3rd spacewalk planned to finish repairs
NASA said late yesterday that a third spacewalk will be needed to finish the replacement of the failed pump module in the station’s cooling system.
Category: Points of Information
Very brief descriptions, with appropriate links, of current or recent news items.
First spacewalk to replace pump module
The first spacewalk to replace the failed pump module on ISS is finished, and it did not go as well as hoped. The astronauts had problems removing one of four cooling system ammonia lines to the old pump. They eventually succeeded, actually using a hammer to lightly tap the quick-disconnect latch free. They then had to seal an ammonia leak coming from the problematic line. These issues caused them to run out of time, preventing them from removing the old pump and installing the new one. It is expected they will pick up where they left off on the next spacewalk, presently scheduled for Wednesday.
Boeing’s private space plans
Boeing has released more details describing its own manned commercial space capsule.
PG police kill another dog
Yesterday a sheriff’s deputy from Prince George’s County, Maryland, shot and killed a family dog while trying to serve an eviction notice. This comes two years after a mistaken raid by Prince George’s police of the home of the mayor of Berwyn Heights killed his two dogs. Key quote:
[Mayor] Calvo, who is suing Sheriff Michael A. Jackson, alleging his deputies engaged in excessive force when they killed his dogs, said deputies have shown a disturbing propensity to kill family pets. “This is part of a pattern,” Calvo said. From 2005 to 2008, deputies shot at least nine dogs in eight incidents, according to sheriff’s department records.
The real horror of this story for those of us who live in Prince George’s County and own dogs (as I do) is that Michael Jackson is running for county executive, and in some polls, is leading the pack.
Funnel cloud over Kennedy Space Center
Yikes! A funnel cloud hovered over the space shuttle’s launch pad today, setting off tornado sirens. Fortunately, it did not touch down.
Scientists have plans to go to killer asteroid
Talk about thinking ahead! Since 2007 a team of scientists have actually been planning a mission to 1999 RQ36, the asteroid that has a 1 in 1000 chance of hitting the Earth in 2182. Their mission, dubbed OSIRIS-Rex (Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer), has already been picked as one of two finalists in NASA’s New Frontiers program. The decision on which mission NASA will fund will be made next summer.
Russian accuses U.S. of causing heat wave
Let’s have some conspiracy silliness. A Russian political scientist is claiming that the U.S. military “is using climate-change weapons to alter the temperatures and crop yields of Russia and other Central Asian countries.”
Ohio officials try to silence blogger
Freedom of speech alert. Ohio officials are trying to silence a blogger by claiming that he somehow violated campaign finance laws.
Bat extinctions
An article today in Science describes how scientists now believe that white nose syndrome is probably going to cause the extinction of the little brown myotis bat. Key quote from the press release:
The researchers determined that there is a 99 percent chance of regional extinction of little brown myotis within the next 20 years if mortality and spread of the disease continue unabated. They note that several other bat species may also face a similar risk.
The unemployment situation, August 2010
These charts say it all: Unemployment remains high with the economy stagnant.
Boeing cutting metal on its new capsule
Boeing is cutting metal on own privately funded new space capsule, planned for completion in 2015. Key quote:
“We’re at a point in the development of human spaceflight where there’s a market emerging beyond the ISS, beyond NASA,” John Elbon, Boeing’s vice president for commercial space programs, said in a briefing Thursday. “And that piece of this is really exciting as well.”
Social Security in red
But will we do anything about it? In 2009 Social Security will be in the red for the first time since the last legislative overhaul in 1983.
Camden, NJ, threatens to close libraries
Decline and fall? Out of cash, Camden, New Jersey, is going to close all three of its public libraries on December 31.
For the First Time Ever, Scientists Watch an Atom’s Electrons Moving in Real Time
For the first time, scientists watch an atom’s electrons moving in real time.
Japan importing missile system
In a break from its ban on selling military weapons, Japan is considering exporting its Standard Missile-3 missile system.
Senate passes NASA budget
The Senate last night passed its version of NASA’s authorization. You can read the authorization bill here [pdf]. It appears that the bill favors the development of a government-built heavy-lift rocket, and sets the deadline for its launch as 2016, though providing less money for the effort than under the Constellation program.
Texas responds to EPA’s effort to regulate CO2
In a letter response to the EPA’s effort to regulate carbon dioxide emissions, Texas has essentially told the EPA to go to hell. Three key quotes from the letter:
In order to deter challenges to your plan for centralized control of industrialized development through the issuance of permits for greenhouse gases, you have called upon each state to declare its allegiance to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recently enacated greenhouse gas regulations — regulations that are plainly contrary to United State law. ….. To encourage acquiesence with your unsupported findings you threaten to usurp state enforcment authority and to federalize the permitting program of any state that fails to pledge their fealty to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [emphasis mine]
The State of Texas does not believe the EPA’s “suggested” approach comports with the rule of law.
Texas will not facilitate EPA’s apparent attempt to thwart these established procedures and ignore the law.
Seven year old’s lemonade shut down by inspector
Government by the stupid. A health inspector in Portland, Oregon, forced a seven year old to shut down her lemonade stand last week or face fines of $500.
SpaceX outlines its plans for beyond Earth orbit
At an aerospace industry conference last week SpaceX outlined the company’s plans for building its own heavy-lift rocket, as well as their long range exploration goals. Key quote from rocket development facility director Tom Markusic: “Mars is the ultimate goal of SpaceX.”
Moon is dry
Scientists studying Apollo lunar samples have found evidence that most of the Moon appears very dry, with no water at all. These results obviously contradict the recent findings of water in the craters near the lunar poles, and will require some explaining.