Google Lunar X-Prize - Zetetic confirmation or a bunch of hulabaloo?

I try to keep up with what our rivals at NASA are doing and came across this competition sponsored by the chaps at Google:

Google Lunar X-Prize

It appears that there are over 30 groups competing to be the first to build a spacecraft and use it to send a robot to the moon.

Assuming that one does this and we begin to have pictures - or even video - of how the earth-plane looks from the moon, will that meet the requirements of the Zetetic method as set forth in chapter 1 of Earth Not a Globe - namely  the collecting of 'manifest and undeniable' evidence and being able to 'demonstrate phenomena to its immediate and demonstratable causes'?

As sustained space travel is impossible, these teams will not get very far.

The question was hypothetical - assuming they do - does it meet the criteria?

They won't.

But if they did, then yes, we accept evidence from third parties unconnected to NASA.

I assume you dont speak for the zetetic council - we'll see if any of them want to weigh in.

why is space travel impossible and why did two of top planar earth theorists interview a scientist who believes space travel is very much possible?

why is space travel impossible and why did two of top planar earth theorists interview a scientist who believes space travel is very much possible?

1. Sustained space travel is impossible because the earth's orbit does not exist and rockets can only reach 100 or so miles before petering out. Once the fuel runs out the earth would accelerate up to the rocket.

2. Why can't they interview RE believers?

1. Sustained space travel is impossible because the earth's orbit does not exist and rockets can only reach 100 or so miles before petering out. Once the fuel runs out the earth would accelerate up to the rocket.

I believe you are again succumbing to the twin demons of guesswork and speculation.

Let the method of simple inquiry--the "Zetetic" process be exclusively adopted--experiments tried and facts collected--not such only as corroborate an already existing state of mind, but of every kind and form bearing on the subject, before a conclusion is drawn, or a conviction affirmed.

Sounds like you have some rockets to launch before you can assert such a statement.

P1. Sustained space travel depends on the rocket going into orbit around the earth

P2. Earth orbit requires the earth being round

P3. The earth is not round

C1. Sustained space travel is not possible

The sun and moon both seem to behave in much the same way as an orbiting rocket would - and they dont seem to be falling from the sky anytime soon.  Could the same forces that move and sustain the sun and moon also move and sustain a spacecraft?

Perhaps if a space craft had the same properties as a celestial body. Unfortunately it is unknown what properties they possess.

Perhaps if a space craft had the same properties as a celestial body. Unfortunately it is unknown what properties they possess.

So it is possible then - thank you for the concession.

Why would space travel be limited to specific properties - what experiments have you performed to establish this?

Your explanations are sounding dangerously theoretical.

Quote from: Tom Bishop on July 25, 2012, 04:56:58 PM

Perhaps if a space craft had the same properties as a celestial body. Unfortunately it is unknown what properties they possess.

So it is possible then - thank you for the concession.

Why would space travel be limited to specific properties - what experiments have you performed to establish this?

Your explanations are sounding dangerously theoretical.

Tom had to make the same kind of concession on space flight a while ago.

Yes, please see my answer in the thread linked above.

Sure, it's possible... if you imagine up wacky fantasy technologies. Obviously I meant it was impossible with known technology.

P1. Sustained space travel depends on the rocket going into orbit around the earth

P2. Earth orbit requires the earth being round

P3. The earth is not round

C1. Sustained space travel is not possible

The bold section. That's false. One can make a straight shot from surface to space. It does not require orbit, It's just easier and more fuel efficient to use orbital mechanics.

Yes, please see my answer in the thread linked above.

Quote from: Tom Bishop

Sure, it's possible... if you imagine up wacky fantasy technologies. Obviously I meant it was impossible with known technology.

I'm guessing this assertion carries the same Zetetic integrity is any of your other assertions.

In any case - its exciting to know that by 2015 we can finally have independent confirmation of the nature of the earth-plane or the earth-sphere as the case may be. 

yes, we accept evidence from third parties unconnected to NASA.

http://www.arrl.org/eavesdropping-on-apollo-11
http://as.ua.edu/ay/keel/space/apollo.html
http://www.squidoo.com/apollo-moon-landing-photos-from-space

So you accept that NASA has already landed on the Moon?

Quote from: Tom Bishop on July 25, 2012, 04:55:35 PM

P1. Sustained space travel depends on the rocket going into orbit around the earth

P2. Earth orbit requires the earth being round

P3. The earth is not round

C1. Sustained space travel is not possible

The bold section. That's false. One can make a straight shot from surface to space. It does not require orbit, It's just easier and more fuel efficient to use orbital mechanics.

