand. Personally, the leader speaks more to me b/c the transformation is better developed, more like an old-school Transformer, where bits of the vehicle mode form the bot mode; I like that. But, as a toy, and as an action figure, I can understand where the SS is a superior figure. It all comes down to subjective preferences. I will say, from watching Peaugh's review, the leader seemed loath to stand on its own, and one of his fig's knees seemed a little loose, so there is that. In the end, it's good that there are options.
  24. M'Kyuun
    Out of curiosity, I watched a leader class Sentinel vid, and honestly, I think it's the superior figure, especially in the transformation. The SS version cheats the chest, but the leader actually used the side windows to form the chest. The coloration and overall shaping of the leader's truck mode is better, too. Just from a personal collecting standpoint, if I had the leader toy, I don't think I'd bother with the SS, unless you've got a whole collection of them and you're looking to complete the set. Moving on to Scrapper, I like how they did the legs on him. I'm not crazy about his whisk and pincer-laden spatula non-hands, but the rest of the bot mode is kinda neat looking. I'm just not crazy about the Bay aesthetic, so I'll likely pass, although the transformation, and the ability to move the scoop up and down, make this guy more appealing to me than most Bay stuff. Earthrise, aside from the Walmart Netflix exclusives, seems to have come pretty much full stop for releases and revelations of upcoming figs in the line. Definitely been one of the slowest collecting years I can remember. I've got a bunch of stuff PO'd from Pulse, and Prime PO'd from Sure Thing Toys (PO'd him back when Pulse was sold out and weren't offering POs on Prime). I've never used Sure Thing before, so I hope they're a good source. Anyway, June seems to be the month that things are starting to open up again, so hopefully, this stuff will start shipping. I need to try and score a PO on the Target exclusive Decepticon clones, which will likely be a similar scenario to new valk releases. Situations like this suck the fun out of this hobby.
  25. M'Kyuun
    I didn't realize half of that stuff existed as recreational activities, especially the parabolic 727 (I thought NASA were the only ones privy to a Vomit Comet). I have no plans to visit Vegas ; I've been there five times, seen the sights, don't drink or gamble, so, other than the shows, it holds no real appeal for me. But cool for those who go.
×
×
  • Create New...