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NASA's Kepler Mission Extended For Two Years
An anonymous reader writes "A report just released from NASA's senior review panel recommends extending the Kepler mission(Pdf), initially for two years. 'Kepler is not only a unique source of exoplanet discoveries, but also an organizing and rallying point for exo-planet research. It has enabled remarkable stellar science." The scaled-down budget for the extended mission was broadly expected to include funding only for continued operations and management, with no funding for science. Astronomers have already started seeking private funding to continue their Kepler-related work, through crowd-funding websites like PetriDish and FundaGeek, as well as through the non-profit Pale Blue Dot project."
The United States Air Force started out as a part of the U.S. Amry Signal Corps, and later evolved into the Army Air Corp... being commanded by a Captain (army... equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Navy) when that was formed no less. Many other countries also followed a similar pattern.
There was talk right before the Gulf War for the U.S. Army to take over the duties of flying and maintaining the A-10 fighters and perhaps even reconstituting the Army Air Corps (when went over like a lead balloon with the USAF). Army fighter planes aren't exactly a new idea and you can't say they don't exist. Nearly 100,000 men died in World War II wearing U.S. Army uniforms while flying/piloting airplanes and it disgraces their memory to suggest they never existed.
Or more likely I simply should have said something short and pity in response: Whoosh!