MetaChat - After reading

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28 May 2009

After reading this book, I'm finding these pages on the Soviet missions to Venus pretty fascinating.

post by: Wolfdog at: 09:52 | 5 comments

Also here's a particularly lovely map. (Biggish PDF)

posted by Wolfdog 28 May | 09:54

I think being a Soviet engineer during those times must have been exhilarating - an unlimited budget, few safety regulations, a near-unlimited work force, and heavy consequences for failure: So important was his organization to the defense of the Soviet Union, Premier Brezhnev told him, 'We believe in you, but if you fail, we will put you against a brick wall and shoot you.'

posted by muddgirl 28 May | 09:56

Wow, the Venutian landscape makes Mars look downright hospitable by comparison.

Also, this:
≡ Click to see image ≡

Is just about the coolest thing I've ever seen.

posted by Atom Eyes 28 May | 10:03

'We believe in you, but if you fail, we will put you against a brick wall and shoot you.'
I believe that is also the traditional welcoming speech given to new academic hires in the humanities these days.

posted by Wolfdog 28 May | 10:13

Man, Venus is like the bad neighborhood of the solar system. At least Io is small and far away.

posted by The Whelk 28 May | 13:42

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