Here’s a gratifying review of A Planet of Viruses, just out in the Washington Post: In A Planet of Viruses (Univ. of Chicago, $20), science writer Carl Zimmer accomplishes in a mere 100 pages what other authors struggle to do in 500: He reshapes our understanding of the hidden realities at the core of everyday [...]
UARS Headed For Earth’s Surface On/around 23 Sep.
Space Satellite UARS Adrift and Heading for Earth, ABC
"A nearly 6-ton satellite is heading toward Earth and could crash into the planet as early as Sept. 23, NASA officials said."
Keep Sept. 23 open: A satellite is heading our way, CBS
"NASA has been watching the 6-ton satellite closely. On Friday officials moved up their prediction for its arrival to Sept. 23, give or take a day. Scientists have calculated that the satellite, named the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, will break into 26 pieces as it gets closer to Earth. The agency will offer the public more detailed information early next week."
NASA Studying Shuttle Retrieval of Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) (2001)
"EVA Project Office personnel supported a concept review for the possible Space Shuttle retrieval of the UARS on May 3, 2001. At this point, several different options are still under consideration. The mission would require at least one scheduled EVA to secure various deployable components on the spacecraft. UARS was originally designed to be compatible with EVA operations, so most of the tasks appear to be feasible. An EVA splinter meeting is scheduled for May 10, 2001, to further discuss the EVA requirements for this proposed mission."
Space Commerce: NASA Changes Its Mind – Again
NASA commercial crew program shifts contracting strategy, Florida Today
"NASA today told industry partners it would abandon the use of Space Act Agreements in the next phase of the program developing commercial crew taxis, despite many companies' preference for them. "We've made our decision and we recognize that not everyone will agree with it, but we're at the point where we had to make one and move forward," Brent Jett, deputy director of the Commercial Crew Program office, said during a meeting at Kennedy Space Center."
Keith's note: I love it when people with no apparent commercial experience in the real world make decisions like this regarding commercial partnerships. And then they wonder why companies are increasingly wary of entering into new ways of doing "business" with NASA when NASA is constantly changing the rules.
You can download slides from the NASA Commercial Crew Program Forum presentations here. There will be a Commercial Crew Transportation Technical Requirements Workshop on 4 October 2011 and an Industry Day on 5 October. Location TBA.
Another Stealth Bolden Appearance
In the 21st Century, How Do You Show What You Know?, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
"... the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, HASTAC and Mozilla today announced a $2 million Digital Media and Learning Competition for leading organizations, learning and assessment specialists, designers and technologists to create and test badges and badge systems. The competition will explore ways digital badges can be used to help people learn; demonstrate their skills and knowledge; unlock job, educational and civic opportunities; and open new pipelines to talent. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and high-level business, technology, civic engagement, philanthropic and other leaders participated in the announcement at the Hirshhorn Museum this morning."
Keith's note: There was yet another stealth Bolden appearance yesterday. They just beam him in and then out of these events. NASA PAO made no advance notice, there is nothing posted on NASA.gov - or on NASA's education webpage. Nothing as to what Charlie Bolden said either. Charlie, why do even bother attending these events if you do not let anyone know you were there - or what your agency will be doing inconnection with what was being announced?
"What’s Next?" In Space Exploration Video Contest
"What's Next?" in space exploration - Coalition for Space Exploration announces video contest
"During this historic time of change within the space industry, the Coalition for Space Exploration (Coalition) wants to hear from the American public about what they envision for the future of space exploration. The Coalition is launching a contest based on a simple question, "What's Next?" Participants are encouraged to share their ideas for the future direction of America's space program in a video. The creator of the winning video entry wins an iPad2."
Bill Muehlberger
Memorial: Bill Muehlberger, University of Teaxs Austin
"The Jackson School community mourns the loss of Bill Muehlberger and extend their condolences to his family. He died of natural causes on Wednesday, September 14. An emeritus professor in geology, he taught at the University of Texas at Austin for nearly 40 years before officially retiring in 1992. He also taught geology to multiple generations of NASA astronauts beginning with Apollo."
Bullseye – But Sideways – in Kazakhstan
Space Station Trio Lands Safely In Kazakhstan
"NASA's Ron Garan, Expedition 28 commander Andrey Borisenko and flight engineer Alexander Samokutyaev, both of the Russian Federal Space Agency, landed their Soyuz spacecraft in Kazakhstan at midnight EDT (10 a.m. in Kazakhstan). The trio, which arrived at the station on April 6, had been scheduled to land on Sept. 8, but that was postponed because of the Aug. 24 loss of the Progress 44 cargo ship."
NASA Spinoffs You Never Heard Of
10 Weirdest Consumer Products Based on NASA Technology, io9
"NASA may not have spent its own money to develop the million dollar space pen, but the space agency did change your life in countless other ways. Over the years, NASA's technology has led to countless innovative products that you use every day. Some you'd expect, and some you... definitely wouldn't. With NASA's funding under the gun, it's a great time to remember all of the ways the agency's innovations have enriched us -- including some surprising examples. Here are 10 off-the-wall products that resulted from NASA missions."
