From Hubble Space Telescope pictures to the vocabulary used to describe the stars, astronomers and the media are coloring our universe, and they've been doing it for decades. While not intended to deceive, the efforts can range from the overly subjective to the absurd.
Slate explains that the raw images from space telescopes are colored with Photoshop before they are released to the public. The 'Pillars of Creation' shows the difference that color makes. You can download the free Photoshop plug-in to color your own images.
It has been 29 months since Columbia was lost over East Texas in February 2003. Seven
months after the accident, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) released the
first volume of its final report, citing a variety of technical, managerial, and cultural issues
within NASA and the Space Shuttle Program. To their credit, NASA offered few excuses,
embraced the report, and set about correcting the deficiencies noted by the accident board. Of
the 29 recommendations issued by the CAIB, 15 were deemed critical enough that the
accident board believed they should be implemented prior to returning the Space Shuttle fleet
to flight. Some of these recommendations were relatively easy, most were straightforward, a
few bordered on the impossible, and others have been largely overcome by events, especially
with the decision by the President to retire the Space Shuttle by 2010.
The Return to Flight Task Group (RTF TG) was chartered by the NASA Administrator in July
2003 to provide an independent assessment of the implementation of the 15 CAIB return-toflight
recommendations. An important observation must be stated up-front: neither the CAIB
nor the RTF TG believes that all risk can be eliminated from Space Shuttle operations; nor do
we believe that the Space Shuttle is inherently unsafe. What the CAIB and RTF TG do
believe, however, is that NASA and the American public need to understand the risks
associated with space travel, and make every reasonable effort to minimize such risk.
Since the release of the CAIB report, NASA and the Space Shuttle Program have expended
enormous effort and resources toward correcting the causes of the accident and preparing to
fly again. Relative to the 15 specific recommendations that the CAIB indicated should be
implemented prior to returning to flight, NASA has met or exceeded most of them - the Task
Group believes that NASA has fully met the intent of the CAIB for 12 of these
recommendations. The remaining three recommendations were so challenging that NASA
could not completely comply with the intent of the CAIB, but conducted extensive study,
analyses, hardware modifications, design certifications and made substantive progress.
However, the inability to fully comply with all of the CAIB recommendations should not
imply that the Space Shuttle is unsafe.
Not just spacecraft: Earth microbes can hitch a ride to Mars on meteorites, too.
Just as meteorites from Mars are found on Earth (eg. in Antarctica), meteorites from Earth may reach Mars, and these meteorites may carry microbes. Some scientists think there's an exchange of biological material between the two planets.
KIRK: Captain's Log, Stardate 6051: Had trouble sleeping last night; my hiatal hernia is acting up. The ship is drafty and damp. I complain, but nobody listens.
SULU: Captain, Klingons off the starboard bow.
KIRK: [covering his face in annoyance] Again with the Klingons... Scotty, give me full power.
SCOTTY: It's no use, captain; I canna' reach the control panel!
I know this is going to start a huge flame war, but seriously - what good has the space program done for mankind? Anything other than cure our lust for knowledge of the unknown?
NASA has a good record of recovering after a tragedy.
If you take the Apollo program as an example, the very first Apollo mission was a disaster with three astronauts killed. And yet after that, the Apollo missions were great successes (although Apollo 13 was a close call, of course).
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched with a faulty mirror, but this was fixed and Hubble's become a great success, too.
The shuttle program will probably go the same way.
Best of all would be to transplant our consciousness into durable robotic chassis with interchangeable/hot-swappable components...
We're starting to do this already. We're transplanting people into durable spaceships/space stations/space habitats made up of modules/components.
...so that we can effectively live forever and survive anywhere.
The individual can't live forever yet, but if we colonize the solar system, at least the species can.
Survive anywhere: well, maybe not everywhere, but how about the moon and Mars for starters?
The CNN article quotes Dr. Bernard Foing talking about a permanent, manned lunar colony with a tissue/DNA repository:
We hope to have the first manned mission to the moon by 2020.
Perhaps five years later it would be possible to establish a permanent lunar base with a closed biosphere where a crew of 10 people could live for 100 days at a time.
There we could conduct experiments and learn to be independent of Earth by living off the moon's resources: by using solar energy and the minerals from the soil.
The next project would be to build a real community on the moon comprising hundreds of people of both sexes.
In the event of a catastrophe on Earth -- either caused by a nuclear attack or an asteroid collision, which we hope would not happen -- using samples of all organisms and a DNA repository, a Noah's Ark could be used to repopulate Earth when it was safe to return.
The tissue/DNA library part of the lunar colony would probably be based on the Frozen Ark project announced in July, 2004.
"We found that the scores of almost everything went down, and the score of one of the signals went up," Anderson said. That signal was SHGb02+14a.
"But that doesn't actually mean that that's an E.T. signal," Anderson added. "First of all, statistically, from the assumption that we're looking at white noise, you'd expect one of the scores to go up. Secondly, the parameters of that signal that did go up pretty much rule out the possibility of it being an E.T. signal."
