Friday, March 2, 2012

700 Astronaut Wannabes Apply for Mock Mars Mission

by Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com Assistant Managing Editor

Date: 02 March 2012 Time: 10:01 AM ET

Crew training for 'Marswalk' at the simulated martian terrain of the Mars500 experiment. The terrain, about 10 m long and 6 m wide, is covered with reddish sand and is built to resemble the surface at Gusev crater. On the ‘surface’, they conducted simulated scientific research by driving a rover and working with sensors to gather physical and chemical measurements.
CREDIT: ESA/IPMB

View full size image

Scientists planning a four-month mock mission to Mars in 2013 have received about 700 applications from aspiring "astronauts." But only six lucky volunteers will make the final cut.
The project, which will study how to feed space travelers during a months-long trip to the Red Planet, is set to take place on the big island of Hawaii. The deadline for applications was Wednesday (Feb. 29).
Project researchers are looking for six volunteers (and two backups) to live in a simulated space capsule and pretend they're astronauts for 120 days. That proposition apparently sounded great to the hundreds who applied.

MORE: http://www.space.com/14755-hiseas-mock-mars-mission-applicants.html

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Leap Day Tornado-Producing Storms Seen From Space

by Brett Israel, OurAmazingPlanet Staff Writer - Mar 02, 2012 12:39 PM ET

The massive storm system that spawned the deadly Leap Day tornadoes.
Credit: NOAA/NASA.

The massive storm system that spawned deadly tornadoes on Leap Day and is continuing to hammer large sections of the country today (March 2) was caught in a new video taken from space.
The satellite animation shows the movement of the front that triggered dangerous thunderstorms and tornadoes in several states on Feb.29. From Feb. 28 into Feb. 29, the Storm Prediction Center received reports of 36 tornadoes. The tornadoes included a strong EF-4 twister in Harrisburg, Ill., a rarity for February.

MORE: http://www.ouramazingplanet.com/2548-leap-day-storms-space.html

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Paratransit Should Be Used If PAT Cuts Transit Service

In the following public statement it is argued that, should the Port Authority of Allegheny County implement a reduction in the level of light rail, bus, and inclined plane public transit service by 35 percent, as proposed, paratransit service should be used in areas of Allegheny County with no public transit service. Such a shared-ride, paratransit system would provide service from the eliminated bus stops to the closest, existing rail or bus line.

The following public statement was delivered by Glenn A. Walsh, before the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at a public hearing held at the David Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday Afternoon, 2012 February 29 (public hearing held from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST), regarding proposed transit fare increases and a proposed 35 percent reduction in the Port Authority Transit light rail, bus, and inclined plane levels of service:

Statement before Glenn A. Walsh

Board of Directors, P.O. Box 1041

Port Authority of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15230-1041 U.S.A.

Allegheny County: Telephone: 412-561-7876

Proposed Transit Electronic Mail: < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >

Service Cuts Internet Web Site: < http://www.planetarium.cc >
2012 February 29

Good afternoon. I am Glenn A. Walsh, 633 Royce Avenue, Mt. Lebanon, a regular Light Rail and bus rider who has chosen not to drive a motor vehicle since 1985, to help save energy, protect the environment, and reduce city traffic congestion. I have been an active transit advocate for more than 30 years, including 3 terms on the Allegheny County Transit Council as a Charter Member. My comments today are my own and do not reflect those of any organization.

I urge the Governor and General Assembly to expeditiously approve the recommendations of the Governor’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission. Implementation of these recommendations is critical for the transportation needs of all Pennsylvanians and the economic viability of this Commonwealth.

Without implementation of these recommendations, many people in this county will lose all transit service, and many of these people may lose their access to jobs, and hence, lose these jobs. All steps must be taken to avoid this outcome.

In 1979, Port Authority pioneered paratransit service for the disabled and elderly. Should the Governor and General Assembly not act, and the Port Authority finds it necessary to implement the service cuts proposed, then I ask that the Port Authority pioneer a new, second paratransit service to serve county areas without regular rail or bus service.

Such a new, shared-ride paratransit system would provide service from eliminated bus stops feeding into the closest existing rail or bus line.

