Curiosity has drilled its first hole.
Curiosity has drilled its first hole.
Curiosity has drilled its first hole.
Author: Robert Zimmerman
Curiosity has drilled its first hole.
Boeing has sued Sea Launch for $350 million
More bad news for Sea Launch: Boeing has sued the Russian company for $350 million.
This is a separate issue than Sea Launch’s failed launch earlier this week, which makes it even worse for the company.
More bad news for Sea Launch: Boeing has sued the Russian company for $350 million.
This is a separate issue than Sea Launch’s failed launch earlier this week, which makes it even worse for the company.
Elton John and Billy Joel – Piano Man live
An asteroid will miss the Earth by 15,000 miles on Friday
Chicken Little report: An asteroid will miss the Earth by only 15,000 miles on Friday.
Chicken Little report: An asteroid will miss the Earth by only 15,000 miles on Friday.
An image mismatch raises questions about Iran’s monkey in space
An image mismatch raises questions about Iran’s monkey in space.
An image mismatch raises questions about Iran’s monkey in space.
ABBA – The Winner Takes It All (1980)
Idan Raichel Project – Mimaamakim (Out of the depth)
Staying in the West Bank
This is my second visit to Israel and the second time I have stayed in a residence in the West Bank. Both times the experience has been quite different than what anyone who reads the modern press would expect. It is nothing like what you think.
Also, I have been delving into the background of both settlements, from this visit as well as my last visit back in 2003. Not surprisingly, the facts have little to do with what the press generally reports. And even when they do report honestly, they simply do not provide the important information that would provide some proper context. I myself have been astonished today with some of what I learned, as it was completely unexpected. For example, do you know that many of the land records for here in the West Bank are still kept in Istanbul, Turkey?
As I mentioned previously, however, it is difficult to post here in Israel. Though the internet service is fine, my laptop is beginning to show its age and to function too slowly for this work. Also, I want to include pictures, and I won’t be able to add them easily probably until I get home.
So stay tuned. It will be worthwhile reading.
An engine shutdown shortly after the lift off of a Sea Launch rocket destroyed an Intelsat satellite on Friday.
An engine shutdown shortly after the lift off of a Sea Launch rocket destroyed an Intelsat satellite on Friday.
This is very bad news for Sea Launch and its Russian Zenit rocket.
An engine shutdown shortly after the lift off of a Sea Launch rocket destroyed an Intelsat satellite on Friday.
This is very bad news for Sea Launch and its Russian Zenit rocket.
The Swingle Singers – Lady Madonna
In Israel
After a plane journey that took far longer than it should, I have finally arrived at my brother and sister-in-law’s place in Israel. It is rainy, windy, and colder than normal. Yuch.
The Sabbath begins shortly, so I will be off line until tomorrow. On Sunday I will be doing some sightseeing with family. Posting will be difficult here, but if I have the chance I will. If not, I will write up something when I get home.
Mathieu Bich fools Penn & Teller
Sierra Nevada hires Lockheed Martin
The competition heats up: Sierra Nevada has hired Lockheed Martin to help man-rate its Dream Chaser manned space shuttle.
In related news, drop tests of Dream Chaser are now expected to begin within the next six to eight weeks.
The competition heats up: Sierra Nevada has hired Lockheed Martin to help man-rate its Dream Chaser manned space shuttle.
In related news, drop tests of Dream Chaser are now expected to begin within the next six to eight weeks.
SpaceX has signed a contract to launch an Israeli satellite.
The competition heats up: SpaceX has signed a contract to launch an Israeli communications satellite.
The competition heats up: SpaceX has signed a contract to launch an Israeli communications satellite.
South Korea successfully launched its first satellite, using its own rocket, on Wednesday.
The competition heats up: South Korea successfully launched its first satellite, using its own rocket, on Wednesday.
The first stage was built by Russia, but everything else was produced in South Korea.
The competition heats up: South Korea successfully launched its first satellite, using its own rocket, on Wednesday.
The first stage was built by Russia, but everything else was produced in South Korea.
Stuck in Atlanta
First of all, thank you to all who have donated money to Behind the Black. You cannot imagine how much this is appreciated.
Second, I am stuck in Atlanta due to bad weather, including a tornado, plus the typical lies of airport employees. Had the Delta airline agents told me the truth about the bad weather in Atlanta when I was still in Phoenix, I would have grabbed a different flight to get to New York and make my flight to Israel. Instead, they lied — a typical behavior I have found from too many airline customer service agents — and told me I would have no trouble meeting my New York connection. I didn’t. They lied. GRRR.
Anyway, as I am here I have decided to try to take advantage of the delay to begin the tedious process of adjusting to Israeli time, getting up at 3 am, which is 10 am in Israel. Hopefully this will make the transition in Israel much easier.
