The world's first solar sail spacecraft (search) crashed back to Earth when its booster rocket failed less than two minutes after Tuesday's takeoff, Russian space officials said Wednesday.
In 1999, Russia launched a similar experiment with a sun-reflecting device from its Mir space station, but the deployment mechanism jammed and the device burned up in the atmosphere.
In 2001, Russia again attempted a similar experiment, but the device failed to separate from the booster and burned in the atmosphere.
(Note to self: russians and satellites seem to be a bad mix...)
Seriously, though, this is a damned shame...although at $4 mil, this was a relatively inexpensive debacle. We could be ready to fail again in just a few years.:P
(One more thing: why are we linking to Fox News for our stories? I feel dirty now.)
Lastly, the solar wind will shred the sails of this craft, as we have not yet developed a material light enough for solar sails, yet robust enough to withstand long-term exposure to the solar wind.
Still perfectly valid for proof-of-concept, but a good long way from practical application.
This really shouldn't come as any surprise...after all, Microsoft's goal here wasn't to actually come out with a product, but to create the illusion of one. Microsoft will design a P2P system if and when they're good and ready...until then, Avalanche serves as a satisfactory decoy.
Yes and no...what's noteworthy about this experiment is what they didn't find. Much like the Michelson-Morley experiment in 1887, which set out measure the 'aether', and instead failed utterly to detect any such thing, this experiment was devised to detect exceptions to the behavior of gravity on a quantum scale, and found no such exceptions.
Ephraim's not giving up yet, though...he plans on developing another experimental apparatus that is a million times more sensitive than the one that was used in this experiment. Also, even though this experiment was nominally a 'failure', the fringe benefit of clarifying the Casmir force is a big success.
What a monstrously written website...in the future, will all websites display the same lack of basic common sense in design?
I sure hope not.
Re:Purer carbon nanotubes too?
on
Glass In Spaaaaace
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· Score: 3, Informative
Is it easier to purify carbon nanotubes in microgravity too?
Short answer: yes.
Take THAT, space science nay-sayers!
on
Glass In Spaaaaace
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· Score: 4, Interesting
This article is a perfect example of the sort of technological advances that will be possible when we establish a space habitat capable of sustaining industrial production. Microgravity is a condition that is almost impossible to replicate here at the bottom of the gravity well, and we are just beginning to realize the applications.
Accelerating to the speed of light is demonstrably possible, you only need to open your eyes because photons, by definition, move at the speed of light
OK...so let's amend the GP's post a tad:
Accelerating any object possessing mass to the speed of light is demonstrably impossible.
Agreed. "Speculative fiction" entails a certain level of "speculation". This whole 'mundane' nonsense is grossly oversimplifying matters...there's no SF that's completely 'hard'...if it were, it would cease to be SF. Advocating that authors ought to stick to McGuffins that are more plausible is all well and good...I'm a big fan of so-called 'hard sci-fi' myself...but it's simply not plausible to strip all speculation from the genre...if you do, you have nothing left but modern fiction, exactly as you observed.
Proponents of the Mundane Manifesto readily admit that traditional science fiction is just harmless fun, but I have to ask, how many people out there have a positive view on life because they believe in Star Trek in the same way that other faithful do.
It's statements like these that make all geeks look bad.
A scene where the main character enters the wild and strange world of a LAN party would have been almost bearable if it weren't for the secret handshake. At another point, a hacker tells Edward that he needs to get in touch with a super-hacker, but "He won't accept [your e-mail]. Your crypto isn't good enough." As if cryptography were an 31337 skill that some possess and some do not.
Honestly, do we really need another badly written techno-1337 thriller? After all, we all saw Hackers, didn't we?
"Oh yeah, you want a seriously righteous hack, you score one of those Gibsons man. You know, supercomputers they use to like, do physics, and look for oil and stuff?"
according to a poll reported on by CNN most Americans want the government to be heavily involved in securing the internet.
Of course that's what the poll said...most Americans who don't want the government involved didn't participate in the survey, for fear that the government would flag them as 'potential terrorists'. After all, if you don't want our fine government securing our internet, you must be a terrorist!
I remember that from when I lived in California. It's a container tax. It imposes upon the consumer to bring the containers to recycling centers where it takes about half an hour and they give you some fraction of the "deposit" since they measure on weight.
I'm not sure how it works in California, but in Michigan, you're charged a 10-cent surcharge per aluminum can or glass (or plastic) bottle. Then, when you bring in your returnables, you get 10 cents for each one. Simple. None of this nonsense about 'weight'...each returnable counts for 10 cents. Period.
There are plenty of places you can give up your containers for free since most people don't want to go through the hassle.
In Michigan, we have places where you can do the same thing...namely, anywhere. Just leave your empty returnable on a bench somewhere, and an enterprising youth or homeless person will be all too happy to snap it up for the deposit. Like I said, the problem of litter from containers simply does not exist in Michigan.
The reason all states don't have it is because it's a scam.
Well, I won't dispute that the way you've outlined the procedure is a scam...you might want to visit Michigan sometime and see what a properly implemented deposit program can do.
Slashdot Mirror
SirHaxalot -> Pingular -> TripMasterMonkey
That's an adorable little conspiracy theory you've got there...entirely wrong, but adorable just the same.