This would not substitute for a comprehensive, county-wide rail and bus system that is really needed. But it would be a temporary option for people with no other transportation alternative.

If no additional state funding is forthcoming, then such a new paratransit system should be planned, to ensure Allegheny County residents have access to transportation.

Thank you.

gaw

Astronomical Calendar: 2012 March

Astronomical Calendar for 2012 March:

>>> http://buhlplanetarium4.tripod.com/astrocalendar/2012.html#mar

The current month's Astronomical Calendar can also be found on the cover page of the History of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science web site at this link:

>>> http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/index.html#astrocal

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Stolen NASA laptop contained space station control codes

Inspector general says theft resulted in 'loss of algorithm'; Chinese intrusions also noted

By Matt Liebowitz

updated 3/1/2012 7:27:17 PM ET

A laptop stolen from NASA last year was unencrypted and contained command and control codes for the International Space Station on it, the agency's inspector general told a House subcommittee Wednesday.

In his testimony before a House Science, Space and Technology subcommittee, NASA Inspector General Paul Martin said the notebook computer stolen in March 2011 "resulted in the loss of the algorithms" used to control the space station. This particular laptop, Martin said, was one of 48 NASA notebooks or mobile devices stolen between April 2009 and April 2011.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46591964/ns/technology_and_science-security/#.T1Br8fnlsbY

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Secret codes ready to take quantum leap in space

'Quantum key distribution' unbreakable by the weird laws of physics

Image: A laser beam is transmitted from La Palma

Max Planck Institute / University of Vienna

A laser beam is transmitted from La Palma (in the horizon) towards the ESA's Optical Ground Station (OGS) in Tenerife (part of the dome is visible on the left) during a quantum communication test.

By Jeremy Hsu InnovationNewsDaily Senior Writer

updated 2/29/2012 8:37:14 PM ET

If secret agent James Bond wanted to tell his MI6 superiors about the location of a stolen superweapon without tipping off villains, he might turn to a global satellite network that transmitted coded keys made unbreakable by the weird laws of physics. Such "quantum key distribution" already exists on Earth beyond the realm of Hollywood spy fantasies, and could soon head for space.

Plans to launch quantum communication satellites have already begun to take shape in Canada, Japan and the European Union. The satellites could securely transmit digital keys through light particles by using physics tricks such as quantum entanglement — the phenomenon that allows two entangled particles to affect one another other even across the distance of a galaxy.

MORE: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46581073/ns/technology_and_science-innovation/#.T0_ye_nlsbY

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Justin Bieber in Space?

Justin Bieber Should Launch Into Space, Scientist Says

by Mike Wall, SPACE.com Senior Writer

Date: 01 March 2012 Time: 07:00 AM ET

Pop star Justin Bieber could spark a surge of interest in private spaceflight if he ever launched into space, one scientist says.
CREDIT: Left Eyed Photography | Shutterstock/NASA

View full size image

PALO ALTO, Calif. — Just call him the Biebernaut. An astronomer is making a case for launching pop singer Justin Bieber into suborbital space aboard a private rocketship.
The idea is not to rid the world of the Canadian teenager and his pop stylings — he would come back down to Earth eventually, after all — but rather to help jump-start the emerging suborbital spaceflight industry.
Lofting a celebrity of Bieber's stature would generate a lot of interest among the American public, which could help commercial spaceflight pick up some much-needed momentum, said Seth Shostak, senior astronomer at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in Mountain View, Calif.

MORE: http://www.space.com/14739-justin-bieber-private-spaceflight.html

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
< http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
< http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
< http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
< http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
< http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
< http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
< http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

SpaceWatchtower

Friday, March 2, 2012

700 Astronaut Wannabes Apply for Mock Mars Mission

Leap Day Tornado-Producing Storms Seen From Space

Paratransit Should Be Used If PAT Cuts Transit Service

Astronomical Calendar: 2012 March

Stolen NASA laptop contained space station control codes

Inspector general says theft resulted in 'loss of algorithm'; Chinese intrusions also noted

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Secret codes ready to take quantum leap in space

'Quantum key distribution' unbreakable by the weird laws of physics

Justin Bieber in Space?

Justin Bieber Should Launch Into Space, Scientist Says

About Me

Blog Archive