Space Colonization!

 Very Expensive?

It is all wonderful news that humans are returning to the Moon and we may have robotic humanoids on Mars in the next five years, but as for colonization apart from the scientific, that may still be a hundred years away yet, since it will be very expensive to maintain!

But with A.I. now moving fast and the conversion facilities for creating water and air, we may be able to sustain these drilling operations powered by low intensity nuclear power and other technology to do much more than we can now?

What holds us back now is mental health issues that were experienced on the International space station, being dealt with on long duration flights and how will we take to living on another world, with many moral questions too as to child birth and death!

Space Colonization?

 Once the 1960's dream!

Now soon to be a fact with several Moon bases, a new space station and going to to Mars, if not further afield?

Elon Musk is the man with the vision and the re-usable rocket is making way for this to happen, but what is the reality of living on a dust swept bowl and how will scientists cope with possible mental breakdowns as currently is occurring on the International Space Station (ISS)?

This will not be the first time, the Russians under the Soviet Union faced a prolonged flight, which is the longest for anyone to be in space alone!

There are so many questions related to space travel and the effects of it on the human body, China has done well with their station by introducing gravity and it is hoped that other things like converting water ice to hydrogen will power what is needed with solar and recycling urine?

But this can only go to a point, growing food and a change to metabolism and body strength will be new issues that are not yet known about fully, the money and the prestige will make people famous but it may be another seventy years before we see real population growth?

Aerobatic/Racing Aircraft. Two.

Always a Demand!

Speed and aerobatics will always be a challenge to the aviator and records want to be broken all the time? Sport flying is adventurous, despite its dangers, people like the thrill and excitement of aircraft in this category?

There are always new concepts and ideas  coming to the fore in aircraft design and many of the worlds light training aircraft started off as competition aircraft before they became the SIA-Marchetti  SF-260 Warrior, Epsilon, Yakolev YAK-9/11, 52, Sukhoi SU-26, Shorts/EMB-Tucano, Pilatus PC-7/9, and many others too numerous to mention from around the world!

Many bi-planes developed from agricultural spray aircraft today fulfil the role of wing walking and other enjoyable aerobatic events!

Self-Propelled Guns. Part-Two.

Anti-Aircraft.

With the advent of the missile one would think that the days of anti-aircraft guns have come to an end, but you would be wrong. Every day and night our 24/7 media portrays militants around the world converting Toyota 4X4's for this purpose along with various types of trucks.

Guns from heavy machines U.S. and Russian 12.7, 14.5mm to small cannons of Swiss Oerlikon 20, former Soviet 23mm are used in general clashes. meanwhile bigger cannons are recovered from defunct military vehicles such as in the 30mm calibre.

Despite this many countries still have mobile anti-aircraft guns such as the Russian/Chinese built ZSU-23 quad 4X23mm and various takes on the 30mm rotary cannon and most successful Swedish Bofors 40mm.

All these weapon systems now make helicopters venerable to ground fire more than aircraft, unless they are coming into land or taking off.