On the cusp of payoffs for patients, stem cell therapy faces threat from unregulated clinics – STAT

Posted on by

TV documentary on pain treatment funded by doctor with

TV documentary on pain treatment funded by doctor with industry ties

For some chronic pain patients, without opioids, life would

For some chronic pain patients, without opioids, life would be torture

Googles bold bid to transform medicine hits turbulence under

Googles bold bid to transform medicine hits turbulence under a divisive CEO

At first meeting of Trumps opioid commission, health advocates

At first meeting of Trumps opioid commission, health advocates plead for Medicaid spending

This bill would reinstate a controversial drug discount for

This bill would reinstate a controversial drug discount for some hospitals

Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and

Up and down the ladder: The latest comings and goings

Read the original post:

On the cusp of payoffs for patients, stem cell therapy faces threat from unregulated clinics - STAT

Spirituality in Photography: seeing life through a new lens – Vatican Radio

Posted on by

The book 'Spirituality in Photography' by British Methodist minister Philip Richter, who'll be presenting the volume at Rome's Libreria Claudiana on Saturday June 17th - RV

(Vatican Radio) A picture is worth a thousand words. But what does it tell us about our spiritual life? Methodist minister Philip Richter sets out to answer that question in a new book entitled Spirituality in Photography: taking pictures with deeper vision.

A passionate amateur photographer himself, Rev Richter offers a wealth of tips on taking good photos with smart phones or professional cameras. But at the same time, he reflects on how to use those same skills in our search to make sense of contemporary society.

His short, yet deceptively simple volume, is part user manual for photographers, part prayer guide for those seeking a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God and with the world around us.

Richter is in Rome this week for a study tour and a book launch at the Libreria Claudiana in Piazza Cavour on Saturday morning. He dropped in to Vatican Radio to tell Philippa Hitchen more about his work

Listen

Richter begins by talking about his work as ministry development officer for the Methodist Church in England, which he has served for almost four decades.

His book, he explains, is designed both for those who go to a church, as well as for those who don't do religion but are nevertheless interested in spiritual questions.

He recalls that he has always had a passion for photography, since the days when he was photographed as a young boy holding an old box brownie camera. As a minister, he says, he didn't have money to buy expensive camera equipment, but the advent of digital photography has led to a democritisation of the medium.

Digital photography has also brought with it the trend of taking many pictures without a second thought, he says. One of the main goals of the book is to encourage people to think before they snap and reflect on how we frame a photo, extending that reflection to consider what we "include and exclude from the picture" in our own lives.

Photography and spirituality can inspire each other, Richter believes, citing the way that perspective in photography can help us develop a better sense of proportion in our busy lives. Rather than being constantly reactive to the latest text or email, he insists, its essential to shelve some things and deal with the really important things and people around you.

Richter also considers the way pictures can be photo-shopped in a creative way, yet its vital that we dont seek manipulate the truth. He encourages people to see things in a different light, taking advantage of the so-called golden hours just after sunrise and just before sunset.

At its heart, Richter says, the book is about encouraging people to slow down, to enjoy what they do, and to become truly attentive to the people and places that God has given you.

Go here to read the rest:

Spirituality in Photography: seeing life through a new lens - Vatican Radio

Spirituality Center offers nature workshop – La Crosse Tribune

Posted on by

Children ages 4 to 12 and their adult family members are invited to explore the wonders of the natural world during a new outdoor event offered by the Franciscan Spirituality Center.

Sacred Family: Mindful in Nature will take place from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, at Pettibone Lagoon. Local writer and educator Jan Wellik will lead the workshop. Activities include reading and writing nature poems, creating outdoor art collages and mindfulness exercises.

"As the mother of a young child myself, I know that sacred time together as a family is precious and rare. Yet isnt it the core of life, the heart of what matters most? Wellik said.

The cost is $25 for one adult and child, $5 for each additional person. Register by Aug. 4 at http://www.fscenter.org or by calling 608-791-5295.

Jan Wellik of Onalaska has brought her love of nature and writing together for several programs at the FSC. She is a mom, college instructor, founder of the Eco Expressions nature writing program and the author of the Nature Writing Field Guide for Teachers.

More:

Spirituality Center offers nature workshop - La Crosse Tribune

A Drumbeat for Help Awakens the Spirituality of Yangon – Indo American News

Posted on by

Added by Indo American News on June 16, 2017. Saved under Community, Current Stories, Headlines, Travel Tags: Baytown, Clear Lake, Cypress, Desi news, Greater Houston, Houston, Houston Desi news, India, Indian American community, Indian News, Indians in America, Indo-American News, Katy, NRI, pearland, Shwedagon Pagoda, south asia, South India, Sugar Land, Texas, USA, Yangon

Shrines dot the 1,420 ft perimeter of the pagoda

By Jawahar Malhotra

YANGON, MYANMAR: We had just left the Jana Mon Ethnic Cuisine restaurant on Nandawon Street, a short taxi ride away north of the towering Shwedagon Pagoda site and were walking back past the residential area, a little past 9:30 at night. The restaurant, which serves ethnic Mon food, is a favorite of the local expatriate community and has been written up in the local press. It is a tiny place with six tables, a modern, hip ambiance and a snappy menu of food from the Mon state, which lies just east of Yangon, bordering the Andaman Sea.

The gilded Shwedagon Pagoda is lit up at night and can be seen from anywhere in the city

The restaurant is a walk up with a warm glow of light emanating from its perpetually open door, and is located down a small dimly lit lane that leads to six-story tall residential apartments and clusters of two-story homes surrounded by brick walls. As with most other parts of the city, the buildings have a tired, worn out look, with dark patches of weather-beaten stains on the dull whitewashed walls and drying laundry hung off balconies.

A small shop catering to basic items had a few customers, a few people sauntered by in rubber flip-flops and a group of little kids played near their parents in the light of an occasional streetlight. Some cars were parked on one side of the road, but traffic was sparse so we walked till the end of the lane to catch a cab. A woman in a long printed sarong, blouse with mid-arm sleeves, an angular headwrap and flip-flops approached on the far side, a bundle tied in a long cloth slung across one shoulder, a child on her hip.

The South Entrance hall to the Shwedagon Pagoda complex

She stopped in a small clear spot, let the child down to scamper, sat on her haunches, pulled out a small drum and started to play a low-tone, monotonous beat. After a punctuated silence, she beat the same notes again and repeated it as she waited. My son Jeremy, who had been living in Yangon for the past year (and had become equally comfortable in flip-flops), explained that this was the way people beckoned for alms when they were destitute. The low pounding beats traveled down the street and sure enough, a few people walked up to her and handed her some loose change or bowls of food.

All across the city, the same ritual is repeated daily, but not to the point of annoyance, as poor people sit on their haunches, and beat a drum like a sign of their last resort to get by or eat. It is a practice that is rooted in the Buddhist monks way of begging for alms, of throwing themselves at the mercy of the world when all else fails. And in a deeply spiritual society, the plea is quickly responded to.

The Jana Mon Ethnic Cuisine restaurant is located just north of the Shwedagon Pagoda area

On a Saturday night, remarkably cool for mid-March, the Shwedagon Pagoda complex is packed with people who throng to pay homage to their personal mini-shrine in a ritualistic slow walk around the main, central towering 99 meter (325 ft) tall gold-gilded stupa. They come by the family-loads, up the four entrances aligned to the directions of a compass, built onSinguttara Hill, 168 ft above the rest of the city. The complex is located to the west ofKandawgyi Lake, and dominates the Yangon skyline. Down the western entrance which has been outfitted with escalators for those who cannot climb the stairs, at the base, just outside the gates, on U Wisara Road, you can get a roaming taxi to whisk you off into the surrounding dimly lit city.

You enter through a long, wide covered hall, each with its own distinctive name and function , walking up flights of short stairs, past the stalls and stores selling religious artifacts and to a ticket booth where foreigners pay 10,000 kyat ($8) and are asked to dress modestly. Those with more exposed skin can buy cheap shawls for 3,000 kyat ($2.50) to drape across their arms and shorts, and there is a place to drop off your shoes, or you can carry them in a plastic bag. The marble slabs feel cool to your barefeet as you walk clockwise, starting from the eastmost shrine, around the 1,420 ft perimeter of the base of the pagoda. In one courtyard, there is a banyan tree grown from a sapling transplanted here from the original one Buddha taught under in Bodhigaya, India and people sit by its boughs to meditate.

