After a more than a week in orbit, the private space capsule Dragon is preparing to return to Earth from the International Space Station and cap off its historic mission with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
Go here to see the original:
Monthly Archives: May 2012
SpaceX Dragon prepares to leave space station
US company SpaceX's Dragon cargo ship is preparing to make its return journey to Earth after a landmark mission to the International Space Station, NASA and SpaceX representatives said Wednesday.
Originally posted here:
SpaceX rocket preps for first commercial flight to space station
Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Reuters Published Friday, May. 18, 2012 10:40AM EDT Last updated Saturday, May. 19, 2012 7:44AM EDT
An Obama administration plan to cut the cost of spaceflight services faces a key test on Saturday when a privately owned rocket lifts off for a practice run to the International Space Station.
If successful, Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, would become the first private company to reach the $100-billion outpost, which flies about 390 kilometres above Earth.
It is, by all accounts, an important step, bordering on a giant leap, for commercial space, said Michael Lopez-Alegria, a former NASA astronaut and space station commander who now heads the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, a Washington-based industry association.
SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule are scheduled for launch at 4:55 a.m. EDT on Saturday from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
If everything goes as planned, it would reach the space station on Tuesday.
Since the space shuttles were retired last year, NASA is dependent on partners Europe, Japan and especially Russia to fly to the station.
Instead of building a shuttle replacement, the U.S. space agency is spending about $3-billion a year on a new rocket and capsule to send astronauts to the moon, asteroids and eventually to Mars.
To reach the station, NASA is investing in five U.S firms SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corp ORB-Nfor cargo transports; and SpaceX, Boeing BA-N, Sierra Nevada Corp, and Blue Origin, a startup owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, for passenger ships.
All the companies are contributing their own funds as well, a break from traditional U.S. government procurement practices. Rather than having their costs reimbursed, NASAs commercial partners are paid when they achieve predetermined milestones.
See original here:
SpaceX rocket preps for first commercial flight to space station
Wyle Houston's Operations Supporting NASA Awarded Major Hardware Development Accreditation
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Wyle's operations that develop space-rated flight hardware for the International Space Station and the Space Shuttle has been awarded a major hardware development accreditation for using advanced processes to achieve high quality at lower costs.
The company's Houston-based operations was recently notified that it had been approved for the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Level 3 awarded by the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa. CMMI provides guidance for developing or improving processes that meet the business goals of an organization and was developed by a group of experts from industry, government and the Software Engineering Institute.
Wyle's Houston operations have been supporting NASA's astronaut corps for more than four decades by providing highly specialized hardware used in space such as the "Colbert" treadmill used by astronauts to stay fit, medical diagnostic equipment and other safety related hardware. The organization also provides a wide range of other medical and crew safety services.
"Achieving CMMI Level 3 is a significant milestone for Wyle's space flight hardware and software development, and sustaining engineering operations," said Jim Kukla, Wyle vice president for the company's Science, Technology and Engineering Group. "It tells our customers that not only are we consistently following recognized and standardized processes but more importantly we are actively working to review and improve these same processes to achieve high quality, lower costs and/or deliver on a shorter schedule.
In trying to meet the CMMI Level 3 requirements, Wyle's certification approach avoided a compliance-driven "checkbox" approach.
"We successfully balanced the model requirements of CMMI with the actual process needs of Wyle's highly unique flight hardware/software and sustaining engineering organization," said Dan Butler, Wyle's safety, reliability and mission assurance section manager. "We did that by creating a value-added approach that views process as a critical corporate investment and emphasizes user ownership and accountability for process improvement."
"Over the past several years our customers, specifically at Johnson Space Center, have been challenging Wyle with unique flight hardware and software development requirements, such as significantly compressed development schedules, accelerating technology readiness level maturation, and/or transitioning hardware systems from the lab to flight."
"In each case, Wyle has successfully stepped up to the challenge.Through award fee scores and direct feedback, our customers tell us that we consistently go above and beyond; that we bring solutions to the table, not just problems; and that "process" does not bind our ability to work through challenges.Reaching this significant industry standard is a leading indicator of the quality of our personnel and leadership in flight hardware and software development and sustaining engineering."