Doesn't that tinfoil hat chafe?
^_^
From TFA:
(Note to self: russians and satellites seem to be a bad mix...)
Seriously, though, this is a damned shame...although at $4 mil, this was a relatively inexpensive debacle. We could be ready to fail again in just a few years.
(One more thing: why are we linking to Fox News for our stories? I feel dirty now.)
So, the Broadcast flag wasn't smuggled into law within the CJS appropriations bill, as threatened earlier.
The question now is: why not?
Discuss.
Worst. Analogy. Ever.
You forgot one step:
Lastly, the solar wind will shred the sails of this craft, as we have not yet developed a material light enough for solar sails, yet robust enough to withstand long-term exposure to the solar wind.
Still perfectly valid for proof-of-concept, but a good long way from practical application.
Truly excellent game...looking forward to the movie.
Sarah Michelle Gellar, though? Isn't Alice supposed to be British?
While were at it, I'd like to see the movie adaptations of System Shock andSystem Shock IIas well...
^_^
Probably the same people that care whether or not 'Gilligan' is going to be voted off the 'island'.
This really shouldn't come as any surprise...after all, Microsoft's goal here wasn't to actually come out with a product, but to create the illusion of one. Microsoft will design a P2P system if and when they're good and ready...until then, Avalanche serves as a satisfactory decoy.
Eurogamer has a run-down on the current bevy of Halo 3 rumours circulating the internets.
Slashdot: News for Nerds^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^HSpeculation for Half-Wits.
Yes and no...what's noteworthy about this experiment is what they didn't find. Much like the Michelson-Morley experiment in 1887, which set out measure the 'aether', and instead failed utterly to detect any such thing, this experiment was devised to detect exceptions to the behavior of gravity on a quantum scale, and found no such exceptions.
Ephraim's not giving up yet, though...he plans on developing another experimental apparatus that is a million times more sensitive than the one that was used in this experiment. Also, even though this experiment was nominally a 'failure', the fringe benefit of clarifying the Casmir force is a big success.
Bit your tongue... there are _no_ "bad" breast implants.
I beg to differ...
John Titor
What a monstrously written website...in the future, will all websites display the same lack of basic common sense in design?
I sure hope not.
Is it easier to purify carbon nanotubes in microgravity too?
Short answer: yes.
This article is a perfect example of the sort of technological advances that will be possible when we establish a space habitat capable of sustaining industrial production. Microgravity is a condition that is almost impossible to replicate here at the bottom of the gravity well, and we are just beginning to realize the applications.
Accelerating to the speed of light is demonstrably possible, you only need to open your eyes because photons, by definition, move at the speed of light
OK...so let's amend the GP's post a tad:
Accelerating any object possessing mass to the speed of light is demonstrably impossible.
Discuss.
'apparent'='aberrant'
Serves me right for trying to type in the dark...
So what's your view on Star Wars conventions?
Roughly the same. We don't need those genes either. =P
I've been to many cons covering a wide range of geekly interests, and just about all of them draw the loons out of the woodwork.
Fascinating study in apperant psychology, but disturbing at the same time.
Agreed. "Speculative fiction" entails a certain level of "speculation". This whole 'mundane' nonsense is grossly oversimplifying matters...there's no SF that's completely 'hard'...if it were, it would cease to be SF. Advocating that authors ought to stick to McGuffins that are more plausible is all well and good...I'm a big fan of so-called 'hard sci-fi' myself...but it's simply not plausible to strip all speculation from the genre...if you do, you have nothing left but modern fiction, exactly as you observed.
You really ought to attend a Star Trek con sometime.
Best argument for euthanasia/compulsory birth control on the planet.
^_^
From TFS:
It's statements like these that make all geeks look bad.
From TFR:
Honestly, do we really need another badly written techno-1337 thriller? After all, we all saw Hackers, didn't we?
Yup...Albert manages to completely reverse his position within the space of one post. He's recursively stupid.
From TFS:
Of course that's what the poll said...most Americans who don't want the government involved didn't participate in the survey, for fear that the government would flag them as 'potential terrorists'.
After all, if you don't want our fine government securing our internet, you must be a terrorist!
Why do you hate our freedom???
^_^
I remember that from when I lived in California. It's a container tax. It imposes upon the consumer to bring the containers to recycling centers where it takes about half an hour and they give you some fraction of the "deposit" since they measure on weight.
I'm not sure how it works in California, but in Michigan, you're charged a 10-cent surcharge per aluminum can or glass (or plastic) bottle. Then, when you bring in your returnables, you get 10 cents for each one. Simple. None of this nonsense about 'weight'...each returnable counts for 10 cents. Period.
There are plenty of places you can give up your containers for free since most people don't want to go through the hassle.
In Michigan, we have places where you can do the same thing...namely, anywhere. Just leave your empty returnable on a bench somewhere, and an enterprising youth or homeless person will be all too happy to snap it up for the deposit. Like I said, the problem of litter from containers simply does not exist in Michigan.
The reason all states don't have it is because it's a scam.
Well, I won't dispute that the way you've outlined the procedure is a scam...you might want to visit Michigan sometime and see what a properly implemented deposit program can do.