As dusk descended and the floodlights came on, the gilded stupa lit up in the brilliance and a throng of foreign tourists stand armed with their cellphones and cameras to catch the spectacle of the soaring stupa with festive streams of triangular flags strung across its lower curve and a large flag-shaped vane at the very peak. In the Eastern Devotional Hall, a group of devotees pray in lilting harmony at the shrine to the Buddha, oblivious of the people and commotion behind them. This is the echo of the spirituality that holds them to give to those who beat a drum across a city that is seeing such massive changes as it transforms.

Read more:

A Drumbeat for Help Awakens the Spirituality of Yangon - Indo American News

Space Station Welcomes Food and Supplies from Russian Ship – Space.com

Posted on by

A robotic Russian cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station Friday (June 16), delivering tons of fresh food and other supplies for the orbiting lab's crew.

The Progress 67 spacecraft linked up with the space station in a smooth docking at 7:37 a.m. EDT (1137 GMT) as both vehicles sailed 258 miles (415 kilometers) over the Philippine Sea.

"Progress completes as smooth a journey as you can imagine," NASA spokesman Rob Navias said during live commentary. [The Space Station's Robotic Cargo Ship Fleet (Photo Guide)]

The Russian-built Progress 67 (far left) is seen by an HD camera on the International Space Station just before docking to deliver 3 tons of supplies for the outpost's crew on June 16, 2017.

The Progress spacecraft is carrying more than 3 tons (2.7 metric tons) of fresh food, fuel and other vital supplies for the space station's Expedition 52 crew. The craft parked itself at the aft end of the station's Russian-built Zvezda service module.

"The cargo vehicle is now in a gentle, but very firm embrace thanks to the station," cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin of Russia, who commands the station's Expedition 52 crew, radioed in Russian to flight controllers at Roscosmos, the Russian space agency.

Progress 67 is the third robotic cargo ship to either arrive at or depart from the space station in recent weeks. On Sunday (June 11), an Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship re-entered Earth's atmosphere and burned up as planned to end its resupply mission. A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrived at the space station on June 5 and is expected to parachute back to Earth on July 2.

Progress 67 launched to the station Wednesday (June 16) from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, sparking a deadly fire that killed one worker and injured another at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. A fragment of the Soyuz rocket that launched the cargo ship ignited grass on the Kazakh steppes, starting the blaze, according to a BBC News report.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him@tariqjmalikandGoogle+.Follow us@Spacedotcom,FacebookandGoogle+. Original article onSpace.com.

More here:

Space Station Welcomes Food and Supplies from Russian Ship - Space.com

International Space Station flies over Greenville tonight – Greenville Journal

Posted on by

Views: 51

This photo from NASA shows the International Space Station as it streaks across the night sky. The station is visible as often as once or twice a week or as rarely as once or twice a month, depending on the Earths rotation and on sky clarity.

Greenvilles stargazers may be able to catch a glimpse of the International Space Station from their own backyards tonight if they look up at the right time.

If the weather cooperates, the station maybe visible at 9:27 p.m. above Greenville and the surrounding areas. The station, which is the third brightest object in the sky, will move across the northwest sky and pass out of sight at 9:30 p.m., according to NASA.

You dont need a telescope or pair of binoculars to see the station. Its usually visible to the naked eye, said Thomas Riddle, assistant director of Roper Mountain Science Center. Its definitely brighter than an airplane.

Amber Porter, a lecturer in Clemson Universitys Department of Astronomy and Physics, said the Upstates stargazers may have to look a little harder than usual to see the station.The best sightings happen when the station is high enough in the sky about 40 degrees or more, said Porter.The station will be flying at 11 degrees on Friday night.

The orbiting laboratory, which travels 17,000 mph, typically looks like a small bright star during a flyover. In fact, it only takes about 90 minutes for the station to make a complete trip around the Earth, according to Riddle.

The astronauts who are working and living on the station experience 16 sunrises and sunsets each day. The space station currently houses Expedition 52, which includes three NASA astronauts.The crew, set toreturn in September, plans to perform experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science, Earth science, and more.

According to Porter, the space station is visible as often as once or twice a week or as rarely as once or twice a month, depending on the Earths rotation and on sky clarity.

NASAs Spot the Station website lets people sign up for email or text-message alerts that let them know, a few hours before, when the space station will be visible from their own city, how long it should be visible, and at what point in the sky.

This service will only notify you of good sighting opportunities, says NASA.

For more information, visit spotthestation.nasa.gov.

Bye Buffalo, Hello Greenville features Bryan & Co. agent Patti Tuffin as she helps Brad

The facility, expected to create 140 jobs, will be at Southchase Business Park in Fountain

December 4, 2015 The post UNSEEN GREENVILLE appeared first on TOWN Carolina.

A second -- and much larger than the original -- co-work space in the Village

Go here to see the original:

International Space Station flies over Greenville tonight - Greenville Journal

Progress cargo freighter docks with International Space Station – Spaceflight Now

Posted on by

Credit: NASA TV

A Russian Progress supply ship sailed to an automated docking Friday with the International Space Station two days after departing the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, delivering approximately three tons of fuel, spare parts and water to the orbiting outpost and its three-person crew.

Docking of the Progress MS-06 cargo craft to the stations Zvezda service module occurred 1137 GMT (7:37 a.m. EDT) after a radar-guided autopilot approach as the vehicles soared 258 miles (415 kilometers) over the Philippine Sea.

Thank you very much for a reliable vehicle, radioed Fyodor Yurchikhin, commander of the stations Expedition 52 crew.

I would say it was more than a gentle touch, more than anything else, Yurchikhin said of the docking.The cargo vehicle is now in a gentle but very firm embrace with the station now.

Hooks closed to create a firm attachment between the space station and the newly-arrived Progress cargo craft, which is set to stay at the research complex until mid-December, when it will detach and head for a destructive re-entry with a load of trash over the South Pacific Ocean.

Yurchikhin will open hatches leading to the Progress spacecraft later Friday.

The stations crew will unpack equipment inside the Progress MS-06 cargo capsules pressurized cabin in the coming weeks, and automated connections will route propellant from the Progress fuel tanks into reservoirs on the Zvezda service module.

The Progress MS-06 supply ship lifted off Wednesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz-2.1a launcher, reaching orbit less than nine minutes after blastoff. The Progress began a series of thruster firings to guide its two-day journey to the space station, culminating in Fridays final approach.

The Progress MS-06 spaceship carries around 6,039 pounds (2.7 metric tons) of cargo and supplies to the International Space Station, according to NASA.

The supplies include 3,069 pounds (1,392 kilograms) of dry cargo inside the ships pressurized compartment, 1,940 pounds (880 kilograms) of fuel to refill the stations propulsion system, 926 pounds (420 kilograms) of potable water, and 104 pounds (47 kilograms) of high-pressure oxygen and air to replenish the research labs breathable atmosphere, a NASA spokesperson said.

Four small satellites launched inside the Progress MS-06 spacecrafts cabin for release by cosmonauts on a spacewalk later this year.

Email the author.

Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.

Visit link:

Progress cargo freighter docks with International Space Station - Spaceflight Now

Why Aren’t The Van Allen Belts A Barrier To Spaceflight? – Forbes

Posted on by

Forbes
Why Aren't The Van Allen Belts A Barrier To Spaceflight?
Forbes
I follow all kinds of information about space and the stars. My brother has only recently started paying attention to these issues, but has been reading some naysayer websites. Because of this, he says he has doubts about the 'truth' of the space ...

More here:

Why Aren't The Van Allen Belts A Barrier To Spaceflight? - Forbes

Five Seconds of Fury: Orbital ATK conducts test fire of Launch Abort Motor – SpaceFlight Insider

Posted on by

Jason Rhian

June 16th, 2017

Orbital ATK conducted a static test fire of the Launch Abort Motor that is planned for use on Lockheed Martins Orion spacecraft in Promontory, Utah on Thursday, June 15. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

PROMONTORY, Utah With a brief flash of highly-controlled power, Dulles, Virginia-based Orbital ATK, along with NASA and Lockheed Martin successfully conducted a test of a system designed to increase safety and to save lives.

