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New NASA Budget Woes
Abcd1234 writes "The last few months have seen NASA the focal point of high drama, the most obvious example being the controversy surrounding the next Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Well, the drama continues with NASA reporting to a Senate subcommitee that it currently faces a $2 billion budget shortfall which could result in the downsizing, delaying, or outright cancellation of a number of NASA missions, including the Space Interferometry Mission and Terrestrial Planet Finder, which may be delayed, and the James Webb Space Telescope, often cited as the successor to the HST, which faces potential cancellation. Among the reasons for the shortfall: cost overruns in a number of missions, including the shuttle return-to-flight program, resumption of the Hubble servicing mission, and mandated congressional expenditures (a.k.a 'pork')."
Apparently the increment provbided by bush was for only mars exploration by humans.
So other areas of NASA still require funding from other areas or other areas of the government.
Spotlight For Windows
Incorrect. The JWST hasn't even started major construction, and the estimated (and optimistic) launch date is late 2011.
Hubble is a bird in the hand, and the JWST is two birds flying around in the future, and part of an organization that routinely starts and cancels projects.
Don't count your telescopes before they've hatched.
Geeze, why does /. keep on linking to physorg, which has crappy articles and no links to real information about stuff.
Here's a more in depth article on X-bit [xbitlabs.com]. NanoCoolers has a pretty in depth description [nanocoolers.com] of the product. It's basically a watercooling loop but using a molten metal. The really cool part is that because the metal is obviously electrically conductive, they're using a DC current combined with some magnets to take advantage of Lorentz force [gsu.edu] to propel the fluid.
It is a civilian agency with the primary purpose to explore space and research aeronautics advances for the benefit of all mankind. Sure they also launch some shit into space for the military, but primarily NASA is interested in advancing mankind.
As to the fallacy that the republican party cares about the deficit, well, here is the record. That is not to say that the democrats care. If they did, then they would have put pressure on GWB to continue with a balance budgeting. Instead, as the budget approached zero deficit, they pushed to increase spending, while the republicans pushed to cut taxes. The graph says it all.
As to losing congress, that was a multi-year campaign
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
> using inelegant but practical solutions like kerosene rocket fuel.
Yeah, really inelegant in Apollo too! The first stage engines burned liquid oxygen and RP-1 (kerosene).
The Soviets tended to use hypergolic fuels, in which two components were mixed and would spontaneously combust. This reduced the need for complex ignition systems and makes for lighter engines. The Apollo lunar module also made use of hypergolic propellants.
Patent litigation: A doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction... in which everyone seems willing to push the button
Having been to Talkeetna, population 300, it should be noted that its a major outfitter's location, with bush flights coming in and out all the time. Only 300, but a zillion people go through there every year ...
I am very easy to get along with, but I don't have time to waste being nice to people who are being stupid. -Theo