Wyle, a privately held company, is a leading provider of high tech aerospace engineering and information technology services to the federal government on long-term outsourcing contracts. The company also provides test and evaluation of aircraft, weapon systems, networks, and other government assets; and other engineering services to the aerospace, defense, and nuclear power industries.
Contact: Dan Reeder (310) 563-6834 Ref.: NR/12-14
Go here to see the original:
Wyle Houston's Operations Supporting NASA Awarded Major Hardware Development Accreditation
Private Space Race Heats Up With SpaceX Dragon Flight
SpaceX's historic demonstration mission to the International Space Station is grabbing most of the headlines these days, but other private spaceflight companies are hatching big plans, too.
SpaceX's unmanned Dragon capsule docked with the huge orbiting lab Friday (May 25), becoming the first commercial vehicle ever to do so. Astronauts are currently unpacking Dragon's 1,014 pounds (460 kilograms) of cargo and loading it up with used station gear before the capsule heads back down to Earth on Thursday (May 31).
SpaceX may be leading the way, but a handful of other commercial aerospace firms have their eyes on the skies, too. Here's a brief rundown of some of the most prominent private spaceflight companies and what they're shooting for, in both the orbital and suborbital realms.
The California-based SpaceX already holds a $1.6 billion NASA contract to make 12 robotic supply runs to the space station, the first of which could launch in September if everything goes well with the rest of Dragon's test flight. [SpaceX's Dragon Arrives at Space Station (Pictures)]
SpaceX is upgrading Dragon to carry crew, with some funding help from NASA's Commercial Crew Development (CCDev) program. The space agency wants at least two private American vehicles to be ready to transport astronauts to the space station by 2017, to fill the void left when the space shuttle fleet retired last year.
The final shuttle mission, Atlantis' STS-135 flight in July, delivered to the station an American flag that had flown on the maiden shuttle flight in 1981. The first private spaceship to carry astronauts to the station captures that flag, and SpaceX may get the prize; company founder and CEO Elon Musk has said a crew-carrying Dragon could be operational within the next three years or so.
But the company's dreams don't end in low-Earth orbit. Musk started the company in 2002 primarily to help make humanity a multiplanet species, so Dragon may be flying astronauts to Mars someday.
Orbital Sciences Corp., based in Dulles, Va., inked a $1.9 billion deal with NASA to make eight unmanned cargo flights to the space station using its Cygnus vehicle and Antares rocket. The company is aiming to launch a demonstration mission to the orbiting lab this November or December.
Unlike Dragon, Cygnus is a cargo-only vehicle; Orbital is not working on a crewed version.
The Colorado-based Sierra Nevada Corp. is developing a small space plane called the Dream Chaser, which is designed to carry seven astronauts to and from low-Earth orbit. The spacecraft will launch vertically atop a rocket but land on a runway like an airplane.
Continue reading here:
AUT to track re-entry of first private space flight
The next phase in AUT's link to the International Space Station will take place tomorrow.AUT University's radio astronomy observatory north of Auckland will track the re-entry into Earth's atmosphere of the first private space flight...
Go here to read the rest:
Beryl heads back to sea, leaves scant rain for GA
MIAMI (AP) - Tropical Depression Beryl is heading back toward the ocean as it brings rain to South Carolina. The depression's maximum sustained winds increased early Wednesday to near 35 mph. Additional strengthening is expected and the U.S. National Hurricane Center says Beryl could regain tropical storm strength later in the day.
South Georgia farmers hoped that Beryl would give their crops a good soaking, helping replenish ground water and ponds after high temperatures and drought. Widespread heavy rain falls did not happen though; WALB studiosonly measured 13/100ths of an inch of rainfrom Beryl.
But Beryl is expected to dump up to 6 inches of rain, with isolated amounts of 8 inches, in northeastern South Carolina and eastern North Carolina. The depression is centered about 25 miles north-northeast of Charleston, S.C., and is moving east-northeast near 14 mph. On that track, forecasters say the depression's expected to skim along the South Carolina coast before moving back over the Atlantic.