The test was conducted at 100 Fahrenheit and will be followed by a test at 30 F in 2018. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

We at Orbital ATK are very proud to work with NASA and Lockheed Martin on the Orion Launch Abort System, and to provide a motor that is so integral to astronaut safety, said Charlie Precourt, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATKs Propulsion Systems Division and former NASA astronaut via a company-issues release. The importance of our crews safety and well-being cant be stressed enough.

The Launch Abort Motor, the primary motor of the Orion spacecrafts Launch Abort System (LAS) would pull Orions Command Module off of its Service Module and the Space Launch System (SLS) super heavy-lift booster that is currently being developed to send astronauts to deep space destinations, such as the Moon, asteroids and Mars.

NASA and Orbital ATK carried out this test to qualify an array of elements that are a part of the Launch Abort Motors design. Some of these include, the thrust profile reduction or TPR grain design, to verify the motor-manifold joint and manifold-nozzle joint performance. This test also served to qualify the motor under high temperature limits (100 degrees Fahrenheit)and to distinguish abort motor induced environments.

The test accomplished all of that in the scant five seconds that the motor was active for.

Thursdays static test fire saw the Launch Abort Motor firmly attached to the test stand at Promontorys T-97 facility. During firing, the Launch Abort Motor exerted an estimated 400,000 pound of thrust in just an eighth of a second. The extreme capabilities that this system is capable of bringing to bear, is important given its role.

In the event of an emergency, either at the pad at Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39B in Florida, or on ascent, the Launch Abort Motorwouldgofrom zero to an estimated 400-500 miles per hour in just two seconds. With an acceleration greater than that of a drag racer, the Launch Abort Motor places some 10Gs on those on board pulling them from whatever had gone off-nominal.

Given its abilities, it should come as little surprise that the Launch Abort Motor burns its solid fuel some 3-4 times faster than a typical motor of this size (according to a statement issued by Orbital ATK).

The Launch Abort Motor measures approximately 17 feet in length and about three feet in diameter.

While this Qualification Motor 1 (QM-1) test is viewed as a key milestone in allowing NASA to regain the ability to send astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) it is not the systemsfirst test. In November of 2008, ATK (this test was conducted before Orbital Sciences Corporation and ATK had merged in 2014) conducted the ST-1 Static Test. This was followed by a Pad Abort Launch in May of 2010 and Exploration Flight Test 1 (EFT-1) in December of 2014 (on EFT-1 the Launch Abort Motor was inert).

Lessons learned on ST-1, helped shape certain aspects of the Launch Abort Motors design as was noted by one member of the motors development team.

Orbital ATKs Launch Abort Motor Program Director, Steve Sara, provided a detailed review of the test, as well as some of the modifications made to the design in preparation for its use on Orion. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian / SpaceFlight Insider

There a few things that we learned on ST-1, one is that one of our acoustic gauges got saturated, so the acoustic loads were higher than we had anticipated, Steve Sara, Orbital ATKs Launch Abort Program Manager told SpaceFlight Insider. We also learned about these joints, the joints survived fine on ST-1, but that was a steel manifold, this is a titanium manifold. So we changed materials for the reason of weight savings. Years ago, even before ST-1, we decided to move to a lighter weight manifold so that we could save about 1,300 lbs (590 kilograms).

If everything continues to go as currently planned, the Motors QM-2 test should take place late next year (2018). One member of NASAs astronaut corps, Rex Halheim, who was a part of the crew of the final flight of the Shuttle Program, STS-135, spoke with SpaceFlight Insider about what it was like to watch the test first hand.

I was amazed at just how powerful it was, you expect it to be powerful but, you know, its quite a ways down the hill from us and you see those flames come up (laughs) and I was thinking, this is going to be loud when it gets to me and then BAM it hits you its pretty impressive, Walheim said.

Walheimalsonoted thatthe importance of thetest simply could not be overstated, as it could one day save the lives who fly on SLS and Orion.

We want to test all of the hardware at the ends of the extremes, especially this hardware which is a part of the essential Launch Abort System for us. Whenever you build a new rocket you try to take into account all of the things that could go wrong andhave ways to fix all the failures, but, you want to have something that can get you off the rocket if you have a really bad day and thats our launch abort system. Thats what this abort motor we tested today is for, it pulls us off the Space Launch System if we have a bad day and need to get off the pad or rocket.

As Walheim noted, the test regimen is designed to validate the design under both the high and low end of what the Launch Abort Motor is expected to encounter. The next step is to test the design in lower temps (approximately 30 degrees Fahrenheit).

Inabout 18 months, the three organizations are planning to conductthe QM-2 Launch Abort Motor (this will also take place in Utah), this will be followed by theAscent Abort-2 Flight Test (AA-2) currently slated to take place at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, in 2019.

Tagged: Launch Abort Motor Lead Stories Lockheed-Martin NASA Orbital ATK Orion Promontory Space Launch System Utah

Jason Rhian spent several years honing his skills with internships at NASA, the National Space Society and other organizations. He has provided content for outlets such as: Aviation Week & Space Technology, Space.com, The Mars Society and Universe Today.

View original post here:

Five Seconds of Fury: Orbital ATK conducts test fire of Launch Abort Motor - SpaceFlight Insider

OPINION: Radiation hucksters strike again – SpaceFlight Insider – SpaceFlight Insider

Posted on by

Robert Zubrin

June 16th, 2017

A new study suggests that the cancer risk on a Mars mission due to galactic cosmic-ray radiation could be double what existing models predict. Image Credit: NASA

According to a publicity campaign launched on behalf of a paper authored by UNLV (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) Professor Frank Cucinotta, the new findings show collateral damage from cosmic rays increases cancer risks for Mars astronauts.

However, an examination of the paper itself shows no analysis of experimental methods or results, because no experiments were done and no data was taken. Rather, the much-ballyhooed paper is a discussion of a computer model that Prof. Cucinotta has created which claims to have the power to predict radiation-induced cancer occurrences. In short, theres no real news.

Furthermore, to the extent that the model in question has any empirical foundation, it is based on irrelevant prior experiments done in which researchers subjected mice to radiation dose rates millions of times greater than astronauts would receive on their way to Mars.

One such example is the illustrative piece of nonsense entitled What happens to your brain on the way to Mars, published on May 2, 2015, in the open-access journal Science Advances.In the paper, a group of radiation researchers claimed that their recent experiment causing memory loss to mice by administering very large doses of galactic cosmic ray (GCR)-like high energy radiation has serious implications for human Mars exploration. According to the authors, similar effects might severely impact astronauts going to Mars, thereby placing the feasibility of such enterprises in serious question.

However, in this typical mouse trial, the victims were given a dose of 30 rads (0.3 Gray) at a rate of 100 rads per minute. On a Mars mission, astronauts would receive a dose of 1 rad per month during the 6-month outbound and return transfers as well as about 0.5 rad per month during 18 months on Mars, for a total of 21 Rads. (1 Gray = 100 rads = 100 cGray. For GCR 1 Gray = 6 Sieverts = 600 rem.) Space dose rates can be found in The Cosmic Ray Radiation Dose in Interplanetary Space Present Day and Worst-Case Evaluationsby R.A. Mewaldt, et al., 2005.

The 4-million fold difference in dose rate between such lab studies and spaceflight is of critical importance. It is a well-known finding of both chemical and radiation toxicology that the effects of large doses of toxins delivered suddenly are entirely different from the effect of the same amount of toxin delivered in very small amounts over a long time span. The difference is that the bodys self-repair systems cannot deal with a sudden dose that they can easily manage if received over an extended period.

For example, if an individual were to drink one shot of vodka per second for 100 seconds, he would die; however, if the same person drank one shot of vodka a month for 100 months, he would experience no ill effects at all. This is about the same ratio of dose rates as that which separates the invalid work reported in the What happens to your brain on the way to Mars paper (1.6 rad per second) from that which would be experienced by astronauts in space (1 rad per month.)

