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Back-to-back crowns for Comet softball | News, Sports, Jobs – Times … – Marshalltown Times Republican

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

Local Sports

Jul 4, 2017

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON BCLUW senior Leah Yantis cranks one of her four hits during the Comets 5-2 win over West Marshall in State Center on Monday night. With the win, BCLUW locked down its second-straight NICL West Division title.

STATE CENTER It was standing-room only at the West Marshall softball field on Monday when the Class 3A No. 10 Trojans welcomed in 2A No. 12 BCLUW with a NICL West Division title on the line, but the game almost didnt happen thanks to an approaching thunderstorm.

Thankfully, after a roughly 45-minute delay, the game was able to get underway, and after withstanding two early home runs from West Marshall, BCLUW (27-8, 11-1) came back and won their second-straight NICL West crown.

After the game, Comets head coach David Lee said starting pitcher Samantha Ubben was slightly effected by the long lightning delay, but once she got rolling the Trojans couldnt touch her.

I thought Sam was a little shook there early, she didnt make bad pitches and they hit those two perfectly, he said. She might have been a couple MPH off her speed early on because of the delay and the waiting. All I can tell you is she got better as the game went on, there was no doubt from the third inning on she really was in good command of her pitches and what was going on.

And recover she did, as Ubben would pitch all seven innings in the game, giving up only three hits and two runs the two homers by Katie Price and Karisa Blocker while striking out nine batters on the night.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON Comets senior Sara Sharp (9) slides into home plate after being tagged out by West Marshall third baseman Brooke Snider (42) during the second inning of Mondays NICL West Division title match between the Trojans and BCLUW in State Center.

Ubben said, though this was the final regular season game of her career and a conference title match, she approached her start like it was just a normal day.

I just tried to think it was a normal game, rain delays happen and there isnt anything we can control on that, she said. In the first inning, obviously I was missing my spots a little bit but I couldnt really control that they were hitting it but I knew if I came back stronger throughout the innings they wouldnt keep hitting off me, so I tried to be confident in myself and my skills.

Ubben also got it done of the offensive end, as she hit a key two-base line drive that scored two Comets and broke up a 2-2 tie in the top of the fourth.

Another BCLUW senior had a great cap to her final regular season match, as leadoff hitter Leah Yantis went 4-for-4 from the plate with an RBI of her own.

Lee said Yantis is invaluable to his teams success, and when she is on at the plate all of the Comets play better.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

She is really a key for what happens for us, he said. When she gets on, that really changes our whole offensive philosophy. Then with Sam and (Jordyn) Beeghly and (Easton) Swanson driving the ball the way they have the last couple weeks, we just need that to happen. We have a lot of seniors and they stepped up tonight.

On the other side of the field, West Marshall (30-6, 10-2) played a tight game of their own, especially with senior ace Kallie Malloy resting her arm for the postseason starting Wednesday.

Eighth-grader Loran Nicholson got the start for the Trojans, and she pitched seven full innings while giving up five runs off 12 hits and striking out one.

West Marshall head coach Todd Verwers said he saw what he needed to from his team on Monday night, and he feels confident about their chances heading into Wednesdays playoff match.

I knew Loran was going to be fine, she had beat the fifth ranked team in 2A last weekend, Verwers said. She did a good job of getting herself physically ready, I knew mentally she would be fine because she doesnt seem to be phased by a whole lot. She threw strikes and that allowed us to have balls put in play and get tested, get reps defensively. Had we thrown Kallie she would have had probably 10 or 12 strikeouts which was 10 less opportunities for someone else to make a play.

T-R PHOTO BY THORN COMPTON

Of course questions could be raised about Verwers decision to not throw his best pitcher with a conference championship on the line, but he said when it comes to the end of a season, he is more focused on having his team fully ready to compete for a state title.

I know a lot of people dont understand that mentality of not throwing your number one even though it is a conference championship game, but where I come from there are more important things like the postseason, he said. We have to do whats smart for us and that was to handle it the way we did.

BCLUW had a different philosophy on Monday night, hence starting their No. 1 pitcher, and Lee said he never passes up an opportunity to nail down a conference title.

We dont look any further than that, as long as there is a chance to be a conference champion that is what we are playing for, Lee said. Now this is over and we will retool and get our mind on what will happen in the tournament.

Ubben echoed her coachs statement, saying that she is extremely proud of her team for winning a second-straight NICL West title and accomplishing the goals they put forth at start of the year.

Goal one of our season was to win our first game and goal two was to win conference, so now we are looking toward state, Ubben said of the teams mindset. Wednesday is another game we have to take seriously since it is a big game, but it has been a great season so far. I wouldnt want anything better, winning conference is a huge goal so I am glad we got that accomplished.

West Marshall and BCLUW each host their first-round matches on Wednesday, with the Trojans kicking off the 3A Region 8 bracket by hosting Creston and the Comets starting 2A Region 3 play by welcoming Aplington-Parkersburg. Both games are set for a 7 p.m. first pitch.

MC CALLSBURG The Colo-NESCO softball team took advantage of being the visitors on its own diamond, scoring nine ...

WEST DES MOINES Nate Vance drove in the eventual game-winning runs with his single in the top of the eighth ...

DUNKERTON The North Tama baseball team improved upon its long winning streak Friday by defeating Dunkerton on ...

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Back-to-back crowns for Comet softball | News, Sports, Jobs - Times ... - Marshalltown Times Republican

If you die via asteroid, this is how it will happen – Vox

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

The chances of dying via an asteroid impact are very, very small.

Asteroids that pose an existential threat to life on Earth only strike once every 500,000 years or more. Even the 140-meter-wide asteroids that could destroy cities and regions rain down death once every 10,000 years. And the risk of being even injured from a 20-meter object like the one that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, in 2013 and hurt nearly 1,500 people is tiny.

But, okay: WHAT IF? If a huge asteroid were to smash into Earth, what would happen to us? We all know Hollywoods take: Either well be engulfed by a huge fireball or swallowed by a massive tsunami.

The journal Geophysical Research Letters recently published an analysis of the likely source of casualties from an asteroid impact. In it, the scientists ran a computer model where they simulated the impact of 50,000 asteroids from the very tiny to 400-meter monsters all over the globe. They estimated how each of the asteroids would create chaos (i.e., if they hit in water, theyd perhaps create a tsunami, if they hit land, they would generate debris and a shockwave), and estimated the causalities of each of the impacts based on the population density in the area.

In sum, heres what they found: If youre going to die via an asteroid, it will be the wind and shockwave that gets you.

Surprisingly "effects such as cratering, seismic shaking and ejecta deposition [i.e., ejected debris] provide only a minor contribution to overall loss," the study concluded.

Why wind? Its because if a large-enough asteroid explodes in the air before hitting the Earth (and generating tsunamis, craters, and fire-filled torrents of death), the resulting shockwave could blast winds powerful enough to flatten cities. The pressure from the blast could rupture internal organs. Bottom line: An asteroid doesnt have to reach the ground intact to cause chaos. In their analysis, 60 percent of all asteroid deaths were caused by wind and pressure.

The chart above shows that as the asteroids get larger, your chances of dying of anything other than wind increase, but the wind would still the No. 1 cause of death.

Tsunamis arent as much of a factor, relatively speaking, because in many areas, the geography of the shoreline would dampen their destructive reach, New Scientist explains in its report on the study. Also: Wind is a factor in every asteroid collision, and tsunamis are only implicated in impacts over water.

So, should this graphic keep you up at night? No.

Talking about the risk of asteroid impact is tricky. Were not likely to see a huge destructive asteroid in our lifetimes. Those threaten future generations. You have to think about the risk in terms of its not a risk to a person or a city, but a risk to humanity, said Eric Christensen, who hunts asteroids for NASA at the Catalina Sky Survey.

