A review of India’s GSLV rocket puts a hold on its next moon probe
A review of India’s troubled GSLV rocket has put a hold on its next moon probe.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
The solar-powered plane Solar Impulse made its maiden international flight on Friday
The solar-powered plane, Solar Impulse, made its maiden international flight on Friday.
Boeing’s Takeoff Torture Test for 747
An evening pause: How Boeing tests the brakes on its 747.
Bill Clinton calls for government agency to discredit political arguments and quash Internet rumors
Bill Clinton yesterday called for the creation of a government agency, either by the U.S or UN, to discredit bad political reporting and quash Internet rumors.
Doesn’t that sound just peachy keen: giving the government the power to correct and control political reporting.
On the way to the Cape
As I write this I am sitting in the back seat of Bob & Brenda Rose’s minivan as we drive down to Florida for Monday’s shuttle launch. We plan to arrive at Space View Park in Titusville around 8 pm Sunday to claim a good location for seating, waiting, and watching the launch. We will be about 11 miles away, but this park is considered one of the better locations for the general public, with a clear view of the launchpad.
Stay tuned for more updates!
world’s first mobility scooter display team to attempt to set a new world 24-hour distance record this weekend.
Members of the world’s first mobility scooter display team, the Red Wheelies, are attempting to set a new world 24-hour distance record this weekend.
White House Issues Another 200 ObamaCare Waivers
Why not give us all waivers and make the country happy? The White House issued another 200 ObamaCare waivers late Friday, bringing the total to almost 1400.
IPCC announces reforms for next report
The IPCC announced this week it has established new procedures in an effort to avoid the problems that occurred with the last report.
I remain very skeptical of these reforms, as well as anything this UN organization publishes. Consider this quote for example:
On the issue of citing non-peer-reviewed literature, such as reports from nongovernmental organizations and climate activists, the new procedures say that IPCC report authors can include such documents “as long as they are scientifically and technically valid. [emphasis mine]
How convenient. Decide that something written by Greenpeace is “scientifically and technically valid” and you can use it as evidence.
Refueling the empty tanks of communication satellites
Lisa Minnelli – “Losing my mind”
An evening pause: From 1989. Produced by the Pet Shop Boys.
Social Security and Medicare running out of funds sooner than expected
Surprise surprise! Social Security and Medicare are running out of funds sooner than expected.
Another sign of tight NASA budgets ahead
From Jeff Foust: Another sign of tight budgets ahead.
The possibility that NASA’s budget might cut by several billion doesn’t bother me a bit. Unlike it seems everyone else, I ain’t gonna be one of those who says “We need to cut the federal budget, but just don’t cut MY favorite program.” NASA shouldn’t be immune to cuts. In fact, NASA could easily lose the several billion dollars per year that’s going to be wasted on the program-formerly-called-Constellation.
And if Congress decided to cut the subsidies to the new commercial space companies as well, I probably wouldn’t cry that much over that either. I think these companies can make it on their own. I think there is a market for their product. By taking NASA’s money up front, they are then forced to take NASA supervision, something I think will be very damaging in the long run.
Countdown begins for Monday shuttle launch
The countdown has begun for Monday’s shuttle launch.
If all goes well, I will be there to watch it (albeit from 11 miles away). Right now mission controllers estimate a 70% chance of liftoff, depending on the weather.
GOP denies TSA money to buy more body scanners
The House budget for the TSA has deleted funding for more body scanners.
Though I think denying the TSA this money is a good thing, this paragraph from the article stood out to me:
The measure includes $7.8 billion for the TSA, which Republicans said was a $125 million increase from current levels but $293 million less than the administration’s budget request.
In 2008 the TSA’s budget was approximately $6.99 billion. Considering how the Republicans wanted to bring spending back to 2008 levels, how can we take them seriously about getting control of the deficit if they agree to an overall budget increase for the TSA?
GOP senators focus on entitlement cuts
More debt ceiling negotiations: GOP senators focused on entitlement cuts in a meeting with Obama on Thursday. I found this quote quite intriguing and a refreshing change from previous such meetings:
Obama was careful not to dominate the meeting, according to Republican senators who attended. The president opened the session with brief remarks and spent most of the session listening to lawmakers’ concerns and responding to their arguments.
Americans Oppose Raising Debt Ceiling, 47% to 19%
According to a new Gallup poll, Americans oppose raising the debt ceiling by 47% to 19%.
But are those same Americans willing to accept the spending cuts that will be required at the same time? I wonder.
Another successful test flight of SpaceShipTwo
Another successful test flight of SpaceShipTwo took place on Tuesday. Via Clark Lindsey.
One of Fukushima’s nuclear reactors did suffer a nuclear meltdown
It was revealed today that one of Fukushima’s nuclear reactors did suffer a nuclear meltdown.
As serious as this truly is, please note that the world hasn’t ended. Nor has anyone yet died from this nuclear power plant failure.
The strange egg-shaped dwarf planet Haumea is apparently also covered with ice
Truly alien: The strange egg-shaped dwarf planet Haumea is apparently also covered with crystallised ice.
“Since solar radiation constantly destroys the crystalline structure of ice on the surface, energy sources are required to keep it organized. The two that we have taken into consideration are that able to generate radiogenic elements (potassium-40, thorium-232 and uranium-238) from the inside, and the tidal forces between Haumea and its satellites,” [explained] Benoit Carry, co-author of the study and a researcher at the ESAC Centre of the European Space Agency (ESA) in Madrid (Spain).
The finale from 42nd Street
An evening pause: The finale from the movie 42nd Street (1933). Stay with it, as it gets better and better.