It should also be added that mouse studies are not an accurate predictor of cancer occurrence in humans; e.g., it is possible to induce tumors in mice by rubbing their stomachs. Such treatment is not known to be a hazard to people.

It is true that small amounts of toxins received over a long period can statistically increase a persons risk of ill effects at least according to the hyper-conservative Linear-No-Threshold (LNT) model of toxicology. However, we already have data that shows that the accumulation of slow rates of cosmic-ray radiation received during long-duration spaceflight is not a show stopper for human Mars exploration. GCR dose rates in low-Earth orbit are about half those in interplanetary space.

Therefore, there are a dozen cosmonauts and astronauts Padalka, Malenchenko, Avdeyev, Polyakov, Solovyov, Krikalyov, Titov, Manarov, Foale, Fincke, Pettit, Walz, Kelly, Whitson who have already received Mars mission equivalent GCR doses during extended space missions without any radiological casualties.

Furthermore, since the International Space Station (ISS) is continually manned, whereas Mars missions are only in space for about 40 percent of their mission time, the total GCR dose (measured in person-rems) that the ISS program crews will receive over the next ten years of planned operations is about the same as would be received by a series of five teams of five people each if they were launched to Mars every other year over the same period. Thus, in fact, the ISS program has already accepted the same level of GCR risk for its crews as would be faced by an ongoing human Mars exploration program.

Galactic cosmic radiation is not a show stopper for human Mars exploration and should not be used as an excuse for delay. The space program costs many billions of dollars, which is spent at a real cost to meeting human needs elsewhere. That fact imposes a moral obligation on the program to move forward as quickly and efficiently as possible. It is understandable that radiation researchers should want to justify their funding. However, they should not spread misinformation to promote themselves at such extraordinary expense to the public.

###

The views expressed in this Op-Ed are solely those of the author and do not, necessarily, reflect those of SpaceFlight Insider.

Tagged: Cosmic Rays Mars radiation Robert Zubrin The Mars Society The Range

Dr. Robert Zubrin is the founder and President of the Mars Society, an international organization dedicated to furthering the human exploration and settlement of the planet Mars by both public and private means. He is also President of of Pioneer Astronautics, an aerospace R&D company located in Lakewood, Colorado. Formerly a Staff Engineer at Lockheed Martin Astronautics in Denver, he holds a Masters degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics and a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Washington.

More:

OPINION: Radiation hucksters strike again - SpaceFlight Insider - SpaceFlight Insider

NASA’s Wild Fabric Is Basically Chain Mail From the Future – WIRED

Posted on by

V(z|=UX$Kny|XIH @`nG%@R`"s]._ ?}7hU=i4nbqIS4+S.&IY4hfPoc#YU /N>y/*jz(Y*K>Y5YuBPht5YK*,EMC+M-wGEV.HeTB"+nz'*K:k9)8D5ywO^?qmBem<71-0xQKX7.AGl),>*&l(>Y~I`2LDX*3<=8%(0w@]__U7eusVul4@s h`M@s&^K*|Ss#"r]wxiduUS^.2+$ N2SCt^W ,PJD^j/>k7 Yx#g?Fl`+ 29kj=5SDiZ)7?,wjYu-=qo;?_l&+j pG=~l~pU?v}K0Irg9cM1OKR>(rp>1n(0T2?. @S!)Yf 4fJ>"xh[7Zl7?G^8^.k^e)d&''l)usH$oOo'E|z <$4AO~byY1/ge=N;yt"<:]I`.Oos$|z Spr)!B6gOj>,,mLo WEodESNp/>%203W7o&"I8.we*OA[y*ge%v3ggz>3MO*E4]bzA.rY@g_a9s^'^_~z'{O}qN E=4Y|11H{_x`>]f"'gx<=$~&N?|=:t/L..|j]/&~;QOD.2=u'}r[IrYxEl[HnQ0PhU9O,Nr+|I z07^a4v'9U]Yo'z%+DE'p;WgH1/e%OWSz;[A}3UN{x|lOt`Km JrL;x*_>,9I!7A^Sui6v!7}nx2w.uu2"6Sg]ezc( y]Y|1+`vTu=e*MORArl?za?r&f6mmy4R]`Dq/@U{{ds7Lsq08?B=c%m.i U xE~6?x2Mj4#,7U*JP enLo'FeCw $Nf-`6^&*@R1?=3HmhL%oX74|kU3X_^B:x1Ay;[miStT4}Na!ght Nf6J2t&_lYe,6c506FOAK1 ;g{z$o0lJuf;-hsEu3aEZB!I7(}gJHk{L,[{^WjjUT{(y0ankpm!6xcb.A~6aCgb h^FiREAJke8b_$VPe84!E` :dix4Z!d ;EAbM5C1/ % >8(!1`AWY*4vxCQOoS8/3F!=`[g~=LsDUr]/MGkE `#ZqCvI !>v$wX6wak ~kICS;IGG{| 5Qy #}B50{< /mAakw]7tw7{[ww=CU=qw10ptK!suc:.=C#}zN-:*oUF{ghQA+k[p@v8[ZsD:Q/,W*^X8) `I(awfp:>R(Hl}8WF_ H>#$; eWTvS#9e7F. vE}1leYaYKyhGNXwg}Obe<A#Ui?joo?jUN:KGUW/D'0^j}[Zz& i/){&}_ey!Z/z'"kz("LlE*Wiy]W^}oH>>[4QBcpi./%},ZHtecmC/f>pyL-}%u>~SZnQlJXOeb6pgebQ"{k jR8sYCgd}b2U x7bZ?m[ofmXZ"},6q+g#XS;('r:S$_%tjjO w;ku < [89uL+#M~fNZngtFN7?ll3R{]Y H-Y8>m2(ru%t7tzw81dZnZb3 F{_=x *`s^-eGFOSp <4C:R"$s2VJa/Dcmq q@y1$}UB3}?':~>{4ph}"}ly2~~HgN-9p3gTN3"xN[D.Mg9b>3gF9 nmFD6qk#[Ps(".GN2!xsPuK uHy^ ! AB|K.Jgt3mA@lM=QoLWI":L+5pbGR)p # Aj003$Lar-HC[8LCbLCP)7Z" Aj aJA;Cy;L7`xx!2!/! Ad"HUmuaZFp2V`*x/d"HR)p1 @&DpbjTDw[#.*d"H`.Sl1.ueZFpw.RLKMAL)hx`R{sqpa)#Lg# jETc<2mR)_Jq#jG5LuL(jTP uy.Ld"HCk0u^DL Aj$T)IPK% ZIZ,I0UK>"d"HC/K)}SaMLu`*e$S1#Af$.y.>ugZ=)G$6 j%TGIPjSlSLK}j033:@>:`*$S9 Cdd"HK(Yt,L+B0T&`i5D&L[06)_PWHL^[@&ZH0'uI6`ZLE`t#Bj&dP-"&BPHiB&&n3Q7"B`*Er U x|t4UlmVi=rHU)2i6-gQ0"Cc "Qv}v{`}z~zh61lt&u,`4!*MJS{@n:1TA[ #6~Gk)m@M~kmh L,FRwoQ3X?pz7N"{*!E`[#mEY?_B,-~T ;(mz|~`:h XC[EFJI B/jC=])u'RRSVj. ouD-9JQGOO^I7lkB`: 9R82xw`Z.3-Sw#1mFeK3lbhEg!txsR70%Ngxxsu5n2Sd7<5.-G;g|9vfg7Kev].QE<*%hGEw.O;G"FTXZW.@*S}Txx9# '=}1XxexsG=/#ZsS2=Ll=VsgGI:TthxbxsO}/'z>KO'DT 'yR2e* `9Z8zk

Read this article:

NASA's Wild Fabric Is Basically Chain Mail From the Future - WIRED

Twitter, we have a problem: Woman moves NASA shirts to girls’ section at Target, sets internet abuzz – Kansas City Star