Senate Action on CCDev Budget
Statement by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Senate Funding to Restore American Human Spaceflight Capability
"NASA's Commercial Crew Development Program is the most fiscally responsible means to rapidly advance human spaceflight. It has protected taxpayer dollars with fixed-price, pay-for-performance contracts. It fosters competition that forces companies to compete on reliability, capability and cost. And it leverages private investment - making taxpayer dollars go further. "SpaceX applauds Chairwoman Mikulski, Ranking Member Hutchison and the Members of the Subcommittee for recognizing the value of the program. With the support of Congress, American companies will soon be able to end the flow of tax dollars to Russia and instead invest in high-tech American jobs."
Found Tatooine, We Have
From Star Wars to Science Fact: Tatooine-like Planet Discovered, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
"Although cold and gaseous rather than a desert world, the newfound planet Kepler-16b is still the closest astronomers have come to discovering Luke Skywalker's home world of Tatooine. Like Tatooine, Kepler-16b enjoys a double sunset as it circles a pair of stars approximately 200 light-years from Earth. It's not thought to harbor life, but its discovery demonstrates the diversity of planets in our galaxy."
Tatooine-Like Planet Discovered, Carnegie Institution for Science
"A planet with two suns may be a familiar sight to fans of the "Star Wars" film series, but not, until now, to scientists. A team of researchers, including Carnegie's Alan Boss, has discovered a planet that orbits around a pair of stars. Their remarkable findings will be published Sept. 16 in Science."
NASA's Kepler Discovery Confirms First Planet Orbiting Two Stars
"Unlike Star Wars' Tatooine, the planet is cold, gaseous and not thought to harbor life, but its discovery demonstrates the diversity of planets in our galaxy. Previous research has hinted at the existence of circumbinary planets, but clear confirmation proved elusive. Kepler detected such a planet, known as Kepler-16b, by observing transits, where the brightness of a parent star dims from the planet crossing in front of it."
Will The Webb Money Sponge Drain Funds From The Rest of NASA?
Webb telescope gets rescued in the Senate, Nature
"At the subcommittee meeting today, the Senator said the beleaguered mission would get $530 million in 2012 -- much more than the $374 million that had been asked for in the president's budget request. But the agency as a whole would get $17.9 billion -- half a billion less than it received in 2011.'"
Hope, With 'Stringent' Orders, for NASA's Webb Telescope
"In remarks delivered at the markup today, Mikulski noted that although her panel wanted to continue funding for the telescope, it also wanted NASA to be more accountable in executing the project. "We have added stringent language, limiting development costs" and insisted on "a report from NASA senior management, ensuring that the NASA has gotten its act together in managing the telescope," she said."
Keith's note: I have to wonder why yet another report from the same people who have botched JWST managment is going to be any more accurate or reliable than what they have reported or said thus far. Oh yes - adding $156 million to one project (JWST) while cutting NASA's top line by $500 million is just going to exacerbate trench warfare between NASA's space and planetary science community. Do the math: NASA overall gets $500 million less than 2011 and yet JWST gets more than the President asked for. NASA has to deal with that $500 million cut plus the additional $156 million that JWST has sucked up out of NASA's reduced budget i.e. NASA has $656 million less to work with - according to the Senate - so far. Stay tuned.
Senate Approps Cuts NASA Budget, Boosts Webb
FY2012 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Subcommittee Mark - NASA Excerpt
* The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is funded at $17.9 billion, a reduction of $509 million or 2.8 percent from the FY2011 enacted level.
* The bill preserves NASA portfolio balanced among science, aeronautics, technology and human space flight investments, including the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle, the heavy lift Space Launch System, and commercial crew development.
* The bill provides funds to enable a 2018 launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.
NASA Announces New Launch System
Today, NASA announced the new Space Launch System (SLS), an advanced heavy-lift launch vehicle that will provide an entirely new national capability for human exploration beyond Earth's orbit.
Insulation Resistance for LV System
What will be the minimum acceptable criteria for the value of insulation resistance for LV systems? please mention the internationally recognised standard also...
Setting a Land Speed Record: Preparation (Part 2) – Engine and Drivetrain
The next major step to getting the bike legalized was upgrading the engine and drivetrain to meet tech inspection requirements. Originally, I used the exhaust system that was supplied by the manufacturer. However, their design, a small rectangular muffler bolted to the cylinder head, directed the
Valve Testing
Is there any thump rule for hydrostatic testing of Industrial valves?
Cooking Gas Monitor
Cooking gas consumption monitor-Is it avilable ?If not any idea about it ?.It is every house's requirement.
Downlight
hi friends
i am designing one downlight.It is having one diffuser disk.But i dont know its absorptance Or extinction coefficient.I am having its data sheet.
Can anybody explain how to calculate that!
here is data sheet
I am using trace pro for its analysis.
DOL Starter or a Star Delta Starter
Dear All,
Kindly suggest which starter would be more beneficial technically and cost wise for a 500 KW Induction Motor -
To use a DOL Starter or a Star Delta Starter .
I heard that a Star Delta starter is not available for a 500 KW motor as the motor rating is high. Is it true? Can anyone suggest
Considering Design for Disassembly…
Typically, products that require periodic servicing/adjustments or upgrades need to be accessed, and perhaps products at the end of their life-cycles. One industry expert believes generic electronic parts should be reused in future devices. What types of products do you believe should adapt Design f