Small asteroid strikes are much more likely. But for one to land near you would be an incredible stroke of bad luck.

One of the most remarkable things about the Chelyabinsk impactor for me was that it happened over a populated area, Christensen says. Ninety-eight percent of the planet is unpopulated or very sparsely populated.

And thats why NASAs tracking these baddies now. The more we keep an eye on them, the more we can devise engineering solutions to push a deadly asteroid off a collision course. The Center for Near Earth Object Studies at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory has logged around 16,000 asteroids that come close to Earths orbital neighborhood. And there are thousands more to find.

How NASA hunts for asteroids, explained: To date, the center has tagged 16,000 asteroids, comets, and bits of space debris that orbit in the neighborhood around Earth. Heres how.

If you die via asteroid, this is how it will happen - Vox

Sun shines on CMO Samsung Biologics to make its psoriasis mAb candidate – BioPharma-Reporter.com

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

Samsung Biologics will make Sun Pharmas psoriasis monoclonal antibody candidate Tildrakizumab in a deal worth $55.5m.

Indias Sun Pharmaceutical Industries acquired the rights to the anti-IL-23p19 candidate from Merck & Co. in 2014 and today announced it has selected Korean contract manufacturing organisation (CMO) Samsung Biologics to make the monoclonal antibody.

Tildrakizumab which has been accepted for review by both the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March and May, respectively is being developed to control the pathogenic cells responsible for the inflammatory process of psoriasis by selectively blocking the cytokine IL-23.

Production will take place at Samsung Biologics mammalian manufacturing site in Incheon, South Korea which currently houses 180,000L of stainless steel capacity across two plants, with a third plant set to double capacity expected to come online next year.

The deal is worth around $55.5m (49m), though when contacted neither Sun Pharma nor Samsung Biologics divulged any further details.

From conception to one-stop-shop in six years

However, the Korean CMO which was only conceived in 2011 has not been shy of ambition.

As well as constructing three facilities, the firm has won contracts with Big Pharma firms including Bristol-Myers Squibb and Roche , and last year launched on the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) through a $2bn initial public offering (IPO).

And speaking last week at the first Biopharma Expo, held in Tokyo alongside Interphex Japan, CEO TH Kim said in the six months since going public the CMOs value had doubled from $8bn to $16bn.

Furthermore, he told delegates the firm has branched out into offering development services to its clients. Since earlier this year, the CMO now offers cell line development services, process development services, preclinical and clinical materials, QC services, formulation ad fill/finish.

By becoming a one-stop CDMO service provider, Samsung Biologics can support its vision of reducing its costs, reducing its prices and increasing its value, Kim said.

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Sun shines on CMO Samsung Biologics to make its psoriasis mAb candidate - BioPharma-Reporter.com

The Ivy Baltimore provides world-class accommodation in the heart of Charm City – Washington Times

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Opulence, thy name is Ivy.

There is simply no place like Baltimores Ivy Hotel, the luxurious and I do mean luxurious boutique hotel located in Charm Citys historic Mt. Vernon neighborhood. But a short drive from Washington, the Ivy offers a pampering that is unmatched anywhere in the capital corridor region.

The Washington Times recently spent a weekend enjoying all that this magnificent property has to offer.

Friday:

Driving up to the front of the property, Victoria and I are met by twin valets in impeccable suits. These two gentlemen are about as crisp a first impression as could ever be hoped for, as they greet us warmly and offer to take our bags to our room and shuffle off my car to the propertys garage for safekeeping.

Ive been on the property for less than two minutes, but already I can feel the stress of working in the difficult news business especially now begin to melt away. Our valets and other hotel staff, always cheery, entreat us to take the elevator from the arrival up to the lounge, where we step into an ornate lobby with a baby grand piano, and where we are immediately handed flutes of champagne.

Tipping is verboten at The Ivy. As a veteran of many stints in the service industries myself, at first this strikes me as odd, but it quickly explains the absolute A-plus nature of the staff: With the incentivization to be extra kindly removed from the equation and with a wage above and beyond industry standards the often-plastic experience of welcome at an inn is effectively neutralized.

These folks are being kindly to us because they are amazing workers, and because they clearly like their jobs and are treated well by the business.

At the front desk we are given the rundown of the propertys rather unique history: The Ivy was once a private mansion in old Baltimore, but through time and change, it has been expanded both within and without to become the world-class property it is now. We are given a tour of the game room which I swear is right out of Clue with its pool table, antique furniture and even aperitifs and drinking glasses at the ready.

In the dining room is a bar worthy of Christian Gray, with high-end spirits from around the world, craft beer from Baltimore and around the U.S., as well as wines and, seemingly, whatever you may so desire including a selection of books if reading material is part of your relaxation plan.

As my esteemed girlfriend is English, she insists we sit down in the dining/living room of The Ivy for afternoon high tea. I know her standards are high, but as soon as we open up the menu, I smile knowing that this will suit her fancy. The tea selection is world-class, with the likes of Extra Regal Earl Grey from China, Emperors Jasmine Pearls from Okinawa and First Flush Darjeeling from India only some on offer. Such amazing warm beverages are complemented by savory treats like Vermont cheddar cheese sandwiches, smoked salmon, wasabi ginger creme fraiche and cured olive tapenade and cream cheese. Each is a tasty sensation, and go perfectly with the tea. For sweets there are golden raisin and creme scones, citrus marmalade and lemon curd and, on the top row of the tower of treats, chocolate ganache cup and fresh fruit tartlets.

The presentation is exquisite, with the three-tiered tray expertly displaying the delicious parts of this fine meal. Service is without a flaw.

Ive had high tea in England, and it has nothing on The Ivy experience.

On to our room, No. 17, the Loft Suite. How can I even begin to describe this paragon of high accommodation? Walking into the suite, we are met with artworks galore, but ones that fit duly into the motif of the room rather than calling attention to themselves. To our left is the absolutely palatial bathroom area, which has (and Im not kidding here) both a walk-in shower big enough for, well, lets say more than two, a his and hers sink and stands for toiletries, as well as a whirlpool bath.

Just the bathroom area is larger than my apartment, and, Id wager, a more pleasing area to visit.

Near the entrance to the bedroom suite is a dining table set with chairs. A gift basket and kindly note from the staff awaits us, as does a bottle of bubbly for this evening. Two recliners with an ottoman face the living rooms TV, and a healthy collection of books is at the ready should one of the three books in which I am currently waist-deep not suffice.

The enormous bed is surrounded by curtains worthy of Ebeneezer Scrooge, and even as much as a bed hog as I can be, somehow I dont think Victoria will have any problem having enough real estate of her own. There are so many pillows that the pillow forts for which I am famous will be one-upped this weekend.

And, the height of luxury, theres a second TV right next to the bed, just in case, you know, were feeling too lazy to open up the bed curtains to stare at the living rooms but a few feet away. Theres also a docking port for our iPhones to provide us our own weekend soundtrack.

Its decided: Were never leaving.

After such a lovely afternoon inside The Ivy, Victoria and I opt to take an excursion off campus. We head down to the waterfront Canton neighborhood for dinner at Mamas on the Half Shell (2901 ODonnell St, Baltimore, Maryland, 21224, 410/276-3160), where craft beer and oysters shucked fresh from the Chesapeake are on order. Trust me when I say that the beer mussels are an absolute must for dining, and really, though on the appetizer menu, could be enjoyed as its own entree. After that and a course of fresh Chincoteague oysters from Virginia and salt pond from Rhode Island, Im pretty near full, but then the bouillabaisse, my entree, shows up. Its a positive vat of goodness, sporting shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and fish over rice. Its a meal for three, and I should have just had the beer mussels and the raw oysters.