Posted on by

Kansas City Star
Twitter, we have a problem: Woman moves NASA shirts to girls' section at Target, sets internet abuzz
Kansas City Star
Katie Hinde, a college professor in Arizona, raised quite a ruckus this week after she moved 5 shirts 25 feet at her local Target store. When Hinde found NASA tank tops in the boys section at Target, she moved some to the girls section, where she saw ...
Scientist Moves NASA Shirts From Boys' Section to Girls', Twitter Goes WildInStyle

all 3 news articles »

Original post:

Twitter, we have a problem: Woman moves NASA shirts to girls' section at Target, sets internet abuzz - Kansas City Star

NASA Hires New Astronautsbut Where Will They Go? – Scientific American

Posted on by

This summer 12 new recruits will report to NASA Johnson Space Center to start a two-year boot camp for astronaut candidates. They will train in teamwork, spacewalking and spacecraft operations, as well as learning Russiana skill they will need to communicate with cosmonauts on joint missions. Yet when and where they will eventually fly is still unclear. The lucky 12 beat out a record 18,300 applicants to become astronauts at a time when the job description is somewhat unspecified. Will they live and work on the International Space Station (ISS) as astronauts do today? Probably, although NASA has not said exactly how long it will continue to operate the station. The agency plans to run it until at least 2024, but could decide to extend its tenure until 2028.* Might they fly to new destinations, like Mars, or revisit the moon? Its anyones guess.

The space agency is still waiting for Pres. Donald Trump to nominate a NASA administrator and signal not just what he wants the U.S. to do in space but also how much he cares one way or the otherwhich he can demonstrate by pushing (or not) for the funding necessary for any grand plans. In the meantime Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot is left to continue chasing former Pres. Barack Obamas stated goal of sending humans to Mars, albeit without a firm timetable or a specific plan for getting there. NASA right now is substantially adrift, says Robert Zubrin, an engineer and president of The Mars Society, an organization that advocates for human exploration of the Red Planet. The Trump administration has not appointed a new NASA administrator, so nobodys in charge. Indications of the chief executives attitude toward space are scant and conflicting. During the March 21 signing of the NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017, for example, Rep. John Culberson (RTex.) suggested Trump could make a name for himself as the father of the interplanetary highway system. The president admitted that sounded exciting but said, First, we want to fix our highways. On other occasions Trump has been more enthusiastic about space exploration. The president mentioned in his speech to both houses of Congress that, American footprints on distant worlds are not too big a dream, NASA spokeswoman Stephanie Schierholz pointed out. NASA is already working toward that goal.

Some space watchers took it as a hopeful sign that Vice Pres. Mike Pence attended the announcement of the new astronaut class and intends to head the National Space Council, a board that will oversee the countrys civilian, military and commercial space activities. The council first formed in 1958 as the National Aeronautics and Space Council, and Pres. George H. W. Bush later reestablished it as the National Space Council in 1989. It disbanded in 1993 but Trump plans to reinstate it. NASAs under a major transition that will have repercussions for decades to come, says Casey Dreier, director of space policy at The Planetary Society. We have not seen this big of a transition since the end of the Apollo program going into the [space] shuttle. With the decisions theyre making now, theres a lot of opportunity there to make smart policy and smart decisions and really think of how they want to leverage NASA. The space council could theoretically very much help with that.

Among the decisions to be made are whether to carry on with the Obama administrations goal of directly sending humans to Mars by the 2030s or to first fly astronauts back to the moona shorter journey with fewer technical challenges. I suspect the moon will be the focus of near-term human space exploration activity with Mars in the farther distance, says Scott Pace, director of the Space Policy Institute at The George Washington University (GWU), who many expect to be named executive secretary of the newly reinstated council. One signal of a change in direction is the Trump administrations 2018 budget proposal, which cuts all funding for NASAs Asteroid Redirect Mission, a proposal to capture a nearby asteroid and drag it close to the moon for astronauts to visit. With that mission out, NASA recently announced plans for a Deep Space Gateway, a spaceport to be assembled in lunar orbit in the 2020s. Although the Gateway could serve as a staging ground to test technologies for a Mars mission, it could also indicate a renewed focus on moon exploration. The Gateway is a means toward different destinations, says John Logsdon, a space policy expert at GWU. Until the policy gets changed NASA cant say much about going back to the moon, but clearly having a place where one can dock spacecraft in lunar orbit is a way of sending spacecraft down to and back up from the moon.

The Deep Space Gateway is the centerpiece of a set new plans NASA released at the end of March that outline the missions it has in store for the Space Launch System (SLS), its heavy-lift rocket in development, and the Orion spacecraft meant to carry astronauts on deep-space missions. NASA intends to fly OrionSLS on their first test flight in 2018, and would then begin constructing the Gateway over a series of three launches in the early 2020s. This outpost would be smaller than the ISS and would host astronauts for visits but would not house them continuously as the ISS does. Although the plans finally fill in some missing details about how NASA intends to begin exploring beyond low Earth orbit, they have not yet received the administrations endorsement, or perhaps even more significantly, congressional funding. Its adding clarity to NASAs direction that theyve been talking about on their journey to Mars, Dreier says. At the same time theres no money behind it. Absent room in the budget, at the moment its just an intention.

And not everyone agrees that the Deep Space Gateway is even a useful step toward NASAs larger exploration goals. Such a station is not necessary to return to the moon, and we do not need such a station to go to Mars, Zubrin says, this is a make-work project. He sees the mission as a way to make use of the SLS and Orion, programs the previous administration tried to cancel but that Congress insisted NASA build anyway, largely to support jobs in states like Florida and Alabama.

Those who would like to see NASA move forward with ambitious deep-space missions say the time is now or never. The longer they go when theyre not doing anything itll become more and more difficult, says University of Central Florida space policy expert Roger Handberg. For one thing youll stop getting good people entering at the lower levels, and the experience base at the upper levels will be gone. That kind of attrition over time saps the vitality out of the organization. But to really get going NASA will need a show of support from the White House, an injection of funding from Congress and likely the cooperation of international partners. My biggest disappointment with the Obama administration is that the White House and the president himself never reached out and asked other countries to work with us in planning future exploration, Logsdon says. Given the uncertain character of the Trump administrations foreign policy, whether that means a unilateralist approach to space exploration or whether they will reach out to other countries to join us in what were planning is one of the big open questions.

With so many unknowns, the new astronaut candidates are embarking on an uncertain future. They seem undaunted, though; after all, exploring a new frontier is what they signed up for. I think for the future its maybe a little unclear, new astronaut candidate Jonny Kim said during a June 7 news conference regarding destinations they might explore. Were just happy to be here, finish our candidate training and venture out into the deep unknown of space and the solar system.

*Editor's Note (6/15/17): This sentence was added after posting to more precisely state NASA's planned operational tenure for the International Space Station.

Here is the original post:

NASA Hires New Astronautsbut Where Will They Go? - Scientific American

Enhance! NASA eyes Jupiter’s crazy multicolored clouds – CNET

Posted on by

An enhanced image makes Jupiter's clouds look almost unreal.

NASA's Juno spacecraft is currently out cruising around Jupiter and sending back some outstanding views of the hulking gas giant. This image, taken at a distance of about 29,100 miles (46,900 kilometers), shows the south pole area and highlights the planet's exotic cloud formations.

Jupiter's atmosphere consists mostly of hydrogen and helium gases. The oval white spots seen here are massive storms that are part of the planet's famous "string of pearls."

The clouds really pop out thanks to photographic enhancement work done by citizen-scientists Gerald Eichstdt and Sen Doran. Doran took an image Eichstdt already worked on and improved it.

"I repaired registration marks, applied masks & edge filters, balanced levels & colors," Doran writes in his submission to the Juno mission website gallery.

Juno captured the raw image on May 19, and NASA featured the enhanced version in a post on Friday. Juno launched in 2011 and arrived at the fascinating planet in mid-2016. The mission is scheduled to last until February 2018.

