Why Did @BlueOrigin Tweet A Picture Of Shackleton's "Endurance"?
This cryptic tweet from @BlueOrigin means something. This is Shackleton's ship "Endurance" from the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1914-17. Either Jeff Bezos found it, is looking for it, or he's going to do something at the lunar south pole. Thoughts? #Antarctica #moon2024 https://t.co/4VPrhHH0kJ
— NASA Watch (@NASAWatch) April 26, 2019
LOL. Whatever it is, it will be spectacular, and knock Old Space, New Space, and NASA back on their heels. I am going to enjoy this. I have had the same sort of “wow” activity within my own company, and it shook up the industry I am in. Hilarious. I hope the “event” Blue Origin pulls off kicks all of them in proverbial sack.
He really hasn’t managed to worry anyone so far , im sure he is still years away from causing anyone worry now !
Shackleton crater?
That’s a good possibility. But, if so, I still would have picked a different photograph myself. The Endurance was a ship which sunk, in one of the most unforgiving seas on Earth. That’s sort of a bad omen. Maybe a different photograph of Shackleton? It looks like he took the group photo of at their Farthest South on the Nimrod expedition. So he wasn’t in the photo himself, and I guess that wouldn’t do. There are also some good photographs of him on the ice, after the Endurance was lost. But I guess a showing a ship suggests travel and journeys. At least he posted an image of the Endurance when it was still sailing through the ice pack, not when it was ice locked.
True. Using a vessel’s name that sank may seem like tempting fate (like… another Titanic?). OTOH, that didn’t jinx the Navy for naming some of its ships after those were sunk in war.
(Anyway…. I liked the Endurance pict for no other reason than that Tall Ships – even weather-beaten – are beautiful)
Maybe Blue moon lander selected for NPLP or LSITP?
I guess we will find out May 9th.
I won’t be excited unless he unveils a rocket ready for launch.
I agree with the possibility of something at Shackleton crater…!
Based on a brief perusal of Blue Origin’s tweets, and Blue Origin’s past behavior, this is very out of character for them – they don’t go in for the Apple/Disney-type “tease,” they accomplish things and then explain what they did after the thing is done.
Either they’ve got a new marketing person with a different approach to things, or they feel like what they’re teasing is actually worth building excitement for. Of course, Dean Kamen felt the same way about the Segway. Remember all hype about “IT” leading up to what everybody agreed was an anticlimactic reveal?
TL;DR I’m as interested as anybody, but I’m not holding my breath, nor do I expect them to unveil, e.g., a completed New Armstrong from out of nowhere.
Sir Ernest Shackleton named the Endurance after his family’s motto, “Fortitudine vincimus” (By Endurance We Conquer!). Her original name was Polaris.
So it is likely the date they will either launch a human into space on the New Shepard after 19.7 years of work, or at least finally fly the human rated version of the New Shepard.
Gradatin Ferociter!
BTW here is a picture of Sir Shackleton’s family crest.
http://www.ernestshackleton…
Yes, I guess that this might be the announcement of human flights in New Shepard. And by way of their/our “Endurance” in waiting this long.
Senseless to speculate. The date is close enough that soon we will all know. Hard to think it’s a major new spacecraft though. Building something like that is hard to keep quiet. Maybe announcing plans to do something, but not presenting something I opine.
First orbital attempt?
Let’s not forget the Mr. Bezos is a seriously weird dude with an unusual way of looking at things, a combination that has worked for him. Just an observation.
The Chinese just announced they are planning for a base near the lunar South Pole as soon as practicable. All the major space powers want to set up shop in or near Shackleton Crater there. By tweeting a photo of a south polar expeditionary vehicle, one planet removed, Bezos and Blue Origin are just unfurling their flag. Get in line…
My bet: “Endurance” is the name they have chosen for the first capsule that will carry human passengers. Perhaps they’re going for a crewed launch on that date?
If Bezos follows his naming convention, it’d be either “New” Endurance, or maybe “New” Shackleton… maybe the latter as that’s a person (another convention of his). Maybe keep Endurance for the first moon transport
New Shepherd for suborbital rocket, New Glenn for orbital rocket, maybe New Armstrong for Moon rocket? Maybe he will announce development of a larger rocket for a moon mission to Shackleton crater
FYI
“For scientific discovery give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel give me Amundsen; but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.”
Attributed to Sir Raymond Priestly, Antarctic explorer and geologist, but appears in essence elsewhere including in Cherry-Garrard’s Worst Journey in the World.