After a waterfront stroll, Victoria and I head back The Ivy, where we fall into a contented and comforting sleep.

Saturday:

I typically have to be dragged out of bed for breakfast, and its true this morning as Victoria, coffee in hand, assures me itll be worth it.

She is not wrong.

On the lower level of The Ivy is an indoor/outdoor breakfast area that juts out from the building and into the inside courtyard. We plunk down at an outdoor table and begin to peruse the multiple newspapers the staff have offered, and which were delivered to our room in a lovely carrying bag. (Please, people, support your local newspapers!)

With lovely quiet jazz in background, we start off with the pastries basket, which is a true morning delight, as well as some amazingly prepared smoked salmon.

Reader, I am not typically prone to superlatives, but I must say that the eggs benedict served as my main is far and away the best I have ever had in all of my travels. The runniness of the eggs is expertly prepared, and the presentation is matched by the taste.

Im almost tempted to drive up here every morning from Washington just for this.

After a little siesta, Vicky and I head off again for another little adventure. In nearby Remington sits The Baltimore Whiskey Company (2800 Sisson St, Baltimore, Maryland, 21211, 443/687-9099), and we are met by proprietor Max Lents. Despite the prominence in their company name, the business Baltimore whiskey isnt yet on offer, and Max points to barrels above our heads where the virgin white dog remains encased for its aging. (Max posits the barrels will be tapped next year.)

What they dohave, however, are some gins and applejack brandy ready to taste. The Charles Street Apple Brandy Eau de Vie has a pleasant taste, and will be appropriate when the cold weather returns. The Shot Tower Gin, named in honor of a 19th century Baltimore edifice its also featured on the companys logo boasts a fully textured jasmine nose and a floral taste.

Being British, Victoria is incredibly particular about her gins, but the Shot Tower and the Shot Tower Barreled both meet with her enthusiastic approval, assuring a bottle will be coming home with us.

Baltimore Whiskey Company, which recently picked up gold and silver medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in May, is open Saturday afternoon for tours, and their products can be found in 300 liquor stores and bars in Baltimore and the District.

Back at our lodging, theres a knock at the door, and two friendly staffers escort enter into The Spa at The Ivy for a relaxing afternoon couples massage. Ive dealt with low-back issues for years on the right side, and theyve begun radiating to my left hip as well, so Im truly ready for this. (Remember, be honest with your therapist about your problem areas; youre doing no one any good by making them guess.) Its a heavenly hourlong treatment, with soft, soothing music on speakers and the aromas of treatment products soothing us further into bliss.

As relaxed as we now are, were of a mind to get some fresh air, so Victoria and I take a stroll around the Mt. Vernon neighborhood. We pass the historic George Peabody Library, where my cousin Peter wed his Baltimore native bride in 2011 and which remains open for such occasions. Nearby are also statues of the Marquis de Lafayette and John Eager Howard in tribute to their contributions to the history of Charm City, and the catty-corner Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church offers a startling example of Gothic architecture.

Back at Room 17 we change into our dining finery and head downstairs to Magdalena, The Ivys highly regarded bistro. The setup is as unique as the property, with one dining area by the bar not far from where we had breakfast and then several rooms deeper back in the facility. Theres even a wine cellar, where an entire family is dining and making much use of The Ivys rather impressive wine list.

On that score, my lady and I chose a Del Rio Vineyards Pinot Gris from southern Oregon. Its a bit spicy on the nose but crisp to the tongue. First up for us food-wise is bread baked fresh on the premises and served with pesto, which is absolutely delicious. As we are both oyster connoisseurs, we try out the oyster platter, which entails one blue bay from Connecticut and five Stella point oysters from British Columbia. I enjoy local varieties too, but sometimes you need to go afar for your mollusks, and Im grateful the chefs at The Ivy selected these.

Victoria and I choose braised octopus for the table, which is prepared in such a professional way that I dont think I could ever successfully accomplish it on my own even given 100 tries. The halibut too is nicely prepared braised and perfectly al dente.

As there is always room for dessert (Ive checked, and its a scientific fact, trust me) we cap off our wonderful meal and weekend with the deconstructed Black Forrest special, each spoonful of which is a taste symphony.

Neither of us wants this weekend to end, but alas, as with all good things, it must. Upon checking out Sunday morning, we assure the incredible staff that we will return.

For hospitality such as The Ivys is simply without equal.

To book your own getaway, visit TheIvyBaltimore.com.

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The Ivy Baltimore provides world-class accommodation in the heart of Charm City - Washington Times

World’s 25 most popular amusement parks – CNN

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

(CNN) The house that Walt Disney built has won the title of world's most popular amusement park.

The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida welcomed more than 20 million visitors in 2016, a 0.5% decrease over 2015, according to a June report.

The theme park index ranks the 25 most-visited amusement and theme parks around the world, using attendance figures gathered by AECOM, a global consulting firm.

"Following record-setting numbers in 2015, attendance results in 2016 were more modest but still reflective of a healthy, growing industry," said John Robinett, AECOM's senior vice president, Economics/Americas, in a statement.

"The major theme park operators continued their positive performance, and most markets saw slow, steady growth, while weather, tourism and political issues contributed to minor declines in others."

While the top 25 parks saw a slight decrease in attendance, the top 10 parks measured a 4.3% increase, from 420 million to 438 million visitors.

Once again, Disney dominated the rankings.

Disney parks in the United States and Japan held seven of the top 10 spots and 12 of the top 25 spots. Universal Studios came in second place with three parks in the top 10 and four in the top 25 list.

"Disney parks are the most popular theme parks in the world given our focus on exceeding expectations, which includes managing attendance to ensure a great experience for all guests," said Lisa Haines, spokesperson for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

While Disney saw some declines in attendance, Disney officials attribute it to a variable pricing structure that actually theme park unit profits increase.

The top 20 North American theme/amusement parks reported 148 million visits last year, up 5.9% from 2015, while the top 20 Asian theme/amusement parks reported 127.3 million visits last year, down 2.8% from 2015. There were 60.5 million visits to parks in Europe, the Middle East and Africa last year, down 1.1% from 2015.

1. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, US

2. Disneyland, Anaheim, California, US

3. Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo, Japan

4. Universal Studios Japan, Osaka, Japan

5. Tokyo Disney Sea, Tokyo, Japan

6. Epcot at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, US

7. Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida

8. Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, US

9. Universal Studios at Universal Orlando, Florida, US

10. Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando, Florida, US

11. Disney's California Adventure, Anaheim, California, US

12. Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Hengqin, China

13. Disneyland Park at Disneyland Paris, Marne-la-Vallee, France

14. Lotte World, Seoul, South Korea

15. Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal City, California, US

16. Everland, Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea

17. Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong

18. Ocean Park, Hong Kong

19. Nagashima Spa Land, Kuwana, Japan

20. Europa-Park, Rust, Germany

21. Shanghai Disneyland, Shanghai, China

22. Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris, France

23. Efteling, Kaatsheuvel, The Netherlands

24. Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen, Denmark

25. SeaWorld Florida, Orlando, Florida, US

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World's 25 most popular amusement parks - CNN

Modular Supercomputer Enters Next Round – I-Connect007

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

Creating a modular supercomputer tailored to the complexity of state-of-the-art simulation codes and the growing range of tasks at computing centres this is the aim of DEEP-EST, an EU project launched on 1 July 2017. The plan is to develop a prototype by 2020 that combines different computing modules according to the building-block principle. DEEP-EST is the successor project to the now successfully concluded DEEP and DEEP-ER projects and its plans include an additional new module suitable for applications managing large volumes of data. Sixteen leading international research institutions and companies are involved in the project, which is coordinated by Forschungszentrum Jlich.