13

Jaw-dropping Jupiter: NASA's Juno mission eyes the gas giant

See the original post:

Enhance! NASA eyes Jupiter's crazy multicolored clouds - CNET

It’s time to explore Uranus and Neptune again and here’s how NASA could do it – The Verge

Posted on by

A group of researchers from NASA and various US universities have come up with plans to explore two of the least visited planets in our Solar System: Uranus and Neptune. Thats because compared to the other worlds in our cosmic neighborhood, these ice giants have been sorely neglected.

To fix that, researchers released a report this week detailing four different types of missions that could be sent to Uranus and Neptune sometime in the next decade or so. The concepts include vehicles that could orbit the planets for 10 to 15 years and even carry probes to dive into the worlds atmospheres. The main focus of each mission would be to figure out what the planets are made of and how their interiors are structured.

These ice giants have been sorely neglected

The curious thing about Uranus and Neptune is that, although they look very similar, something about their interiors is actually quite a bit different, Jonathan Fortney, a professor at UC Santa Cruz and one of the authors on the report, tells The Verge. And we dont really know why that is.

Up until now, the only vehicle that has ever visited Uranus and Neptune was NASAs Voyager 2. Launched in 1977, the spacecraft did flybys of all four gas giants in our Solar System Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune before heading out to interstellar space. And we learned a lot: Voyager 2 discovered new rings and moons at Uranus, and that an ocean of boiling water may lurk underneath the planets surface. New rings and moons were also found at Neptune, as well as a huge spinning storm called the Great Dark Spot that has since disappeared.

During these flybys, Voyager 2 came within 50,000 miles of Uranus and 3,000 miles of Neptune but thats as close as weve ever been. The probe made some measurements and took pictures of the moons and planets. But that was it; we just had one pass, says Fortney.

But that was it; we just had one pass.

The flybys raised some questions that still need to be answered: we dont really know what the planets are made of, for instance. Uranus and Neptune are referred to as the ice giants, since theyre thought to be made of heavier elements than Jupiter and Saturn. But ultimately, its unclear exactly what elements are in them, since we only have data from Voyager 2 and telescopes here on Earth. The planets may also seem similar, but Neptune the farthest of the two puts off 10 times more energy than Uranus does, says Fortney. Researchers are curious to know what the interior of each planet is like to better understand this extreme difference in heat.

Thats why there has been a big push in recent years to send a new mission to either Uranus and Neptune, preferably one that will hang around a little bit longer than Voyager 2. In 2011, the planetary science community which meets every 10 years to propose needed space missions said an Uranus mission was one of the top three priorities. The others were a new Mars rover and a mission to Jupiters moon Europa. While NASA is currently working on the rover and a Europa spacecraft, there is no mission to Uranus currently in the works.

But in 2015, NASA asked a group of scientists including Fortney to come up with concepts for missions that could be sent to Uranus, as well as Neptune. The team studied 20 different mission designs, ultimately settling on four different concepts: three Uranus missions and one to Neptune. The focus on Uranus is mostly a matter of distance, says Fortney. Neptunes further away and it takes longer to get there, so missions to Neptune are always going to be more expensive, he says. All four mission plans would run about $2 billion each a little more than half the cost of the Cassini mission at Saturn.

The three missions to Uranus include two orbiters and a flyby, while the mission to Neptune would also be an orbiter. The vehicles also have the option of carrying a probe that could descend into the planets to measure the composition of the gases in the atmosphere. Meanwhile, the orbiters could better study the interiors of Neptune and Uranus by measuring their gravity fields, which tells a lot about a planets density. Another option is to observe how Uranus or Neptune oscillate when hit with light from the Sun. Thats another solid method for determining a bodys interior structure.

Though four missions are proposed, realistically only one could be picked

Though four missions are proposed, realistically only one could be picked. Theres no way thered be money for more than one, says Fortney. Plus, it would be quite some time before any such spacecraft would see Uranus or Neptune. The best launch windows would be sometime between 2029 and 2034, the report notes. And then it would be another 10 to 13 years before the spacecraft actually reached its destination meaning we probably wont get there until the mid-2040s.

Sill Fortney says now is the time to think about getting started on one of these missions. The year 2029 may seem far off, but spacecraft take years to develop. You cant just wait around till the mid 2020s, he says. Too much time would have passed. But soon the planetary science community will meet again to determine the top mission priorities for the years ahead. This most recent report will factor into those decisions, and Fortney thinks there may be a strong case to go to Uranus and Neptune.

I think those are going to be some of the main science targets of the next decade, he says.

Read this article:

It's time to explore Uranus and Neptune again and here's how NASA could do it - The Verge

NASA shows off its tech on Capitol Hill – The Hill

Posted on by

NASA came to Capitol Hill on Thursday to highlight its work to lawmakers and staffers as the space agency faces the threat of budget cuts and questions about its mission.

"NASA Technology Day on the Hill" featured both its own work and projects from universities partnering with the agency.

It's the sixth year that the agency has held an event like this, according to Derek Wang, public outreach manager for the new Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD).

Wang said the program started off small, with private companies presenting technologies they developed using NASA research. The event has gradually grown to include broad areas from aeronautics to human exploration.

"I think it's time in our nation's history to really push the boundaries again of where our technological capabilities are for space and go ultimately to Mars."

Cassidy was the 500th person to fly into space and has spent a total of 182 days in space.

Kelly A. Stephani, a professor at the University of Illinois Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, was one of the attendees from the nation's universities. She touted her work to better protect spacecraft when they reenter earth's atmosphere.

"When we reenter the atmosphere, the gas and the vehicle gets hot and we need to find ways to protect the vehicle," she said. "We work on modeling that system, that whole process."

Other exhibits included the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer mission, which studies the behavior of neutron stars, and the Satellite Servicing Projects Division, which is working on developing an autonomous craft that can refuel satellites.

The event comes as many advocates for the agency express worries about its mission and its future.

NASA has long been in GOP crosshairs for its climate and earth science programs. Republican lawmakers say it should be focused on space exploration.

But Democrats say Republicans are just targeting climate science.

President Trump's fiscal 2018 budget unveiled in March would cut the agency's overall budget by 0.8 percent from $19.3 billion to $19.1 billion. The president's blueprint, though, is unlikely to be adopted by Congress.

In March, Trump also signed the NASA Transition Authorization Act, giving NASA $19.5 billion for fiscal 2016. NASA had requested $19.1 billion. However, the budget will effectively close NASA's education office, which will only receive $37 million a sharp drop from the $100 million it got in previous budgets.

Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for the STMD, addressed the cuts to the education office.

"We're going to work to see what we can do in the other mission directorates, and try to maintain an education presence externally," he said. "Some of [the office's] activities will continue in the other mission directorates."

Jurczyk said he believed NASA still has strong bipartisan support in Congress and at the White House.

He said the agency still had an ambitious agenda ahead.

"We're going to continue operating the International Space Station and reduce risk for exploration beyond the Earth's orbit, we're going to start developing operating systems around the moon," he said.

"And then our ultimate goal is human exploration of Mars. And that has not changed."

This story was updated at 10:32 p.m.

Here is the original post:

NASA shows off its tech on Capitol Hill - The Hill

NASA broadcasting Total Solar Eclipse live from Jefferson City – ABC17News.com

Posted on by

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - NASA has officially announced that they will be broadcasting the Total Solar Eclipse live from Jefferson City.

"We were very excited to learn NASA was considering Jefferson City for this opportunity," said Diane Gillespie, Executive Director of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau."We had to keep this information to ourselves until the details fell into place and we are thrilled to be able to share it with the public now."

NASA is also bringing a traveling exhibit called "Journey to Tomorrow," which will provide an interactive NASA experience. It's a 52-foot trailer that'll be placed on the south lawn of the Missouri State Capitol.

You can read the entire release below:

NASA PICKS JEFFERSON CITY TO BROADCAST TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE LIVE

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, June 16, 2017 -The Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau announced last week that NASA TV picked Jefferson City as one of seven locations across the United States to broadcast from during the August 21 total solar eclipse.

Officials from NASA traveled to Jefferson City to conduct a site visit with the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau and the State of Missouri Office of Administration. Following the site visit, David DeFelice, Office of Communications and External Relations from the NASA Glenn Research Center made the announcement at the Capital Eclipse community meeting held in the Missouri State Capitol rotunda.