There is no rocket that can do that. Even the Saturn V, the biggest rocket ever made, still claims to have gone into earth orbit before sling-shotting to the moon.

Again, we see RE'ers invoking impossible technologies to make something possible...

It hasn't been done because the engineering behind it, fuel required, and thrust required to counter the fuel's mass are astronomical. It can be done, but there's no point in doing it.

Quote from: Tom Bishop on July 25, 2012, 03:16:19 PM

yes, we accept evidence from third parties unconnected to NASA.

http://www.arrl.org/eavesdropping-on-apollo-11
http://as.ua.edu/ay/keel/space/apollo.html
http://www.squidoo.com/apollo-moon-landing-photos-from-space

So you accept that NASA has already landed on the Moon?

I accept that someone saw some dots in the sky and thought it was a space craft, and that someone turned on a Ham radio and heard the Apollo 11 broadcasts which were being relayed from many hundreds of towers all over the world.

Quote from: garygreen on July 26, 2012, 09:39:52 AM

Quote from: Tom Bishop on July 25, 2012, 03:16:19 PM

yes, we accept evidence from third parties unconnected to NASA.

http://www.arrl.org/eavesdropping-on-apollo-11
http://as.ua.edu/ay/keel/space/apollo.html
http://www.squidoo.com/apollo-moon-landing-photos-from-space

So you accept that NASA has already landed on the Moon?

I accept that someone saw some dots in the sky and thought it was a space craft, and that someone turned on a Ham radio and heard the Apollo 11 broadcasts which were being relayed from many hundreds of towers all over the world.

Where is your evidence to back that claim?

It hasn't been done because the engineering behind it, fuel required, and thrust required to counter the fuel's mass are astronomical. It can be done, but there's no point in doing it.

So if the costs and engineering are beyond our grasp then it's impossible. Thanks for the concession.

Quote from: ThinkingMan on July 26, 2012, 10:16:42 AM

It hasn't been done because the engineering behind it, fuel required, and thrust required to counter the fuel's mass are astronomical. It can be done, but there's no point in doing it.

So if the costs and engineering are beyond our grasp then it's impossible. Thanks for the concession.

Show me where I said "beyond our grasp" please. And I also refer you to my previous request.

why not just fire a rocket into space near the edge, like in Australia at a 45 degree angle. When it gets to space it should be beyond the plane. The Earth would accelerate right past.

And what is the purpose of interviewing a spherical earth astronomer without any debate? 
Its like they just conceded.
A huge blow to the society.

Quote from: garygreen on July 26, 2012, 09:39:52 AM

Quote from: Tom Bishop on July 25, 2012, 03:16:19 PM

yes, we accept evidence from third parties unconnected to NASA.

http://www.arrl.org/eavesdropping-on-apollo-11
http://as.ua.edu/ay/keel/space/apollo.html
http://www.squidoo.com/apollo-moon-landing-photos-from-space

So you accept that NASA has already landed on the Moon?

I accept that someone saw some dots in the sky and thought it was a space craft, and that someone turned on a Ham radio and heard the Apollo 11 broadcasts which were being relayed from many hundreds of towers all over the world.

You obviously didn't even bother to read the material I linked, especially the first one.

It briefly described the antenna used for the lunar eavesdropping project — a fully steerable 8 × 12 foot “corner horn” — and it briefly discussed the amazing sensitivity of the receiver, which Baysinger specially modified for the lunar eavesdropping project.

Baysinger says that on the night of the Apollo 11 landing, he and Rutherford had to essentially aim the antenna at the Moon by getting behind it and sighting it like a gun...Its “beam” or “field of view” was such that, once pointed at the Moon, it could be let go for a little while, but pretty soon it would have to be reaimed because the motions of the Earth and Moon caused the Moon to drift out of the antenna’s field and the signal to be lost. In fact, this was one piece of evidence that the Apollo 11 signals the receiver picked up were indeed from the Moon — if the antenna was not kept aimed at the Moon, the signal disappeared.

The signal on the home-built equipment came through approximately 5-10 seconds earlier than the signal on TV.

I didn't even notice that the first link references this page of a separate group of apollo trackers.  They also built all of their own equipment and thoroughly documented their results.

http://www.svengrahn.pp.se/trackind/Apollo17/APOLLO17.htm

I'm eagerly anticipating the results of the efforts of these teams competing for the x-prize. 

Perhaps as the teams get closer to launching, one of the Zetetic Council can put a 'countown to vindication' timer on the front page of the website, letting the world know what an epic event this is.

I, also, am eagerly awaiting this. It is exciting.