For smartphones and laptops, it has long been more than simply computing power that counts: cameras, network interfaces, and GPS are just as important. A similar trend can be seen in the field of high-performance computing (HPC). In addition to compute-intensive simulations the traditional tasks undertaken in scientific computing centres new applications such as big data analytics and sophisticated visualizations are gaining importance but current supercomputer architectures cannot handle these tasks efficiently.

The optimization of homogeneous systems has more or less reached its limit. We are gradually developing the prerequisites for a highly efficient modular supercomputing architecture which can be flexibly adapted to the various requirements of scientific applications, explains Prof. Thomas Lippert, head of the Jlich Supercomputing Centre (JSC).

According to the Modular Supercomputing concept, accelerators and storage modules are no longer combined with individual CPUs using expansion cards but pooled into independent modules. Their units, called nodes, can be combined as needed. A flexibly adaptable system will be the end result, which will use pioneering technologies to form the basis for exascale computers: future supercomputers which will be more powerful by a whole order of magnitude than the fastest supercomputers today.

New module for big data

By 2020, a prototype is to be developed in DEEP-EST that should demonstrate the advantages of the concept. The project involves the introduction of a new data-analytics module to expand the ClusterBooster architecture of the previous DEEP and DEEP-ER projects. Making use of large storage capacity and flexibly programmable processors, called FPGAs, the data-analytics module is set to close a gap resulting from the different hardware requirements for high-performance computing (HPC) and high-performance data analytics (HPDA).

For conventional supercomputing applications, such as simulations from quantum physics, an extremely large number of mathematical operations are applied to a relatively small set of data. This requires systems with a lot of computing power but relatively little storage, explains Dr. Estela Suarez from the Jlich Supercomputing Centre (JSC). But applications are becoming significantly more complex and the volumes of data from present-day experiments, for example at CERN, are increasing in size. This means that supercomputers will require drastically larger storage capacities and they must be located as close to the processors as possible. Only then can the data be processed in a fast and energy-efficient manner, explains Estela Suarez.

Applications determine development

A total of six applications from relevant European research fields are drawn upon for the co-design development of the prototype. The requirements of the codes will influence its design. At the same time, the codes will benefit from optimizations in the course of the project. For example, together with KU Leuven, the researchers aim to adapt a code used to simulate the effect that powerful solar storms have on the Earth. Although such events are rare, they threaten to cause enormous damage, such as a failure of satellite communications or disrupted GPS, internet, and telephone connections.

Tests will reveal to what extent highly complex space weather simulations will profit from the modular supercomputer architecture. Different parts of the complex scientific code are allocated to different modules for this purpose. The system software environment that will also be developed as part of the project will ensure the best possible distribution. A sophisticated resource management is also planned to ensure that the different components of the architecture are used as efficiently as possible at all times, thus saving energy.

In the case of space-weather simulations, for example, particularly the data-intensive analysis of high-resolution satellite images is ideal for outsourcing to the Data-Analytics module. In contrast, other parts of the simulation code for example the interaction of particles emitted by the Sun with the Earths magnetic field are distributed to the Cluster module, which has powerful general-purpose processors, and the Booster, which is based on interlinked, highly parallel multicore processors.

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Modular Supercomputer Enters Next Round - I-Connect007

Lung Institute | Stem Cell Treatment Basics

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

Stem cells are the building blocks of lifeessential to every organism. They self-renew and replicate, with the ability to form anytype of tissue in the body. Adult stem cells are undifferentiated cells, meaning that cells from one part of the bodycan transform their function to that ofother types of tissue, a quality known as plasticity. Plasticityis the key function of stem cells in regenerative medicine.

The Lung Institute offers stem cell treatment for many major pulmonary conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), emphysema, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosisand interstitial lung disease. The Lung Institute usesautologous stem cells, cells derivedfrom the patients own body. These versatilecells are extractedfrom one of the following tissues:

Adult stem cells canform many types of differentiated cells, so when theyare returned to the patient, they can promote the healing of lung tissuepotentially leadingto improved lung function.

The stemcellsare harvested from the patients own blood or bone marrow. The stem cells are separated and returned to the patient intravenously. Once the cells are returned to the patient, they can begin to promote healing.

When something, such as medication, blood, or stem cells, is introduced to your body through an IV, it goes directly to the right side of the heart. Within a heartbeat or two, it is pushed straight to the lungs. Then your blood distributes the item throughout the body. However, this processchanges a little when it comes to stem cells. During studies conducted for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers found that stem cells go through this process but get trapped when they arrive in the lungs. This is commonlycalled the pulmonary trap, and although itmay not be good news for someone who wishes to see those cells move throughout the body, its a happy occurrence forthose looking to slow down the progression ofa chronic lung disease.

If you would like to find out more about treatment optionsand to see if you qualify, contact our patient coordinators today at (800) 729-3065to schedule afree consultation.

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Lung Institute | Stem Cell Treatment Basics

Canadian clinics begin offering stem-cell treatments experts call unproven, possibly unsafe – National Post

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

The arthritis in Maureen Munsies ankles was so intense until barely a year ago, she literally had to crawl on hands and knees to get upstairs.

The pain, she recalls now, took my breath away, and played havoc with the avid hikers favourite pastime.

In desperation, Munsie turned to a Toronto-area clinic that provides a treatment many experts consider still experimental, unproven and of questionable safety.

The 63-year-old says the stem cells she received at Regenervate Medical Injection Therapy 18 months ago were transformational, all but eliminating the debilitating soreness and even allowing her to hike Argentinas Patagonia mountains two months ago.

For me its been a life saver, Munsie says. Ive been able to do it all again I dont have any of that pain, at all.

Canadians drawn to the healing promise of stem cells have for years travelled outside the country to such places as Mexico, China or Arizona, taking part in a dubious form of medical tourism.

But Regenervate is one of a handful of clinics in Canada that have begun offering injections of stem cells, satisfying growing demand but raising questions about whether a medical idea with huge potential is ready for routine patient care.

Especially when those patients can pay thousands of dollars for the service.

Clinics in Ontario and Alberta are treating arthritis, joint injuries, disc problems and even skin conditions with stem cells typically taken from patients fat tissue or bone marrow.

The underlying idea is compelling: stem cells can differentiate or transform into many other types of cell, a unique quality that evidence suggests allows them to grow or regenerate tissue damaged by disease or injury.

Researchers including hundreds in Canada alone are examining stem-cell treatments for everything from ailing hearts to severed spinal cords.

With few exceptions, however, the concept is still being studied in the lab or in human trials; virtually none of the treatments have been definitively proven effective by science or approved by regulators like Health Canada.

The fact that Canadian clinics are now offering stem-cell treatments commercially is concerning on a number of levels, not least because of safety issues, says Ubaka Ogbogu, a health law professor at the University of Alberta.

Three U.S. women were blinded after receiving stem-cell injections in their eyes, while other American patients have developed bony masses or tumours at injection sites, Ogbogu said.

Stem cells have to be controlled to act exactly the way you want them to act, and thats why the research takes time, he said. It is simply wrong for these clinics to take a proof of concept and run with it.

Ogbogu says Health Canada must crack down on the burgeoning industry but says the regulator has so far been conspicuous by its inaction.

Other experts say the procedures provided here typically for joint pain are likely relatively safe, but still warn that care must be taken that the stem cells do not develop into the wrong type of tissue, or at the wrong place.

Alberta Health Services convened a workshop on the issue late last year, concluding there is an urgent need to develop a certification system for cell preparation and delivery to avoid spontaneous transformation of (stem cells) into unwanted tissue.

But one of the pioneers of the service in Canada says theres no empirical evidence that such growths can develop, and suggests the treatments only real risk as with an invasive procedure is infection.