"We were very excited to learn NASA was considering Jefferson City for this opportunity," said Diane Gillespie, Executive Director of the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We had to keep this information to ourselves until the details fell into place and we are thrilled to be able to share it with the public now."

"Not only is Jefferson City along the path of totality, but the community is planning a great event for the public to experience the eclipse," said Mr. DeFelice. "We are looking forward to being a part of the historic day."

The NASA team plans to bring with them the Journey to Tomorrow traveling exhibit, a 53-foot trailer transformed into an interactive NASA experience. The trailer is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible and will be stationed on the south lawn of the Missouri State Capitol Sunday and Monday offering visitors the chance to experience hands-on activities and educational displays including a genuine moon rock artifact returned to Earth by the crew of the Apollo 17 lunar landing mission.

Also joining NASA for the live broadcast is Dr. Janet Kavandi, Director of the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Kavandi, originally from Springfield, Missouri, previously worked at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas where she served as Director of Flight Crew Operations and Deputy Director of the Health and Human Performance Directorate. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in December 1994 logging more than 33 days in space, traveling more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits.

Eric Aldrich, Atmospheric Science Instructor for the University of Missouri School of Natural Resources, will assist NASA officials in Jefferson City for the live broadcast.

NASA TV plans to share a press conference live from the Newseum in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, June 21 from 1:00-3:30 pm ET to educate viewers on how to experience the eclipse through the eyes of NASA as well as other tips and safe practices, and unique research opportunities to study our Earth, moon and sun. Viewers should check their local cable station for the NASA channel to watch this nationally-televised event or visit http://www.nasa.gov.

Original post:

NASA broadcasting Total Solar Eclipse live from Jefferson City - ABC17News.com

NASA to try Wallops rocket launch for 8th time Sunday – WAVY-TV

Posted on by

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. (WAVY) NASA has tried seven times to launch a Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket from the Wallops Island Flight Facility. An eighth attempt at the launch is scheduled for Sunday.

The launch of NASA Terrier Improved Malemute is now scheduled for Sunday, June 18, with a window from 9:05 to 9:20 p.m.

NASA Wallops (@NASA_Wallops) June 16, 2017

Previous attempts at the launch were scrubbed for reasons that included cloud cover and poor science conditions.

NASA says 10canisters will be deployed during the test, roughly six to 12 miles from the rocket. These canisters will deploy blue-green and red vapor to form artificial clouds, and allow scientists to track particle motions.

These vapors will be visible from New York down to North Carolina.

The launch initially rescheduled for Friday is now set for Sunday. NASA said on social media the weather was not conducive for a launch.

Stay with WAVY for updates on the planned launch.

Like Loading...

See the original post here:

NASA to try Wallops rocket launch for 8th time Sunday - WAVY-TV

Liquefied Gas Electrolytes Allow Lithium Batteries to Operate at Very Low Temperatures – AZoCleantech

Posted on by

Written by AZoCleantechJun 16 2017

It is well known that prevalent lithium-ion batteries do not operate at temperatures of -20 C and lower. At present, the Engineers of University of California San Diego have made an advancement in the field of electrolyte chemistry for enabling lithium batteries to operate at lower temperatures of -60 C with exceptional performance.

New electrolytes made from liquefied gas enable lithium batteries and electrochemical capacitors to run at extremely cold temperatures. CREDIT: David Baillot/UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering.

The innovative electrolytes also allow electrochemical capacitors to operate at temperatures of -80 C, which at present operate at low temperatures of -40 C. Apart from ensuring operation at very low temperatures, the technology also maintains greater performance at room temperature. The new electrolyte chemistry can enhance not only the energy density but also the safety of electrochemical capacitors and lithium batteries.

The research was published online in the Science journal on 15th June 2017.

The technology will enable electric vehicles in cold countries to cover greater distances on a single charge, thus eliminating range anxiety in winter months in cities such as Boston. The technology can also be applied to power crafts such as satellites, high atmosphere WiFi drones, interplanetary rovers, weather balloons and other aerospace applications under severe cold conditions.

The electrochemical capacitors and batteries created by the research team are specifically cold hardy as the electrolytes in them are formed of liquefied gas solvents (i.e. gases liquefied under moderate pressures) that are more resistant to freezing when compared to standard liquid electrolytes. Liquefied fluoromethane gas was used to synthesize electrolyte for the lithium battery. Liquefied difluoromethane gas was used to synthesize electrolyte for the electrochemical capacitor.

Deep de-carbonization hinges on the breakthroughs in energy storage technologies. Better batteries are needed to make electric cars with improved performance-to-cost ratios. And once the temperature range for batteries, ultra-capacitors and their hybrids is widened, these electrochemical energy storage technologies can be adopted in many more emerging markets. This work shows a promising pathway and I think the success of this unconventional approach can inspire more scientists and researchers to explore the unknown territories in this research area.

Shirley Meng, Senior Author and Nanoengineering Professor, Jacobs School of Engineering, UC San Diego.

Meng also heads the Laboratory for Energy Storage and Conversion and is the director of the Sustainable Power and Energy Center, both located at UC San Diego.

It is generally agreed upon that the electrolyte is the primary bottleneck to improve performance for next generation energy storage devices, stated Cyrus Rustomji, and first Author of the study and a Postdoctoral Researcher in Mengs group. Liquid-based electrolytes have been thoroughly researched and many are now turning their focus to solid state electrolytes. We have taken the opposite, albeit risky, approach and explored the use of gas based electrolytes.

The Researchers from UC San Diego are the pioneers in analyzing gas-based electrolytes for use in electrochemical energy storage devices. The futuristic application of this technology might be to power spacecraft for interplanetary exploration.

Mars rovers have a low temperature specification that most existing batteries cannot meet. Our new battery technology can meet these specs without adding expensive and heavy heating elements.

Cyrus Rustomji, first Author of the study and Postdoctoral Researcher in Mengs group

During the research, the Researchers found out that gases possess a characteristic namely, low viscosity. Enabling them to operate effectively at temperatures in which traditional liquid electrolytes get frozen, Low viscosity leads to high ion mobility, which means high conductivity for the battery or capacitor, even in the extreme cold, explained Rustomji.

Although the Researchers analyzed a wide array of prospective gas samples, they were interested in two particular new electrolytes: one made of liquefied difluoromethane, used for electrochemical capacitors and the other made of liquefied fluoromethane, used for lithium batteries.

Apart from the excellent performance at low temperature, the new electrolytes are highly safe to use. They eliminate the difficulty of thermal runaway, that is, a point at which the battery gets heated to a temperature that leads to a hazardous chain of chemical reactions that causes further heating of the battery. The new electrolytes restrict the ability of the battery to self-heat at temperatures considerably greater than ambient temperature because at higher temperatures, the ability of the electrolytes to dissolve salts is lost, resulting in the loss of conductivity of the battery and ultimately failure of the battery.

This is a natural shutdown mechanism that prevents the battery from overheating. As soon as the battery gets too hot, it shuts down. But as it cools back down, it starts working again. Thats uncommon in conventional batteries.

Cyrus Rustomji, first Author of the study and Postdoctoral Researcher in Mengs group

Rustomji further added that during more extreme situations, for example, an automobile accident, when the battery is damaged and gets shorted, the electrolyte gas escapes from the cell and as there is no electrolyte conductivity avoids the thermal runaway reaction which cannot be avoided when traditional liquid electrolytes are used.

Compatible electrolyte for lithium metal anodes

Meng, Rustomji, and their collaborators have come very close to achieving another long-time ambition of becoming battery researchers: synthesizing an electrolyte that operates well with the lithium metal anode. Lithium is perceived to be the best anode material due to its light weight and its ability to store more charge than prevalent anodes. However, one specific difficulty is that lithium reacts with traditional liquid electrolytes, resulting in the low Coulombic efficiency of the lithium metal, that is, it can go through only a lesser number of charge and discharge cycles before the operation of the battery stops.

Another difficulty encountered when using traditional liquid electrolytes with the lithium metal anode is that after repeated charge and discharge cycles, lithium can get accumulated at specific places on the electrode. Consequently, needle-like structures, or dendrites, are formed and can puncture portions of the battery, leading to short-circuit.