The signal exhibited a rapid shift in frequency -- behavior that is indeed a mystery. But the shifting signal is more likely explainable as a ground-based glitch, an anomalous satellite transmission or a natural space phenomenon. There's a "very low probability" that the signal would fit the profile for an intentional transmission from E.T., Anderson said.
Anderson said he downplayed the signal in his interview with the New Scientist's reporter earlier this week. "If she got the idea that that was a promising signal, she got the wrong impression," he said.
There are those who have different points of view about what our goals should be in space. Some are interested in science or just the beauty of an alien landscape; they are satisfied looking vicariously through the eyes of a machine; others feel the need to actually walk those alien landscapes, or send human proxies. Still others believe that human destiny is in the stars and we must expand into the universe to survive. I guess we need to work together, and tolerate each other's motivations.
Benjamin Franklin put it more succinctly: "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately."
The international space station could be expanded beyond its current three crew-member capacity by the end of the decade under an agreement reached Friday by the station's 16 partners.
NASA and its space partners on Friday approved a scaled-down International Space Station with fewer astronauts and less science so the United States can meet a 2010 deadline for ending shuttle flights, a top NASA official said.
Space agencies in Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan gave unanimous approval to a NASA plan that means the orbiting platform, now about half completed, will never become the beehive of scientific and commercial research once envisaged.
AP is positive, focusing on the increase in crew, while Reuters is negative, focusing on the decrease in planned crew.
It's interesting to see how two supposedly neutral factual articles can treat the same news so differently.
Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G) is booking seats for Vomit-Comet-like weightless flights. The 'ZERO-G Experience' has 20 parabolas--made up of Martian (1/3 gravity), lunar (1/6 gravity) and zero gravity parabolas--and costs $2,950 per seat. Peter Diamandis (founder of the Ansari X Prize) is the CEO.
Martin Rees predicts: "By 2020, bioterror or bioerror will lead to one million casualties in a single event."
Biotechnology is plainly advancing rapidly, and by 2020 there will be thousands-even millions-of people with the capability to cause a catastrophic biological disaster. My concern is not only organized terrorist groups, but individual wierdos with the mindset of the people who now design computer viruses. Even if all nations impose effective regulations on potentially dangerous technologies, the cyhance of an active enforcement seems to me as small as in the case of the drug laws.
By "bioerror", I mean something which has the same effect as a terror attack, but rises from inadvertance rather than evil intent.
Our first program, Elevator:2010, is a public challenge centered around the Space Elevator concept, offering a substantial prize for the first laser-powered tether climbing demonstration that can meet a specific criteria.
The challenge is intended to be difficult (hence the 2010 deadline) and physically impressive - using a several miles high balloon-suspended tether, and a beamed-power system larger than has been built to date.
Around this challenge, we intend to create a comprehensive program with significant presence at technology and science museums, as well as public events (such as fairs and air shows), featuring smaller-scale displays and competitions, and allowing for individual hands-on participation at all levels, from high-school teams to private enthusiasts.
Slashdot Mirror
Kim Jong Il: Hans Brix? Oh no! Oh, herro. Great to see you again, Hans!
Hans Blix: Mr. Il, I was supposed to be allowed to inspect your palace today, but your guards won't let me enter certain areas.
Kim Jong Il: Hans, Hans, Hans! We've been frew this a dozen times. I don't have any weapons of mass destwuction, OK Hans?
Hans Blix: Then let me look around, so I can ease the UN's collective mind. I'm sorry, but the UN must be firm with you. Let me in, or else.
Kim Jong Il: Or else what?
Hans Blix: Or else we will be very angry with you... and we will write you a letter, telling you how angry we are.
Kim Jong Il: OK, Hans. I'll show you. Stand to your reft.
Hans Blix: [Moves to the left]
Kim Jong Il: A rittle more.
Hans Blix: [Moves to the left again]
Kim Jong Il: Good.
[Opens up trap, Hans falls in]
This reminds me of this issue:
Slate explains that the raw images from space telescopes are colored with Photoshop before they are released to the public. The 'Pillars of Creation' shows the difference that color makes. You can download the free Photoshop plug-in to color your own images.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
It has been 29 months since Columbia was lost over East Texas in February 2003. Seven months after the accident, the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) released the first volume of its final report, citing a variety of technical, managerial, and cultural issues within NASA and the Space Shuttle Program. To their credit, NASA offered few excuses, embraced the report, and set about correcting the deficiencies noted by the accident board. Of the 29 recommendations issued by the CAIB, 15 were deemed critical enough that the accident board believed they should be implemented prior to returning the Space Shuttle fleet to flight. Some of these recommendations were relatively easy, most were straightforward, a few bordered on the impossible, and others have been largely overcome by events, especially with the decision by the President to retire the Space Shuttle by 2010.