Beryl was raising hopes in the Okefenokee Swamp that boat and canoe traffic could get back to normal with higher water levels. The Florida Times-Union reports that within the past three days, three rain gauges in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge had recorded rainfall totals of 3.75 inches to nearly 6 inches.
On May 24, the swamp was at 118.68 feet above sea level at the refuge headquarters but 119.14 feet Tuesday with rain still falling. Arthur Webster, supervisory ranger at the refuge, said he'd like to see the water level reach 120 feet. He said the extra foot would allow the refuge to reopen some canoe trails and allow the refuge get its trail cutter into canals to clear them of vegetation so boats can get through.
The National Park Service says Cumberland Island National Seashore will remain closed to visitors until the weekend to give rangers time to clean up after Tropical Storm Beryl. Fred Boyles, the island's superintendent, said Wednesday that downed trees and other debris still need to be cleared before the coastal Georgia island re-opens to tourists Saturday.
Cumberland Island has been closed to visitors since Sunday afternoon, when rangers evacuated all campers and day-trippers to the mainland well ahead of the tropical storm's landfall at nearby Jacksonville, Fla. Cumberland Island is a federally protected wilderness area reachable only by boat. The island off Georgia's southeast corner gets about 43,500 visitors each year.
Continued here:
Meteorite Reveals Clues in Search for Life on Mars
A meteorite that fell to Earth 41 years ago is helping scientists unlock clues regarding the makeup of Mars' atmosphere and its potential implications to help shape future missions to search for evidence of life on the Red Planet, a new study finds.
Go here to see the original:
NASA Solicitation: Space Shuttle Landing and Research Aircraft Support Services
Synopsis - May 29, 2012
General Information
Solicitation Number: NND13435932R Posted Date: May 29, 2012 FedBizOpps Posted Date: May 29, 2012 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Jun 13, 2012 Current Response Date: Jun 13, 2012 Classification Code: C -- Architect and engineering services NAICS Code: 541330
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Dryden Flight Research Center, Code A, P.O. Box 273, Edwards, CA 93523-0273
Description
NASA/DFRC has a requirement for continuation of Shuttle landing facilities and equipment transition and retirement (T&R). The contract originally required Lockheed Martin Services, Inc. (LMSI) to provide management and technical personnel to operate, maintain and repair Space Shuttle landing aids and communications equipment. This effort includes removing all shuttle assets from instrumented runways and accomplishing inventory, shipping and disposing of Space Shuttle equipment and facilities, operated/utilized and/or maintained by the contractor.
NASA/DFRC intends to extend the current fixed price/cost plus no fee contract (NND09AA02C) with LMSI for six (6) months, from October 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013, to perform the required services. The statutory authority for proceeding with this acquisition is 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy Agency requirements.
Lockheed's history with the Space Shuttle Program (SSP) at NASA DFRC extends back over 30 years, since inception of space shuttle operations at the Center. This experience gives LMSI unique and intimate knowledge of the all Shuttle launch, on orbit, landing and turnaround support operations at the Edwards Air Force Base. This knowledge derives from Lockheed performing the following significant activities:
* Shuttle facilities operations, maintenance and repair, including operating and maintaining the mate/de-mate facility, hangar, hangar shops, warehouses, aircraft technical training facility, storage and support facilities.
Go here to see the original:
NASA Solicitation: Space Shuttle Landing and Research Aircraft Support Services
NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: High Accurate Position Detection and Shape Sensing With Fiber Optics
Synopsis - May 29, 2012
General Information Solicitation Number: TTO1006 Posted Date: May 29, 2012 FedBizOpps Posted Date: May 29, 2012 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Current Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Classification Code: 99 -- Miscellaneous NAICS Code: 927110 Set-Aside Code:
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001
Description
NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.