Applying high mechanical pressure on the electrode, using electrolytes with low viscosity, and using the so-called fluorinated electrolyte additives to produce an optimal chemical composition on the surface of the lithium metal electrode are the techniques employed earlier to overcome these difficulties. The innovative liquefied gas electrolytes synthesized by the UC San Diego Researchers integrate all the significant characteristics mentioned above into a single electrolyte system. The ensuing interphase formed on the electrode is an exceptionally uniform and dendrite-free surface that ensures enhanced battery conductivity and a high Coulombic efficiency of more than 97%. The Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that an electrolyte can exhibit high performance on lithium metal as well as classical cathode materials, thus considerably increasing the overall energy density of batteries.

Next steps

In the future, the goal of the research team is to enhance the cyclability and energy density of electrochemical capacitors as well as batteries and to ensure operations at even lower temperatures of less than -100 C. This research can open the door for developing innovative technology to power spacecraft used to investigate outer planets (e.g. Jupiter and Saturn).

Rustomji is the head of a UC San Diego-based team of Researchers working to commercialize the technology through a startup called South 8 Technologies.

View post:

Liquefied Gas Electrolytes Allow Lithium Batteries to Operate at Very Low Temperatures - AZoCleantech

Queen’s Birthday Honours awarded to three deserving Devon heroes – Devon Live

Posted on by

A charity founder, a glassblowing expert and community hero, a world-leading expert diabetes expert, and the man behind some of the millions of government documents written on vellum have all been honoured by the Queen. This year is the centenary of the Queen's Birthday Honours, and five people from Devon have been named.

Ruth Airdie and Norman Veitch has been awarded MBE's, and Brian Medhurst has been awarded a BEM, while Andrew Hattersley, Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University and a diabetes consultant at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, has been awarded a CBE.

Ruth Airdrie, 64, from Aylesbeare, is the founder of Rainbow Living, was awarded an MBE for services to Adults with Learning Disabilities.

In 2006 she raised money to establish Rainbow Living and opened the first home in 2008. She knew other families with similar special needs issues and felt that it would be better if young adults could have secure futures through special accommodation. This also offered parents vital respite from their caring responsibilities. Each young adult has gradually learned to co-habit with the support of the committed staff.

The charity also runs holidays for the residents which enable them to try new activities with support and friends. Such was its success that Rainbow Living opened a second home in 2012 in Torquay and have now bought their third home in Exeter.

She worked for NHS Devon as head of clinical effectiveness. She has secured funding from Sainsbury's and other local businesses and has planned a variety of events including fashion shows at John Lewis, music concert, book sales and other events in Devon. Since the charity was founded it is estimated that she has raised 200,000.

Ruth said: It is a real honour to have been appointed an MBE and I feel truly privileged to have had the opportunity to support learning disabled adults through Rainbow Living's accommodation projects.

I am so proud that the tireless commitment of everyone involved with Rainbow Living has been recognised in this way; our work shows how a group of normal, everyday people can put something back and make a real, lasting and positive difference not only to our Rainbow tenants, but also to their wider families and local communities.

I am overwhelmed by this as it was a bit of a shock, but I am delighted, and I feel honoured that my charity work has been recognised."

Norman Veitch, 70, from Dartington, has been awarded MBE for services to glassblowing.

His contribution to glass art is invaluable. Along with his colleague, Brian Jones, they started work at the Pyrex factory in Sunderland, later known as Corning Glass Works. They were trained in the art of lampworking - the glassblowing technique using a gas burner and worked as glassblowers fabricating complex chemical apparatus for use in laboratories.

When the industry declined around 1980, they found that the properties of the glass made it an excellent medium for complex sculptural work, so they created ornamental glass.

In 1996 they jointly founded Wearside Glass Sculptures. They hold daily demonstrations of lampworking, entertaining visitors and informing them about the properties of glass and the history of glassmaking in Sunderland. Their reputation has attracted commissions from all over the UK, helping artists realise their ideas in glass, to restoring family heirlooms. They have preserved many historical artefacts from the region.

They are also dedicated to teaching their skills to others and generously share their vast experience and knowledge with students. They have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of glass and have adapted their work according to the changing economic climate. As well as being talented creative glassmakers, they have become role models for many young artists.

Brian Medhurst, 82, from Yelverton, has been awarded a BEM for services to the community in Yelverton,

In 1998 he founded the Yelvercare, a system of local volunteers who man a phone and respond to anyone in the catchment area who needs help such as transport, home visits or small DIY projects etc. Since its foundation, Yelvercare has conducted over 8000 tasks and has a volunteer base of 148 volunteers and 130 clients, many of whom are in need of regular use of the service. He has also been involved in the creation of a play park in Yelverton.

His tireless commitment to his community has resulted in children of all ages enjoying the one acre park. Through consultation, he has also established Yelverton's own cinema in the village hall. He sourced the funding of a fully functional cinema which operates throughout the year.

For several years he was also been the trustee of the Fortescue Garden Trust providing invaluable financial and investment advice. He also supports student gardeners and the work he has put in for the trust resulted in the garden being of great importance and benefit to the community, particularly the retired.

Brian said: It is really good news and the icing on the cake for me. I founded the charity 20 years ago, and five years ago we got the Queens Award for voluntary service, so this is the icing on the cake for me really to get this personal honour. The important thing is how much of a success we made this and it has been a great success.

It was a nice surprise to get this award. I am retiring at the end of the year so this has come at the perfect time. It is with great joy and delight that I this award."

A world-leading expert diabetes expert has been awarded the CBE in the Queen's birthday honours list for his work revolutionising diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.

Andrew Hattersley, Professor of Molecular Medicine at the University and a diabetes consultant at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, has won a string of international awards for his work in combining genetic diagnosis with clinical treatment to make a real difference for patients with genetic sub types of diabetes across the world.

Professor Hattersley and his colleague Professor Sian Ellard set up their molecular genetics laboratory in the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital to do both research and clinical diagnostic resting in 1995, and have built a team that has gained an international reputation for excellence.

Professor Hattersley discovered that some babies with the sub-type neonatal diabetes which is diagnosed before they are six months old - can be treated more effectively with a simple tablet than with daily multiple insulin injections. This discovery has changed international guidelines, and means these patients have better glucose control and better quality of life. In the last week they have received samples from England, Belgium, India and South Africa for this life changing diabetes test.

Professor Hattersley said: "I'm delighted and humbled to receive such a prestigious award. This recognises the outstanding contributions of my talented colleagues here at Exeter both in the diabetes and molecular genetics department at the hospital and in the research departments of the University of Exeter Medical School. . I feel privileged to work with such an excellent team, whose work has benefited tens of thousands of people worldwide."

Professor Sir Steve Smith, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, said: "I cannot think of anyone who deserves such an honour more than Professor Andrew Hattersley. His internationally-renowned research into the genetic causes of diabetes has literally transformed the lives of thousands of patients worldwide through the development of innovative treatments. Andrew is without doubt one of the preeminent clinical scientists in the UK, who has made major contributions in his field, revolutionising treatment. Andrew also nurtures talent in the next generation of researchers. He and his team have trained academics who have won countless awards. The whole University community offers Andrew our heartfelt congratulations."

The man behind some of the millions of government documents written on vellum, is made an MBE.

Wim Visscher, now semi-retired and living in Modbury in Devon, is a partner in the firm of William Cowley Parchment and Vellum Works, in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, and great-great grandson its founder.

The company Britain's only remaining vellum maker has been in the limelight recently because a parliamentary committee has controversially recommended switching to paper to save money.

Vellum, made from sheepskin, has been used to print the Magna Carta, the Domesday Book and thousands of other historical documents going back a millennium or more.

"Most of the millions of official documents written on vellum are still in good condition," Mr Visscher said.

Vellum and parchment are still used for important documents and high-end bookbinding.

He was nominated for his honour by Heritage Craft Association.

"It was a complete surprise," he said. "You work away in your own little corner of life. Mine is a very unusual business and hardly anyone knows about it."

Visit link:

Queen's Birthday Honours awarded to three deserving Devon heroes - Devon Live