Meanwhile, patients at Regenervate have enjoyed impressive outcomes after paying fees from $750 to $3,900, says Dr. Douglas Stoddard, the clinics medical director.

About 80 per cent report less pain, stiffness and weakness within a few months of getting their stem-cell injection, he said.

I believe medical progress is not just limited to the laboratory and randomized double-blind trials, Stoddard said. A lot of progress starts in the clinic, dealing with patients You see something works, you see something has merit, and then its usually the scientists that seem to catch up later.

The Orthopedic Sport Institute in Collingwood, Ont., the Central Alberta Pain and Rehabilitation Institute and Cleveland Clinic in Toronto all advertise similar stem-cell treatments for orthopedic problems.

Edmontons Regen Clinic says it plans to start doing so this fall.

Ottawas Innovo says it also treats a range of back conditions with injections between the vertebrae, and uses stem cells to alleviate nerve damage.

Orthopedic Sport says its doctor focuses on FDA and Health Canada approved stem-cell injection therapy for patient care.

In fact, no treatment of the sort the clinics here provide has ever been authorized.

Health Canada says the vast majority of stem-cell therapies would constitute a drug and therefore need to be authorized after a clinical trial or new drug submission.

A number of stem-cell trials are underway, but only one treatment Prochymal has been approved, said department spokesman Eric Morrissette. Designed to combat graft-versus-host disease where bone marrow transplants for treating cancer essentially attack the patients body its unlike any of the services the stem-cell providers here offer.

But as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration aggressively pursues the hundreds of clinics in America, Health Canada says only that its committed to addressing complaints it receives.

It will take action based on the risk posed to the general public, said Morrissette, who encouraged people to pass on to the department information about possible non-compliant products.

Stoddard said the injections his clinics provide are made up of minimally manipulated tissue from patients own bodies and any attempt to crack down would be regulation for the sake of regulation.

But academic experts remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the treatments.

Scientific evidence suggests the injections may help alleviate joint pain temporarily, but probably just because of anti-inflammatory secretions from the cells not regeneration, said Dr. David Hart, an orthopedic surgery professor at the University of Calgary who headed the Alberta workshop.

Theres a need for understanding whats going on here and theres a need for regulation, he said.

Most of the clinics say they use a centrifuge to concentrate the stem cells after removing them from patients fat tissue or bone marrow. But its unclear if the clinics even know how many cells they are eventually injecting into patients, says Jeff Biernaskie, a stem-cell scientist at the University of Calgary.

Munsie, on the other hand, has no doubts about the value of her own treatment, even with a $3,000 price tag.

The procedure from extraction of fat tissue in her behind to the injection of cells into her ankles took barely over an hour.

Within three months, the retired massage therapist from north of Toronto says she could walk her dogs again. Last week, she was hiking near Banff.

Im a real believer in it, and the possibility of stem cells, says Munsie. I just think Wow, if we can heal with our own body, its pretty amazing.

tblackwell@nationalpost.com

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Canadian clinics begin offering stem-cell treatments experts call unproven, possibly unsafe - National Post

Stem cell-based therapies to treat spinal cord injury: a review – Dove Medical Press

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

Zhongju Shi,1,2 Hongyun Huang,3 Shiqing Feng1,2

1Department of Orthopaedics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 2Institute of Neurology, Key Laboratory of Post-Neuroinjury Neuro-Repair and Regeneration in Central Nervous System, Ministry of Education, Tianjin City, Tianjin, 3Institute of Neurorestoratology, General Hospital of Armed Police Forces, Beijing, Peoples Republic of China

Abstract: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition and major burden on society and individuals. Currently, neurorestorative strategies, including stem cell therapy products or mature/functionally differentiated cell-derived cell therapy products, can restore patients with chronic complete SCI to some degree of neurological functions. The stem cells for neurorestoration include neural stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells, etc. A better understanding of the merits, demerits and precise function of different stem cells in the treatment of SCI may aid in the development of neurorestorative strategies. However, the efficacy, safety and ethical concerns of stem cell-based therapy continue to be challenged. Nonetheless, stem cell-based therapies hold promise of widespread applications, particularly in areas of SCI, and have the potential to be novel therapeutics, which contributes to the repair of SCI. This review mainly focused on recent advances regarding the stem cell-based therapies in the treatment of SCI and discussed future perspectives in this field.

Keywords: spinal cord injury, neural stem cells, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, adipose-derived stem cells, embryonic stem cells, induced pluripotent stem cells

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Stem cell-based therapies to treat spinal cord injury: a review - Dove Medical Press

The spirit of the Velvet Revolution as an impetus for the relaunch of Europe – The Slovak Spectator

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

Central Europe has a pivotal role to play in this great task of relaunching the EU.

What is Europe? Above all, as the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron, pointed out at the European Council of June 22-23, it is an ambition the ambition to ensure our prosperity and to defend our common values, conquered in a hard struggle, i.e. democracy, social justice, rule of law, multilateralism, cultural diversity. In a world marked by the rise of authoritarian regimes and undermined by extremism or fanaticism, Europe has the historical responsibility to lead the battle in favor of these universal values.

We must, of course, deliver this battle together, drawing on the spirit of the Velvet Revolution and the courageous struggle for freedom and democracy that the Central European peoples faced for decades. "A kidnapped West" subdued by Soviet totalitarianism, Central Europe eventually managed to break free from its shackles and fully joined, in 2004, the European family to which it always belonged. If this "return to Europe" has been successful, it is mainly thanks to the peoples of Central Europe, thanks to Solidarno, the Civic Forum and Public against Violence, thanks to outstanding figures such as Patoka, Havel, Antall or Geremek, Kako and Budaj. But Central Europes "return to Europe" also owes much to so many artists, who paid the price of their revolt against censorship, as well as to so many citizens engaged in a deaf or heroic struggle against oppression. The message of these Europeans, famous or more humble, firmly attached to the spiritual heritage of Europe and to the spirit of the Enlightenment, remains more than ever topical: it binds us and provides the basis for the future of our continent.

Against this background, France would like to engage Central Europe and, in particular, Slovakia, which has made the choice of Europe. Our shared responsibility is enormous. Europe must relaunch itself, by demonstrating that it can provide concrete answers to the concerns of its citizens. This was already the spirit of the Bratislava summit last September, but it is now of the utmost importance to go further, through a Europe that better hears and protects its citizens. In the economic and social sphere, we must return to a model of qualitative, upward economic and social convergence based on innovation and knowledge. We must also gradually reform our current model characterized by excessive deregulation and financialization, which may set back our human societies, feeds on social dumping and creates frustrations and even tensions among European peoples. As an inclusive motor for this transformation of the European economic and social model, the euro area must be completed, achieving increasing economic, social and fiscal integration between our economies and our countries. France knows that it can count on Slovakia, the only member of the Visegrad Group in the euro zone, to strengthen our economic and monetary union. In an unpredictable and dangerous world, a Europe that protects its citizens must have a genuine common defense and security policy to contribute more to the peace and stability of both its neighborhood and the world. It must also adopt a more effective, proactive and united approach, in the face of migration challenges.

In order to regain its driving force for the recovery of Europe, France is determined to strengthen its economy and society by implementing the necessary reforms not only to comply with its European commitments, but also to foster greater flexibility for businesses, more job creation, more protection for employees and more training for those who need it. This reform drive is the sine qua non condition for the revival of the Franco-German couple, which must reconnect with the spirit of visionary cooperation that animated Franois Mitterrand and Helmut Kohl, to whose memory the European Union paid tribute on July 1.