THE TECHNOLOGY:
NASA Langley Research Center has demonstrated a patented method and apparatus for determining the position, in three dimensions, of any point on an optical fiber. The new method uses low reflectance Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) strain sensors in a multi-core fiber to determine how any point along that fiber is positioned in space. The characteristics of optical fibers and the FBGs vary with curvature, and by sensing the relative change of FBGs in each of three or more fiber cores, the three-dimensional change in position can be determined. By using this method in monitoring applications where optical fibers can be deployed-- such as in structures, medical devices, or robotics--precise deflection, end position, and location can be determined in near real time even in fibers that may be experiencing external twisting. This innovative position detection method offers 10 times greater positional accuracy than comparable optical techniques.
To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to Sean Sullivan, Research Triangle International (RTI), at: NASA Langley Research Center, Strategic Relationships Office (SRSO), 17 West Taylor St., Mail Stop 218, Building 1212, Room 110 Hampton, Virginia, E-mail: Sean.D.Sullivan@NASA.gov, or phone: 757-864-5055. Please indicate the date and title of the FBO notice and include your company and contact information.
RTI is responsible for aggregating and acknowledging all responses. These responses are provided to members of NASA Langley's Innovative Partnerships Office within the SRO for the purpose of promoting public awareness of our technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, SRO will follow the formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register as required. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.
More here:
NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: Lightweight Low Profile Transducer
Synopsis - May 29, 2012
General Information
Solicitation Number: TTO1007 Posted Date: May 29, 2012 FedBizOpps Posted Date: May 29, 2012 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Current Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Classification Code: 99 -- Miscellaneous NAICS Code: 927110 Set-Aside Code:
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001
Description
NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.
THE TECHNOLOGY:
Researchers at NASA's Langley Research Center have developed a novel transducer design capable of generating a transverse point load and measuring transverse velocity. The technology was developed to work in conjunction with an accelerometer to eliminate sound propagation through aerospace vehicles, specifically airplane and helicopter windows. Studies on aircraft acoustics have shown that the primary source of internal noise is external acoustic sources that propagate through the windows. Sources include turbulence against the fuselage, pressure variations, and the engines. The transducer works by generating a point source interference pattern along the edges of the window, thereby canceling out the ambient sound wave traveling through the window. The transducer can be readily incorporated into existing technologies for improved performance. NASA is seeking market insights on commercialization of the lightweight low-profile transducer, and welcomes interest from potential producers, users, and licensees.
To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to Sean Sullivan, Research Triangle International (RTI), at: NASA Langley Research Center, Strategic Relationships Office (SRSO), 17 West Taylor St., Mail Stop 218, Building 1212, Room 110 Hampton, Virginia, E-mail: Sean.D.Sullivan@NASA.gov, or phone: 757-864-5055. Please indicate the date and title of the FBO notice and include your company and contact information.
View post:
NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: Lightweight Low Profile Transducer
NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: Advanced Over The Wing Nacelle Transport Configuration
Synopsis - May 29, 2012
General Information Solicitation Number: TTO1005 Posted Date: May 29, 2012 FedBizOpps Posted Date: May 29, 2012 Recovery and Reinvestment Act Action: No Original Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Current Response Date: Dec 31, 2012 Classification Code: 99 -- Miscellaneous NAICS Code: 927110 Set-Aside Code:
Contracting Office Address
NASA/Langley Research Center, Mail Stop 12, Industry Assistance Office, Hampton, VA 23681-0001
Description
NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology. License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use.
THE TECHNOLOGY:
NASA Langley has developed a new aircraft design with the engine nacelle over the wing, improving engine ground clearance and freeing landing gear design. While previous over-the-wing designs have produced unacceptably high drag conditions, the new NASA design reduces drag on the wing. By optimizing the nacelle design and the wing leading edge location, NASA's design confines the shock to the leading edge of the wing. Also, placing the exhaust nozzle over the wing reduces noise to the communities below.
To express interest in this opportunity, please respond to Sean Sullivan, Research Triangle International (RTI), at: NASA Langley Research Center, Strategic Relationships Office (SRSO), 17 West Taylor St., Mail Stop 218, Building 1212, Room 110 Hampton, Virginia, E-mail: Sean.D.Sullivan@NASA.gov, or phone: 757-864-5055. Please indicate the date and title of the FBO notice and include your company and contact information.