The Return to Flight Task Group (RTF TG) was chartered by the NASA Administrator in July 2003 to provide an independent assessment of the implementation of the 15 CAIB return-toflight recommendations. An important observation must be stated up-front: neither the CAIB nor the RTF TG believes that all risk can be eliminated from Space Shuttle operations; nor do we believe that the Space Shuttle is inherently unsafe. What the CAIB and RTF TG do believe, however, is that NASA and the American public need to understand the risks associated with space travel, and make every reasonable effort to minimize such risk.
Since the release of the CAIB report, NASA and the Space Shuttle Program have expended enormous effort and resources toward correcting the causes of the accident and preparing to fly again. Relative to the 15 specific recommendations that the CAIB indicated should be implemented prior to returning to flight, NASA has met or exceeded most of them - the Task Group believes that NASA has fully met the intent of the CAIB for 12 of these recommendations. The remaining three recommendations were so challenging that NASA could not completely comply with the intent of the CAIB, but conducted extensive study, analyses, hardware modifications, design certifications and made substantive progress. However, the inability to fully comply with all of the CAIB recommendations should not imply that the Space Shuttle is unsafe.
"Who finds it ironic that Nature charges for access to an article championing free access to information?"
Mother Nature.
Not just spacecraft: Earth microbes can hitch a ride to Mars on meteorites, too.
Just as meteorites from Mars are found on Earth (eg. in Antarctica), meteorites from Earth may reach Mars, and these meteorites may carry microbes. Some scientists think there's an exchange of biological material between the two planets.
The Mars rover Opportunity recently found an iron meteorite on Mars.
KIRK: Captain's Log, Stardate 6051: Had trouble sleeping last night; my hiatal hernia is acting up. The ship is drafty and damp. I complain, but nobody listens.
SULU: Captain, Klingons off the starboard bow.
KIRK: [covering his face in annoyance] Again with the Klingons... Scotty, give me full power.
SCOTTY: It's no use, captain; I canna' reach the control panel!
Star Trek XII: So Very Tired
Smart people defend bad ideas...
because there is a difference between knowledge and wisdom.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of Apollo 13, but it's also the 10th anniversary of Ron Howard's "Apollo 13".
There's an Apollo 13 Anniversary Edition DVD out, which includes the IMAX version!
There's more info at IMDB and Google Reviews.
Good quote:
Colony = Humankind and life beyond Earth
I know this is going to start a huge flame war, but seriously - what good has the space program done for mankind? Anything other than cure our lust for knowledge of the unknown?
It may colonize the solar system and increase our survival prospects.NASA's Centennial Challenges program is just getting started, but it could lead to big things:
Robert Zubrin, The Case for Mars, 1997
Maybe Druantia could also work on Kim Stanley Robinson's terraformed Mars (ie. Blue Mars).
Mars buffs should also take a look at exploreMarsnow, although it focuses on a virtual Mars base rather than the planet Mars itself.
NASA has a good record of recovering after a tragedy.
If you take the Apollo program as an example, the very first Apollo mission was a disaster with three astronauts killed. And yet after that, the Apollo missions were great successes (although Apollo 13 was a close call, of course).
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched with a faulty mirror, but this was fixed and Hubble's become a great success, too.
The shuttle program will probably go the same way.
The CNN article quotes Dr. Bernard Foing talking about a permanent, manned lunar colony with a tissue/DNA repository:
The tissue/DNA library part of the lunar colony would probably be based on the Frozen Ark project announced in July, 2004.CNN is also covering the story.
More information:
The relationship between space and survival has been expressed by many others, such as Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking, Martin Rees, William Burrows and Robert Shapiro.
Alan Boyle of MSNBC has this take:
Good articles from Spaceflight Now:
Atlas 2 rocket retires with remarkable record
AC-167 launch timeline
Launch ground track
Atlas 2AS vehicle data
http://www.nineplanets.org/plea.html
There's an interesting difference between Associated Press and Reuters on the International Space Station's planning.
Associated Press: Space Station Could Hold More Crew Members
Reuters: Plans for International Space Station Cut Back
AP is positive, focusing on the increase in crew, while Reuters is negative, focusing on the decrease in planned crew.
It's interesting to see how two supposedly neutral factual articles can treat the same news so differently.
Zero Gravity Corporation (ZERO-G) is booking seats for Vomit-Comet-like weightless flights. The 'ZERO-G Experience' has 20 parabolas--made up of Martian (1/3 gravity), lunar (1/6 gravity) and zero gravity parabolas--and costs $2,950 per seat. Peter Diamandis (founder of the Ansari X Prize) is the CEO.
I wish Martin Rees loses this $1,000 bet:
Martin Rees predicts: "By 2020, bioterror or bioerror will lead to one million casualties in a single event."
The Spaceward Foundation is creating the Elevator:2010 program:
Blaise Gassend's page mentions Andrew Price's list of alternative names:
space bridge
space way
space rail
'Space bridge' got the most approval from the audience.