Central Europe has a pivotal role to play in this great task of relaunching the EU. In particular, Slovakia, as a true European synthesis at the heart of our continent, has a historic opportunity to give a valuable impetus to Europe. We are convinced that, together, in the euro area and, more broadly, within the European Union, we can build a strong Europe, i.e. an autonomous Europe, a Europe that organizes itself and which guarantees its own security. It is the only way for Europe to be able to continue to make its universal voice heard for all the peoples of the world - the voice of all its peoples sharing a tragic history whose lessons we must never forget, the voice of the heroes of the Velvet Revolution whom no one will silence, the voice of the Enlightenment and of humanist reason, which must prevail over irrational passions. Only in this way can Europe defend its very essence, i.e. the values that we have forged together, without which there is no desirable or sustainable future for our continent.

Christophe Lonzi is French Ambassador to Slovakia

4. Jul 2017 at 6:30 |Christophe Lonzi

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Fourth of July in Space: How Will the Astronauts Celebrate? – Space.com

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer celebrated 2017's Fourth of July in space on the International Space Station with a stars-and-stripes photoshoot.

Today (July 4), people all across the U.S. will celebrate Independence Day with cookouts, flags and fireworks. On the International Space Station, things will be a bit more subdued with an American flag photoshoot and plenty of science to do.

Heres what happens when space-folk take some pictures to show their USA-Pride micro-gravity allows for some cool poses! Happy B-day USA! pic.twitter.com/24rPrx9K9y

NASA astronauts Peggy Whitson and Jack Fischer will be celebrating the national holiday on the orbiting outpost, although they will not take the day off due to some scheduled science operations, a NASA representative told Space.com via email. In lieu of a July Fourth vacation, the crew members took yesterday (July 3) off, the representative said right after they released a Dragon cargo spacecraft from the station early that morning.

There are also no barbecue grills or fireworks in space (because there can be no open flames), but Whitson and Fischer did bring along some patriotic clothing to wear today, the representative said. The duo showed off their holiday ensemblesin a video tweetedfrom the space station. [Holidays in Space: An Astronaut Photo Album]

NASA astronauts Jack Fischer and tried a variety of poses in their stars-and-stripes gear to celebrate Independence Day 2017.

At the moment, there are no plans for a special meal on the station, but that could change at the discretion of the astronauts, the representative said. And unfortunately, fireworks displays taking place on Earth are too dim to be visible from the orbiting laboratory, the representative said. (However, some NASA astronauts have said they were able to spot fireworks from the station).

This is Whitson's second July Fourth in space. On June 5, 2002, during her first space mission as a NASA astronaut, she flew to the station aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavor, as part of STS-111. On the station she joined the crew of Expedition 5. Whitson recently broke the record for most cumulative time spent in space by a NASA astronaut. She and Fischer are both scheduled to return to Earth in September.

Editor's Note: This article was updated at 11:30 a.m. with the astronauts' photos and video from space.

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Fourth of July in Space: How Will the Astronauts Celebrate? - Space.com

No Fourth of July rocket launch for SpaceX – Orlando Sentinel

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

People will have to rely on regular old fireworks on the Fourth of July over Cape Canaveral as SpaceX will wait at least a day before it tries for a third time to launch a satellite aboard its Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center.

Elon Musk tweeted, "We're going to spend the 4th doing a full review of rocket & pad systems. Launch no earlier than 5th/6th. Only one chance to get it right."

When the company does try again, the rocket will lift off from launch pad 39A, the 102nd mission to launch from that historic complex that was home to Apollo and space shuttle missions.

The payload for the mission is a satellite for Luxembourg-based company Intelsat. The satellite built by Boeing is part of Intelsats next generation constellation of satellites, the fourth sent up by the company. The new satellites are geared to offer higher quality Internet service and mobile communications.

Both previous attempts to launch the rocket on Sunday and Monday nights were scrubbed just 10 seconds before planned liftoff by automated computer systems.

Sundays scrub was due to a computer guidance problem. The reason for Mondays scrub was still being determined Tuesday.

If there is a successful launch this week, there will be no attempt to recover the first stage rocket booster, which has been a hallmark of many SpaceX launches from Cape Canaveral. The satellite payload has to be placed into a higher orbit, meaning more rocket fuel will be used, and no chance for recovery.

If it launches, it will be the third rocket launch for the Hawthorne, California-based company in two weeks. The company launched a Bulgarian satellite from Kennedy Space Center on June 23 as well as 10 satellites on June 25 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

While it wasnt able to put a rocket into space on Monday, SpaceX did welcome home the Dragon cargo capsule from the International Space Station. The splashdown in the Pacific Ocean marked the completion of the first reused commercial spacecraft to be sent to and returned home from the space station.

The Dragon capsule launched from Kennedy Space Center on June 3 and undocked from the ISS on July 2. The same capsule made its first trip to the ISS three years earlier. The reuse of the capsule and reuse of the rocket boosters by the company are part of its efforts to drive down launch costs.

SpaceX's cargo capsule is the only supply ship able to survive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

The planned launch, when it happens, will be the 11th from Cape Canaveral from all companies in 2017.

rtribou@orlandosentinel.com, 407-420-5134

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No Fourth of July rocket launch for SpaceX - Orlando Sentinel

SpaceX acquires 2 more acres at Port Canaveral – SpaceFlight Insider

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

Jerome Strach

July 4th, 2017

With SpaceX recovering boosters on nearly every mission, hangars can get crowded. This photo was taken in the summer of 2016 before Launch Complex 39A was active for Falcon 9 launches. Four recovered boosters are present. Photo Credit: SpaceX

Last week, the Canaveral Port Authority authorized the leasing and development of anadditional 2.17 acres (8,780 square meters) to expand SpaceXs current property along State Road 401 andPayne Way. The company currently has property through along-term lease option in Port Canaveral. This new property, which lies adjacent to the first, will allow for the construction of a large hangar for booster processing and refurbishment strategically located near the launch facilities.

SpaceX already leases property at Port Canaveral. It plans to build additional hangar space on a lot just to the east of its current property. Photo Credit: Google

The lease term began on July 1, 2017, and runs through March 31, 2022. Its terms indicate an expenditure for SpaceX to be about $19,730 per month, with a 3percent annual increase. The neighboring property already runs the company about $35,180 per month.

It is unclear how much the new facility will cost to construct, but the U.K. architectural firm Atkins is being hired by SpaceX management, headquartered in Hawthorne, California. The new hangar will be a 67,222-square-foot (6,245-square-meter) behemoth and will provide additional protected work space for recoveredboosters.

Shortly following a launch from Cape Canaveral, usually around eight to nineminutes, SpaceX boosters land offshore in the Atlantic Ocean on theAutonomous Space Drone Ship Of Course I Still Love Youor back at Landing Zone 1 (formerly Space Launch Complex 13).

While SpaceX has only recently begun to safely land their first-stage boosters, the number of successful landings to date includeseight drone ship landings (including two on the West Coast drone ship Just Read The Instructions) and fiveLZ-1 landings. The expected result of this advanced aerospace maneuver of successful landings is that SpaceX now holds a rather large fleet of used boosters that each measure about157 feet(48 meters) in length and 12 feet(3.65 meters) in diameter.

Each brand new Falcon 9is reportedly valued at around $62 million, and now that landed first stages are being refurbished and re-flown, the most recent being the BulgariaSat-1 launch occurring on June 23, 2017, the future cost for flight-proven vehiclelaunches is expected tosignificantly drop for customers.

The current manifest SpaceX shares with the public currently lists clients using new hardware. The option of clients choosing refurbished equipment at a discount will become a consideration for customers moving forward.

The BulgariaSat-1 first stage core returns to port to be offloaded and sent to a hangar for potential refurbishment. Photo Credit: Vikash Mahadeo / SpaceFlight Insider

Most rocket companies flying orbital trajectories, up until this point, simply disposed of the expensive rocket hardware due to flight dynamics and challenging physics encountered during launch. The only exception wasthe Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) used on NASAs Space Shuttle. The SRBs would parachute into the Atlantic Ocean, thereby allowing for recovery and refurbishment.