RTI is responsible for aggregating and acknowledging all responses. These responses are provided to members of NASA Langley's Innovative Partnerships Office within the SRO for the purpose of promoting public awareness of our technology products, and conducting preliminary market research to determine public interest in and potential for future licensing opportunities. If direct licensing interest results from this posting, SRO will follow the formal licensing process of posting in the Federal Register as required. No follow-on procurement is expected to result from responses to this Notice.
Continue reading here:
NASA Technology Transfer Opportunity: Advanced Over The Wing Nacelle Transport Configuration
NASA Announces 2012 Aeronautics Scholarship Recipients
NASA has selected 25 students to receive the agency's Aeronautics Scholarship for the 2012-2013 school year.
This scholarship program, which is in its fifth year, is designed to aid undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in fields of study related to aeronautics and aviation. Recipients were selected from hundreds of applications to the program.
"These scholars represent the future aeronautical innovators who will be key players in enabling the advances in air transportation that will help us maintain the United States as a world leader in aviation," said Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate in Washington.
"We look forward to serving as their mentors and hearing their fresh perspective on solving the most pressing challenges facing the aeronautics community today," Shin said.
The students will have the opportunity to intern with NASA researchers and work on developing technologies for managing air traffic more efficiently; reducing aircraft noise, fuel consumption and emissions; and improving safety.
This year's recipients are enrolled at universities in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Texas. The 2012 scholarship recipients' names and their schools are depicted on an interactive map of the United States located at: http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov/aeronautics_scholarships/index.html
Undergraduate scholarship winners will receive $15,000 per year to cover tuition costs for two years and a $10,000 stipend during a summer internship with NASA. Graduate scholarship winners will receive approximately $45,000 per year for as many as three years and $10,000 stipends for as many as two summer internships. To maintain their scholarship awards, all recipients must continue to meet the academic standards of the universities they attend.
The NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program annually awards 20 two-year undergraduate scholarships plus summer internships, and five two- or three-year graduate scholarships plus summer internships. Acceptance of online applications for the 2013 school year will begin in September. Applicants must be citizens of the United States or its territories. The application requirements include information on the students' proposed area of study.
For more information about aeronautics research at NASA, visit: http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov
For information about NASA and its programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov
Read the original:
NASA scientists develop osteoporosis test that detects bone loss early
(CBS News) NASA scientists are turning their attention from deep space to the millions of adults facing osteoporosis. They've teamed up with researchers from Arizona State University to develop a new technique that can detect bone loss earlier than currently used X-ray methods.
The research could eventually change the way the disease is diagnosed, the scientists said.
Study links calcium pills to heart attacks How often do older women need bone scans? What study says Are your bones healthy? 14 surprising facts
"NASA conducts these studies because astronauts in microgravity experience skeletal unloading and suffer bone loss," study co-author Scott M. Smith, a NASA nutritionist, said in a written statement. "It's one of the major problems in human spaceflight, and we need to find better ways to monitor and counteract it. But the methods used to detect the effects of skeletal unloading in astronauts are also relevant to general medicine."
The test works by looking for traces of bone calcium in urine, called isotopes. Scientists tested the new method on 12 healthy subjects confined to bed rest for 30 days, because when a person lies down, less weight is placed on the legs and spine and bones start deteriorating. Extended periods of bed rest cause bone loss similar to that experienced by osteoporosis patients and astronauts, the scientists said.
The new technique was able to measure net bone loss in as little as one week after bed rest, long before changes in bone density are detectable by the commonly used DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) test. The findings are published in the May 28 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The isotopes can be found without any artificial dyes and without radiation exposure, so the researchers say it's safe. Next they want to test its accuracy in patients with bone-altering diseases. If successful, the test may pave the way for diagnosing not only osteoporosis but other diseases that result in isotope imbalances.
Anna Barker, director of Transformative Healthcare at Arizona State University, who previously was deputy director of the National Cancer Institute, said, "There is an opportunity to create an entirely new generation of diagnostics for cancer and other diseases."
Osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans, or 55 percent of those 50 years of age and older, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. In the U.S. today, 10 million individuals are estimated to already have the disease and almost 34 million more are estimated to have low bone density, placing them at increased risk for osteoporosis and broken bones.
