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Mars Express launch today
mikerich writes "The European Space Agency and the Russian Space Agency will launch the Mars Express spaceprobe today using a Soyuz-Fregat out of Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Launch is scheduled for 17.45 UT (18.45 BST), so far all preparations have gone smoothly and the forecast is excellent.
The launch will be streamed over the Web by ESA.
Mars Express consists of two components, a large Martian orbiter which will be searching for sub-surface water and studying the Martian atmosphere. Its seven science packages have been built by teams from Europe, Russia, the United States, Japan, and China. Amongst the science packages is a radar for studying geological structures. Mars Express will map most of the planet in high-resolution colour stereoscopic 3D and perform a high-resolution mineralogical survey of the planet.
Mars Express is also carrying the tiny Beagle 2 lander designed by a team led by Professor Colin Pillinger of the Open University. Beagle 2 is Britain's first planetary space probe and designed specifically to look for life using the most advanced techniques currently available.
For those in the UK, the story of Beagle 2 is being told on BBC 2 on Monday 2nd June at 23:20."
Dan B. writes "The BBC is running an article on the European 'Mars Express', Europe's first interplanetary rocket. This is the first of three probes heading to the Red Planet this Summer, as it nears it's closest point from the Earth in thousands of years."
Quote: "using a Soyuz-Fregat out of Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan"
They've obviously encrypted the name of the equipment and launch location,
could this be due to the tired old parole of "national security"?
Many of us _hate_ you? Whatever gave you that idea?
Gee, I don't know. . . maybe all of the snotty Europeans posting about how we deserved the WTC attack? Or the ones who feel the need to remind us about American imperialism in every other thread (conveniently ignoring the far worse effects of European imperialism)? Or the ones who like to tell me I'm living in a police state? The level of contempt I see is appalling. I've known and worked with a number of Europeans, and even though they'd come to the US to do research they still hated the place and never missed a chance to remind me, even as they took advantage of our low gas prices and omnipresent pop culture.
It is certainly true many Europeans are not major fans of your current leadership, but frankly most of us hope you will eventually regain your senses and vote someone more sensible into the white house.
Unlike, say, the Germans, who just re-elected Schroeder.
I didn't realize American perception of Europe can be so wrong. What do you think of when someone mentions Europe?
Pretty much all we hear out of Europe nowadays is how much we suck, so this shouldn't be such a shock to you. Perhaps if you spent less time patronizing us you'd make a better impression. And from my experience, among educated people the European perception of America is generally far worse.
Having actually been to Europe a couple of times, and having had friends from Europe, I have no particular antipathy towards Europeans. There are parts of it I'd quite like to live in. I do suspect, however, that in certain countries (France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, etc.) I would be constantly asked if I'd moved to get away from my fellow Americans, and treated like the village idiot.
If I were to move, I'd live in one of the former Russian colonies (Czech Republic would be nice), where they haven't been free long enough to become arrogant, and where American pop culture hasn't penetrated very far.
maybe all of the snotty Europeans posting about how we deserved the WTC attack? Or the ones who feel the need to remind us about American imperialism in every other thread (conveniently ignoring the far worse effects of European imperialism)?
I'd challenge you to find any normal European who said that the US deserved 11/9. I'd also challenge you to find a European who would justify historic European imperialism and who would support it now. The fact that most Brits were not behind their own government in it's recent actions supporting imperialism would indicate the opposite.
Unlike, say, the Germans, who just re-elected Schroeder.
A leader who stands up for the views of his people and has (as far as I know) not ever invaded another country based on fabricated evidence.
Perhaps if you spent less time patronizing us you'd make a better impression.
Of course no American is guilty of that - especially not that arrogant piece of sh*t Rumsfeld who began the attempt at diplomacy by insulting most European leaders?
However, until I meet a majority of Europeans that don't openly say they hate us, we're imperialistic, we deserved 9/11, we're shallow and ignorant, then I will have to think that the majority of Europeans truly do hate us. Consider it my own personal straw poll.
I'll bite. (Brit living in the US).
"they hate us"
Nope, never met an individual American that I've hated. I have mixed feelings about America as a as a political entity, but (a) that's a long way from hate, and (b) also true for any country you could name, including the one I was born in.
"we're imperialistic"
Not in the same way as colonial Europe was, certainly, though there's a definite tendency to what used to be termed "gunboat diplomacy" when practiced by the British. However, there's also a tendency in the US to talk a lot about the evils of European colonialism whilst conveniently ignoring what happened over here post-1776. At least the European powers eventually gave most (if not all) of the land back to the people they took it from, rather than making sure that there were not enough of the original owners left to complain, and both slavery and apartheid were abandoned in Europe long before the US. Maybe the reason the "imperialist" tag gets thrown at the US nowadays is that it is so often thrown by the US at (historical) Europe in such a hypocritical fashion.we deserved 9/11
Nope, innocent people never deserve to die. I can *understand* (to some extent) why it happened - but that is a long way from saying it was right. I suspect (and this is just opinion based on my experience in the US) that there are more Americans that will say that the UK deserved the hundreds of terrorists acts committed by the IRA than Europeans that will say that the US deserved 9/11.
we're shallow and ignorant
I've met hundreds of Americans who are neither shallow nor ignorant, and very few who are either. The reason that the US is perceived as shallow and ignorant - apart from the current President's unique linguistic style - is that its popular culture is so much more widely exported. Popular cultures everywhere tend to the lowest common denominator.
So, in summary, (a) I don't feel that any of those statements apply to Americans (as individuals), but the picture is a little greyer (but only a little) when talking about the US as a political entity rather than a collection of people; and (b) I like the US well enough to choose to live here and have met many Americans I like and very few that I dislike. (Plus, your women just *love* English accents...)
What would Lemmy do?