However, SpaceX wants to eventually reuse 100percent of itsrocket components, including the payload fairing which can cost upward of $6 million. More challenging will be the recovery of the secondstage because it travels all the way to orbit, requiring a heat shield for a successful recovery.

This new hangar structure to be built will provide additional sheltered work space for SpaceX to tackle the taskof analyzing the Merlin-1D engine cluster and other flight hardware. The returning of the boosters through the atmosphere can punish the booster as it re-enters the dense air at high speed.

As an example, just recently, SpaceX started constructing grid fins steerable flaps located at the top of the booster out of titanium because the aluminum components on previous designs were not holding up to the intense heat. Onboard cameras would often show the oldergrid fin design glowing bright orange, and even catching fire during descent just beforelanding.Thenew titanium grid fins will allow for long-term use of the same hardware, allowing for repeated flights with little or no maintenance.

The current hangar structures available to SpaceX in Florida include alarge horizontal integration facility (HIF) just outside the perimeter atLaunch Complex39A at the Kennedy Space Center, an HIF at Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and a small hangar at Landing Zone 1. Without additional space, there is aneed to shuffle hardware around frequently utilizing the McGregor, Texas, test facility as well as the SpaceX Headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Another HIF is located at Vandenberg Air Force Bases SLC-4E launch site in California.

This shuffling of hardware has become a frequent occurrence with SpaceX increasing its launch cadence. In 2016, SpaceX launched a total of eight Falcon 9 rockets (with the ninth one exploding on a launch pad during a test on Sept. 1, 2016). This year, so far, there have been nine launches, with six months still left in 2017.

The additional challenge of fleet management will now be exacerbated by the Falcon Heavy configuration which requires three separate booster cores. It is hoped that SpaceX will launch itsFalcon Heavy rocket before the end of 2017.

Tagged: Falcon 9 Port Canaveral SpaceX The Range

Jerome Strach has worked within the Silicon Valley community for 20 years including software entertainment and film. Along with experience in software engineering, quality assurance, and middle management, he has long been a fan of aerospace and entities within that industry. A voracious reader, a model builder, and student of photography and flight training, most of his spare time can be found focused on launch events and technology advancements including custom mobile app development. Best memory as a child is building and flying Estes rockets with my father. @Romn8tr

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SpaceX acquires 2 more acres at Port Canaveral - SpaceFlight Insider

3D-printed moons for spaceflight practice – Cosmos

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

3D-printed scale models of asteroids and other planetary bodies are used for real-life testing of spacecraft navigation and landing systems. The Martian moon Phobos is shown in the foreground.

ESA / G. Porter

When youre planning a space mission, you want to make sure you know the terrain.

One perhaps unexpected tool of the modern space agency is 3D printing. Detailed scale models of planetary bodies such as comets, asteroids and other worlds are used to aid in real-life testing of spacecraft navigation and landing systems.

The structure of the models is based on data and imagery from earlier space missions. The image above shows two versions of a model of the Martian moon Phobos. The white one in the background is the raw 3D-printed object. We then add colour and surface finishing to produce the more realistic-looking model in the foreground, explains Olivier Dubois Matra of European Space Agencys Guidance, Navigation and Control Section.

Mobile cameras are then used to represent the spacecrafts view of the planet and are manoeuvred around the models. This allows for physical testing of guidance and landing procedures, and is used in conjunction with virtual testing using specialized software.

Photos: Expendable Falcon 9 launcher raised vertical at pad 39A – Spaceflight Now

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

SpaceXs next Falcon 9 rocket was hydraulically hoisted vertical Sunday morning at launch pad 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, less than 12 hours before a scheduled blastoff with the Intelsat 35e communications satellite.

The 229-foot-tall (70-meter) rocket is not fitted with the landing legs or aerodynamic steering fins needed for recovery because the 14,905-pound (6,761-kilogram) Boeing-built spacecraft mounted atop the Falcon 9 is too heavy to permit a controlled descent of the first stage.

SpaceX is preparing for its second launch in a little more than nine days at pad 39A, a turnaround that will set a record for the shortest time between missions from the historic launch complex, assuming the Falcon 9 lifts off in the next few days.

Sundays launch, scheduled for 7:36 p.m. EDT (2336 GMT), will be the 10th Falcon 9 mission this year, and the eighth from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Follow our live coverage of the countdown and launch.

Email the author.

Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.

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Photos: Expendable Falcon 9 launcher raised vertical at pad 39A - Spaceflight Now

New driving algorithm helps protect Curiosity rover’s wheels – SpaceFlight Insider

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

Jim Sharkey

July 4th, 2017

A scarecrow rover at NASAs JPL drives over a sensor while testing a new driving algorithm. Engineers created the algorithm to reduce wheel wear on the Mars Curiosity rover. Photo Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

The six wheels of NASAsCuriosity Mars rover have experienced considerable wear and tear since the one-ton rover landed on Mars on August 6, 2012. However, anew algorithm is helping the rover drive more carefully over rocks on the Martian surface to reduce wheel wear.

The new software, called traction control, adjusts the speed of the rovers wheels depending on the rocks its rolling over. The software was uploaded to Curiosity in March, following 18 months of testing at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

Curiositys wheels have received considerable damage since the rover touched down on the surface of Mars in 2012. Photo Credit: NASA / JPL

The software was approved for use by mission managers on June 8, after extensive testing at JPL and multiple tests on Mars. The traction control software is currently on by default but can be turned off as needed, such as during scheduled wheel imaging when the Curiosity team assesses wheel wear.

Even before the wheels began to showvisible signs of wear, engineers at JPL had started studying ways to reduce the damaging effects of the Martian surface. All of the rovers wheels turn at the same speed on level ground, but as a wheel goes over uneven terrain, the incline causes the wheels behind or in front of it to begin slipping.

Such changes in traction are particularly troublesome when goingover pointed rocks that are embedded in the Martian surface. When this occurs, the wheels in front pull the trailing wheels into the rocks; the wheels behind push the leading wheels into rocks.

The treads on Curiositys wheels, called grousers, are designed for climbing rocks. The spaces on the wheels in between the grousers are more at risk of cracks and punctures.

If its a pointed rock, its more likely to penetrate the skin between the wheel grousers, said Art Rankin of JPL, the test team lead for the traction control software. The wheel wear has been [a]cause for concern, and although we estimate they have years of life still in them, we do want to reduce that wear whenever possible to extend the life of the wheels.

The traction control software uses real-time data to adjust the speed of each wheel, thus reducing pressure from the rocks. The software measure changes to the rovers suspension system to determine the contact points of each wheel. The algorithm then calculates the correct speed to avoid slippage and improve Curiositys traction.

To test the effectiveness of the software, the wheels were driven over a six-inch (15-centimeter) force torque sensor on level ground. According to Rankin, leading wheels experienced a 20 percent load reduction and middle wheels experience an 11 percent load reduction.

The traction control software will also help with the problem of wheelies. Sometimes a climbing wheel will keep rising, lifting off the surface of a rock until it is free-spinning. Wheelies increase the forces on the wheels that remain on the ground. When the traction control software detects a wheelie, it adjusts the speeds of the other wheels until the rising wheel is back into contact with the surface.

Video courtesy of NASA

Tagged: Curiosity Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars Mars Science Laboratory The Range wheels

Jim Sharkey is a lab assistant, writer and general science enthusiast who grew up in Enid, Oklahoma, the hometown of Skylab and Shuttle astronaut Owen K. Garriott. As a young Star Trek fan he participated in the letter-writing campaign which resulted in the space shuttle prototype being named Enterprise. While his academic studies have ranged from psychology and archaeology to biology, he has never lost his passion for space exploration. Jim began blogging about science, science fiction and futurism in 2004. Jim resides in the San Francisco Bay area and has attended NASA Socials for the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover landing and the NASA LADEE lunar orbiter launch.