Follow this link:
NASA scientists develop osteoporosis test that detects bone loss early
General : UniMAP Forges Partnerships With Saudi Arabian Universities
KANGAR, May 30 (Bernama) -- Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) has forged strategic cooperation with three universities in Saudi Arabia to empower the fields of nanotechnology, biomedicine and microelectronic engineering.
Read more here:
General : UniMAP Forges Partnerships With Saudi Arabian Universities
Nansulate® Energy Saving Coatings by Industrial Nanotech, Inc. Featured in Sustainable Manufacturing Publications
NAPLES, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Industrial Nanotech, Inc. (Pink Sheets:INTK), an emerging global leader in nanotechnology based energy saving and sustainable solutions announced today that their patented Nansulate coatings for equipment and building energy efficiency have been featured in two recent green/sustainable manufacturing focused publications. The current May/June issue of Green Manufacturer Magazine contains a Nansulate customer case study for reduction of exterior oven surface temperature and improved safety, and their article about using nanocoatings to improve building envelope energy efficiency is published online at SustainablePlant.com. Both entities are focused on green and sustainable manufacturing and facility solutions.
Nansulate coatings continue to establish a solid reputation among both international and U.S. manufacturers for valuable and affordable energy saving and protective benefits, stated Francesca Crolley, V.P. Business Development for Industrial Nanotech, Inc. We are fortunate to be able to provide a unique and effective technology that pays for itself in a short period of time, helping corporations meet their sustainability objectives with a product that is also an excellent investment. The case study highlighted in Green Manufacturer Magazine is an excellent example of the combination of important benefits that our coatings provide. In addition to reducing the energy consumption of ovens used for heat block blasting, our coating also reduced the exterior surface temperature from 168F to between 100F-115F, which provided significant safety benefits. These articles featured in two well known publications with a commercial and manufacturing audience, focused on sustainability and reduction of energy consumption, are a good indicator that the track record of performance our coatings have built up since 2004 is taking a hold in multiple industries, and Industrial Nanotech and Nansulate are being looked at as a source for high quality, innovative energy saving products that provide short term payback for applications of all types.
About Nansulate
Nansulate is the Company's patented product line of award winning, specialty coatings containing a nanotechnology based material and which are well-documented to provide the combined performance qualities of thermal insulation, corrosion prevention, resistance to mold growth, fire resistance, chemical resistance and lead encapsulation in an environmentally safe, water-based, coating formulation. The Nansulate Product Line includes industrial, residential, agricultural and solar thermal insulation coatings. Additional information about the Company and its products can be found at their websites, (www.inanotk.com) and (www.nansulate.com). Blog: http://www.nansulate.com/nanoblog, Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NanoPioneer, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Nansulate.
About Industrial Nanotech Inc.
Industrial Nanotech Inc. is a global nanoscience solutions and research leader and member of the U.S. Green Building Council. The Company develops and commercializes new and innovative applications for sustainable nanotechnology which are sold worldwide.
Safe Harbor Statement
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This release includes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the impact of competitive products, the ability to meet customer demand, the ability to manage growth, acquisitions of technology, equipment, or human resources, the effect of economic and business conditions, and the ability to attract and retain skilled personnel. The Company is not obligated to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.
View original post here:
DNA strands create tiniest Smileys
Harvard University scientists on Wednesday said they had created Smileys, Chinese characters and card-game symbols at scales of billionths of a metre using strands of DNA.
The feat marks the next step in "DNA origami" in which the molecule that provides the genetic code for life is used as a building block at the nanoscale, with potential outlets in engineering and medicine.
DNA is like a twisted ladder with double "rungs" of chemicals which interlock.
By unzipping the ladder and cutting it lengthwise, researchers can create a stretch with a set of single rungs that can partner up with a matching strand.
This is the characteristic harnessed by a team led by Peng Yin of Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inpired Engineering.
Reporting in the British journal Nature, the team showed off short lengths of DNA, each 42 "rungs" long, that interlocked with complementary stretches of the molecule.