Sheena Easton – For Your Eyes Only
Off to Israel
For the next week my posting might be lighter than usual. Today I am heading to Israel to visit family and do a bit of sightseeing. Whether I have sufficient access to the internet to keep up with events as well as continue to post will not be clear until I get there and get settled in.
In the meantime, I will also be celebrating my sixtieth birthday while in Israel. If you have been a regular reader of Behind the Black and would like to help me celebrate this milestone with a donation to the website, I would be most grateful. The tip jar is located at the bottom of the right column, just below the search box.
Kepler is back in operation after a ten day rest to safe the mission.
Kepler is back in operation after a ten day rest to save the mission.
When Kepler launched in March 2009, it had four reaction wheels — three for immediate use, and one spare. But one wheel (known as number two) failed in July 2012, so a major problem with the currently glitchy wheel (called number four) could spell the end of the $600 million Kepler mission. It’s unknown at the moment if the 10-day rest period will bring wheel number four back into line. “Over the next month, the engineering team will review the performance of reaction wheel #4 before, during and after the safe mode to determine the efficacy of the rest operation,” Hunter wrote.
Kepler is back in operation after a ten day rest to save the mission.
When Kepler launched in March 2009, it had four reaction wheels — three for immediate use, and one spare. But one wheel (known as number two) failed in July 2012, so a major problem with the currently glitchy wheel (called number four) could spell the end of the $600 million Kepler mission. It’s unknown at the moment if the 10-day rest period will bring wheel number four back into line. “Over the next month, the engineering team will review the performance of reaction wheel #4 before, during and after the safe mode to determine the efficacy of the rest operation,” Hunter wrote.
Cailyn Lloyd – Nocturne
A NASA experiment should produce a light show for those on the east coast tonight.
A NASA experiment should produce a light show for those on the east coast tonight.
A NASA experiment should produce a light show for those on the east coast tonight.
Resistance to a new gun control law in New York appears to be rising.
Resistance to a new gun control law in New York appears to be rising.
This is what happens when you make the normal activity of ordinary citizens illegal. You breed contempt for the law, which in turn make it even less effective in doing what it is supposed to do.
Resistance to a new gun control law in New York appears to be rising.
This is what happens when you make the normal activity of ordinary citizens illegal. You breed contempt for the law, which in turn make it even less effective in doing what it is supposed to do.
Virgin Galactic has begun paying rent — under protest — for its use of a New Mexico spaceport.
Virgin Galactic has begun paying rent — under protest — for its use of a New Mexico spaceport.
Virgin Galactic has begun paying rent — under protest — for its use of a New Mexico spaceport.
Enya – Amarantine
Iran today claimed it has successfully flown a monkey on a suborbital rocket flight.
Iran today claimed it has successfully flown a monkey on a suborbital rocket flight.
The only sources for this story come from Iranian sources, so I remain unsure whether it actually happened.
Iran today claimed it has successfully flown a monkey on a suborbital rocket flight.
The only sources for this story come from Iranian sources, so I remain unsure whether it actually happened.
Norwegian scientists admit that the climate has shown no warming since 2000.
Norwegian scientists admit that the climate has shown no warming since 2000.
They then spend a lot of time trying to explain this — and failing — in the context of the theory of global warming. The bottom line remains, however. All the predictions and models of the global warming advocates have been shown to be wrong. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has continued to rise, without causing any increase in global climate temperature.
Or to put it plainly: We don’t know what’s going on.
Norwegian scientists admit that the climate has shown no warming since 2000.
They then spend a lot of time trying to explain this — and failing — in the context of the theory of global warming. The bottom line remains, however. All the predictions and models of the global warming advocates have been shown to be wrong. Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has continued to rise, without causing any increase in global climate temperature.
Or to put it plainly: We don’t know what’s going on.
An American team has successfully obtained samples from Lake Whillans, buried half a mile under the Antarctic icecap.
More Antarctica news: An American team has successfully obtained samples from Lake Whillans, buried half a mile under the Antarctic icecap.
More Antarctica news: An American team has successfully obtained samples from Lake Whillans, buried half a mile under the Antarctic icecap.
No survivors in Antarctica airplane crash
No survivors from last week’s Antarctica airplane crash.
No survivors from last week’s Antarctica airplane crash.
Sarah McLachlan – Song for a Winter’s Night
An evening pause: For Diane, on our anniversary. The words and music are by Gordon Lightfoot, but this is a particularly beautiful version by Sarah McLachlan.
The robotic refueling demo on ISS successfully did a simulated refueling on Friday.
The robotic refueling demo on ISS successfully did a simulated refueling of a satellite on Friday.
The robotic refueling demo on ISS successfully did a simulated refueling of a satellite on Friday.