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New driving algorithm helps protect Curiosity rover's wheels - SpaceFlight Insider

‘red heads’ Search – XVIDEOS.COM

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

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VIDEO: Dustin Pedroia makes incredible heads up play in Red Sox game vs. Rangers – New York Daily News

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

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VIDEO: Dustin Pedroia makes incredible heads up play in Red Sox game vs. Rangers - New York Daily News

NASA’s 1st Mars Rover Landed 20 Years Ago Today – Space.com

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

This portion of a 1997 panorama from a camera aboard NASA's Mars Pathfinder lander shows the microwave-oven-size Sojourner rover next to a rock called "Yogi."

Mars exploration took a big leap 20 years ago today.

On July 4, 1997, NASA's Pathfinder mission touched down on the Red Planet, delivering an eponymous lander and a small rover called Sojourner the agency's first wheeled Mars craft to the surface.

Pathfinder was the first NASA mission to reach Mars successfully since the twin Viking 1 and Viking 2 landers/orbiters in the mid-1970s, and its success helped pave the way for a robotic Red Planet invasion. In the two decades since, eight other NASA robots have reached Mars, and five of them remain active today. [Occupy Mars: History of Robotic Red Planet Missions (Infographic)]

"Pathfinder initiated two decades of continuous Mars exploration, bringing us to the threshold of sample return and the possibility of humans on the first planet beyond Earth," Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA's Mars Exploration Program at the agency's headquarters in Washington, said in a statement.

Pathfinder launched on Dec. 4, 1996, embarking on an eight-month cruise to the Red Planet. After the lander touched down, the six-wheeled, microwave-oven-size Sojourner rover rolled down a ramp onto Mars' red dirt.

The images beamed home by the lander and rover racked up 200 million hits on the still-young internet between July 4 and July 8, 1997 a traffic record at the time, NASA officials said.

The Pathfinder lander was designed to operate for one month, and Sojourner for just one week. But both robots kept going for three months, gathering data about Mars' atmosphere and climate, as well as the planet's geology and interior.

The scientific bounty notwithstanding, the $264 million Pathfinder mission was primarily a technology demonstration that helped usher in a new era of relatively cheap, fast-development planetary efforts, NASA officials said.

"We needed to invent or re-invent 25 technologies for this mission in less than three years, and we knew that if we blew the cost cap, the mission would be cancelled," Pathfinder flight system manager and deputy project manager Brian Muirhead, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said in the same statement.

"Everybody who was part of the Mars Pathfinder project felt we'd done something extraordinary, against the odds," Muirhead added.

NASA reused these new technologies which included Sojourner, advanced computers and an airbag landing system in its next rover mission, which sent the golf-cart-size twins Spirit and Opportunity to the Red Planet.

Spirit and Opportunity landed a few weeks apart in January 2004 and soon began searching for signs of past water activity on the Red Planet. Both robots found plenty of such evidence, then kept rolling far beyond their three-month warranties: Spirit stopped communicating with Earth in March 2010, and Opportunity is still going strong today.

The other NASA robots that reached Mars after Pathfinder are the Phoenix lander and Curiosity rover, which touched down in May 2008 and August 2012, respectively; Mars Global Surveyor; Mars Odyssey; the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO); and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN Mission (MAVEN). The latter four are orbiters that arrived at the Red Planet in September 1997, October 2001, March 2006 and September 2014, respectively. (Two other NASA Red Planet missions, the Mars Climate Orbiter and the Mars Polar Lander, launched in the late 1990s but did not reach their destinations successfully.)

Opportunity, Curiosity, Odyssey, MRO and MAVEN are still operating today. So are Europe's Mars Express orbiter, India's Mars Orbiter Mission and the European/Russian ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. If all goes according to plan, these robots will be joined at Mars by several other spacecraft in the next few years: NASA plans to launch a lander called InSight in 2018, and both NASA and Europe (with Russia as a partner) plan to send life-hunting rovers toward the Red Planet in 2020.

Pathfinder's landing isn't the only big NASA event that occurred on July 4. On that date in 2005, for example, the agency's Deep Impact probe slammed an impactor into Comet Tempel 1 to investigate the icy body's composition. And on July 4 of last year, NASA's Juno spacecraft arrived in orbit around Jupiter.

Editor's note:Video produced by Space.com's Steve Spaleta.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter@michaeldwallandGoogle+.Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebookor Google+. Originally published onSpace.com.

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NASA's 1st Mars Rover Landed 20 Years Ago Today - Space.com

Stall High School students ready for NASA’s ‘Great American Eclipse’ project – Charleston Post Courier

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Danzig

On a recent rainy afternoon at Riley Park, Stall High School students gathered in the outfield.

The students, ROTC cadets and English-language learners, launched a nearly 4-pound weather balloon bearing a video camera about 200 feet into the air. On the mezzanine next to the press box, students gathered around a satellite dish and a computer screen, monitoring the images coming in from the camera.

On the giant videoboard at Riley Park, the same images flashed on the screen.

"That's crucial," said Stall teacher Maria Royle. "We have to make sure we can get our images to them to show on the Jumbotron."

Stall High School students practice launching a weather balloon as they prepare to work with NASA to live-stream the "Great American Eclipse" on Aug. 21.Charleston County School District/Provided

The exercise was a dry run for what NASA is calling the "Great American Eclipse," the total eclipse of the sun on Aug. 21. The eclipse will mark the first time in 99 years that a total solar eclipse will occur across the entire continental U.S., with the area just north of Charleston in the path for optimal viewing.

The Stall High students, wearing "Team Warrior" T-shirts, are among the many high school and college students working with NASA to study and live-stream the eclipse.

On Aug. 21, Royle and her students will gather again at Riley Park, this time to launch their helium-filled balloon and its camera more than 100,000 feet into the air. From there, the balloon's equipment will capture video and other data for use by NASA.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," said Royle, who teaches English as a second language, math and science at Stall. "The students are learning computer skills, science, weather data, programming and a lot of teamwork.

"We have worked them really hard, and they've put in a lot of hours on this."

Morgan McClure, a rising junior at Stall, is an ROTC officer and chief of cybersecurity for his unit.

"My main job is programming, and we are using a couple of different video clients to stream our camera to NASA," he said. "And then NASA will stream it onto their site.

"Our satellite dish will connect to the balloon and tell us where the payload lands after the eclipse. It could be in the marsh, in the sea, in somebody's backyard. We have to be able to retrieve it and return it to NASA."

Stall High School teacher Maria Royle (left) discusses the school's joint project with NASA to live-stream the "Great American Eclipse" on Aug. 21 with SMSgt (Ret) Gale Rickert and ROTC cadet and student Chelsey Graham.Charleston County School District/Provided

Royle, a native of Puerto Rico, said the project has been rewarding for her English-language learners.

"They were a little nervous at first about it," she said. "But I tell them, the sky is the limit for them. I'm bilingual and an English-language learner myself, so I've been where they are."

The public can come out to Riley Park on Aug. 21 to view the Stall students in action, and watch the images on the videoboard.

"What we're doing has never been done before," Royle said. "So we'll see how it works. NASA is eager to see the data and the pictures that we will be able to get."

NASA says viewers around the world will be able to view video from 11 spacecraft, including three of NASA's, and more than 50 high-altitude balloons, and from the astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Reach Jeff Hartsell at (843) 937-5596. Follow on Twitter @Jeff_fromthePC

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Stall High School students ready for NASA's 'Great American Eclipse' project - Charleston Post Courier

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