Like Lego tiles, the strands could be programmed to assemble themselves into specific shapes.
To demonstrate the method, the team made a molecular picture featuring 107 designs, from emoticons, Chinese characters, numbers and letters from the Latin alphabet.
The canvas is a rectangle measuring 64 nanometres by 103 nanometres, with 310 pixels.
Scientists have been interested in nanoscale shapes for more than 20 years, and have progressively moved from two dimensional to three dimensional successes.
Read this article:
Graphene quantum dots and nano-ribbons cleaved from graphene sheets
Technology News
May 18, 2012 // Julien Happich
Kansas State University researchers have come closer to solving an old challenge of producing graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size at large densities, which could revolutionize electronics and optoelectronics.
Vikas Berry, William H. Honstead professor of chemical engineering, has developed a novel process that uses a diamond knife to cleave graphite into graphite nanoblocks, which are precursors for graphene quantum dots. These nanoblocks are then exfoliated to produce ultrasmall sheets of carbon atoms of controlled shape and size.
By controlling the size and shape, the researchers can control graphene's properties over a wide range for varied applications, such as solar cells, electronics, optical dyes, biomarkers, composites and particulate systems. "The process produces large quantities of graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size and we have conducted studies on their structural and electrical properties," Berry said.
While other researchers have been able to make quantum dots, Berry's research team can make quantum dots with a controlled structure in large quantities, which may allow these optically active quantum dots to be used in solar cell and other optoelectronic applications.
"There will be a wide range of applications of these quantum dots," Berry said. "We expect that the field of graphene quantum dots will evolve as a result of this work since this new material has a great potential in several nanotechnologies."
It is known that because of the edge states and quantum confinement, the shape and size of graphene quantum dots dictate their electrical, optical, magnetic and chemical properties. This work also shows proof of the opening of a band-gap in graphene nanoribbon films with a reduction in width. Further, Berry's team shows through high-resolution transmission electron micrographs and simulations that the edges of the produces structures are straight and relatively smooth.
Visit the Kansas State University at http://www.k-state.edu
Go here to see the original:
Graphene quantum dots and nano-ribbons cleaved from graphene sheets
dZ Zyme’s "Funnies
29-05-2012 13:43 Thumbs up & Favorite for dZ Zyme! (Open Description for Info!) dZ Zyme: "Drop a like and comment if you want me to continue this series? Which was the best part? =D and wish me luck on spawn shots =(" dZ Zyme's Channel: dZ Zyme's Twitter: Note: Please keep in Mind that this is NOT MY Video, i got the Permission to Upload this. If you're the owner of this Video, and don't want it uploaded anymore, contact me and I'll remove it as soon as Possible. Thanks. Follow us on Twitter:
See the rest here:
Medicine And Law 'Shut Out' Poorer Students
Medical schools should widen the pool of talent from which doctors are recruited by making it easier for youngsters from poorer backgrounds to study medicine, a report has urged.
Labour's former health secretary Alan Milburn, the government's independent reviewer on social mobility, accused medicine and other professions of failing to make "any great galvanising effort" to open their doors to disadvantaged students.
His update on progress since an earlier report in 2009 will say that there should be more effort to give teenagers from state schools work experience in the professions, including one-year foundation courses at medical schools.
But representatives of the professions insisted they were already taking action to open up their ranks to a broader range of candidates.
Louis Armstrong, chairman of the organisation Professions for Good, said: "Professions are now much more aware of the need for, and value of, diversifying both their membership and their routes of entry.
"Many professions now have a range of ways to join and qualify, including non-graduate routes."
Milburn's report is expected to say that 83% of jobs created in the next decade will be in the professions, increasing the proportion of the working population in professional careers from 42% to 46% by 2020.
This ought to provide an opportunity for increased movement between the classes of the kind seen in the 1950s, as long as the doors to jobs are kept open for people from all backgrounds, the report is expected to say.
But Milburn told the Guardian: "We won't get a more mobile society unless we create more of a level playing field of opportunity.
"With medicine and with too many other professions, I see no great galvanising effort to change.
Link: