Puerto Rico Space Congress- Space is the answer!

Charles Radely asked if I might let you folks know about a Space Congress coming up in October and happy to do so.  Seems like a good place to hold a space conference with Arecibo Observatory near by.
http://www.naic.edu/
- LRK -

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Greetings,

I invite you to the First Puerto Rico Space Congress - 24-27  October 2010 - Space is the Answer !

http://bit.ly/cXaPV4

Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino,
200 Convention Boulevard
San Juan, PR 00907 US

Please create a profile on our web page: http://aerospace.pr

This is Charles Radley, Chair of the Puerto Rico Space Congress.

Speakers include:

Cosmonaut Yury V Usachev - Hero of the Russian Federation - 670 days in space.
Dr. Michael P. Simpson - President of the International Space University
Sy Liebergot - Apollo EECOM - former NASA Mission Control
Joe Haldeman - Acclaimed Science Fiction Author - Hugo, Nebula Awards
Professor Louis Crane - Kansas State University - Black hole stardrives
Rick Sanford - SpaceGroundAmalgam, LLC - Odyssey Moon Google Lunar Xprize Team
Shawna Pandya - Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer - CiviGuard Technologies
Michael Laine - Liftport Group - Space Elevators
Dr. Verne Wheelwright - Personal Futures Network
Charles Radley - CEO Stratowave Corp - Space Based Solar Power
Royce Jones - Space solar power - thermal
Michael Potter - Orphans of Apollo

We have an amazing room rate of $129 per night plus taxes and fees.

Also, I would be honored to connect to you on Linkedin. Please go to
my profile page and  click "add Charles to your network", you can use
my email: charles@stratowave.com

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/charles-radley/0/10b/9b7

Best regards,

-Charles F. Radley - PR Congress Chair
 - Associate Fellow American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
 - telephone: +1-551-579-4686

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A bit more info.
- LRK -

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http://events.linkedin.com/Puerto-Rico-Space-Congress-Space-is/pub/222540
Puerto Rico Space Congress- Space is the answer!

Starts:                  Sunday October 24, 2010 at 08:00AM
Ends:             Wednesday October 27, 2010 at 05:00PM
Event Type:     Conference
Region:           Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area
Location:       Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino
                       200 Convention Boulevard
                       San Juan, PR 00907 US
Price:         To be announced.
Website:        http://www.stratowave.com
Industry:           defense & space
Keywords:       Space Astronautics Technology Aerospace Science Exploration
Energy Astronomy Policy Green Nasa Rockets Satellites Moon Mars
Planets Asteroids Comets
Intended For:   We will target students, managers, engineers, policy makers, futurists, academics, entrepreneurs, investors
Organization: NSS Puerto Rico Capitule/Chapter

NSS Puerto Rico in cooperation with Stratowave Corporation is holding
a major space event.
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Of recent we have been looking at the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico a mile below the surface of the water.  This probably gives a good backdrop for considering getting power from the Sun with some sort of Space-based Solar Power.  Of course that would take some kind of rocket power and we seem to be arguing about who should make the rockets.
- LRK -

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_solar_power
Space-based solar power

Space-based solar power (SBSP) (or historically space solar power- SSP) is a system for the collection of solar power in space, for use on Earth. SBSP differs from the usual method of solar power collection in that the solar panels used to collect the energy would reside on a satellite in orbit, often referred to as a solar power satellite (SPS), rather than on Earth's surface. In space, collection of the Sun's energy is unaffected by the various obstructions which reduce efficiency or capacities of Earth surface solar power collection.

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More satellites to orbit and in close formation.  Should be interesting.
- LRK -

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http://tinyurl.com/2g7nltz
German satellite deployed to map the Earth with radar
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: June 21, 2010

A new German satellite rocketed into orbit from Kazakhstan early Monday, reinforcing a program to create the most precise civilian three-dimensional maps of Earth using dual high-resolution radars.

The new spacecraft, named TanDEM-X, will fly in formation with a similar satellite launched in 2007 to illuminate Earth with two radars from slightly different vantage points in space.

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We probably don't have accidents in space.  Well many.
- LRK -

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http://www.space.com/news/090211-satellite-collision.html
U.S. Satellite Destroyed in Space Collision
By Becky Iannotta and
Tariq Malik
posted: 11 February 2009
6:00 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON - Iridium Satellite LLC confirmed today that one of its satellites was destroyed Tuesday in an unprecedented collision with a spent Russian satellite and that the incident could result in limited disruptions of service.

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http://www.insurancenewsnet.org/html/Regulation/2009/0305/Satellite-Collision-coverage-May-Set-Precedent.html
Satellite Collision coverage May Set Precedent

The insurance implications of catastrophic collisions in space was not a big worry for insurers of satellites in the past but have changed on May 10 in February, when the first collision of two satellites in orbit.
snip
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I guess the next accident in space will put a six month moratorium on space launches.

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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NASA's First Lunar Orion Test Capsule Built

Very informative articles by Dr. Kremer.
A number of pictures at the web sites as well.
- LRK -

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http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1400
NASA's First Lunar Orion Test Capsule Built
Ken Kremer
Monday, June 7, 2010

The GTA is the essential forerunner of a crewed spacecraft which NASA had intended to utilize for a return of human footsteps to the Moon, and then to Mars and beyond until President Obama proposed to wholly terminate Project Constellation, including Orion, in his initial 2011 budget proposal and radically alter NASA's future path.

"The Orion GTA is the flight test article that was designed in support of Lunar Missions," explained Mark McCloskey to me during my fact finding visit to Michoud to observe the capsule first hand. McCloskey is the Lockheed Martin Senior Production Manager for Orion at Michoud.

McCloskey and other senior Lockheed representatives spoke to me in depth about Orion development at NASA's Michoud manufacturing facility in New Orleans. Michoud is also the production site for the Space Shuttle's huge External Tanks, which I'll report on separately.

This GTA test vehicle is not the de-scoped and stripped down, unmanned "rescue lifeboat" recently proposed by President Obama at his April 15 space policy speech at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) where he resuscitated the Orion project, but with limited objectives and functionality.

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Another article with more information.
- LRK -

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http://nasatech.net/
Orion Ground Test Article (GTA)
by Ken Kremer

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An earlier article before the final completion weld.
- LRK -

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http://www.universetoday.com/2010/05/25/first-orion-capsule-forming-rapidly/
First Orion Capsule forming rapidly
May 25th, 2010

Written by Ken Kremer

The first Orion crew capsule is rapidly taking shape as assembly work to construct  the skeletal framework of the first pathfinder Orion capsule – the Ground Test Article – or GTA, is nearing completion.

The Lockheed Martin team building Orion is just one weld away from completing the framework of an Orion cabin at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Precision welding to join together the final large skeletal segments (see my earlier report) has proceeded well according to Lockheed managers I spoke with.

“The Orion capsule is the Congressionally approved program of record and we are moving forward with it”, says Larry Price, Lockheed’s Orion Deputy Program Manager in an interview with me. “Our work is continuing with the funding which is still approved until September 2010. Orion is a very functional vehicle. All subsystems will be state of the art.

“Orion is not Apollo on Steroids”, Price emphasized.

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Will follow how Orion is finally used and in what configuration.

Some information about Dr. Kremer.
- LRK -

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http://www.rittenhouseastronomicalsociety.org/Dr.Kremer/K.htm
Dr. Ken Kremer

Dr. Ken Kremer is a research scientist  and freelance science journalist (Princeton, NJ) whose articles and space exploration images have appeared in magazines, books and on websites, including Astronomy Picture of the Day, ABC News, Aviation Week, Spaceflight Now, Spaceflight, New Scientist, The Planetary Society, Universe Today, Science News, International Year of Astronomy, 2010 Year in Space Calendar, NASA and the covers of Aviation Week & Space Technology, Spaceflight and the Explorers Club magazines.

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Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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Rare earth elements an Afghanistan's untapped mineral deposits - in the news

Well how interesting, a shortage of rare earth metals and findingsthat Afghanistan may have $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits. 

Now we are talking about Afghanistan's potential wealth even though Russia had done surveys years before.  The news shows are mentioning there is a concern about who is going to profit from this discovery.

Then there was a time when the USA was producing rare earth metals used in magnets but cut back production because China could export cheaper.  Now That China is developing, they have a greater need for their own use and it is reported that they are cutting back on exports.

How come I don't see anything about potential findings on our nearest neighbor in space, the "M...."?
http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/results/gamres.htm
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/lroc-20100107-new-images.html
- LRK -

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http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/06/on-mondays-newshour-26.html
ON THE NEWSHOUR -- June 14, 2010
On Monday's NewsHour ...

By: News Desk
snip
MINERAL RESOURCES IN AFGHANISTAN | A U.S. geologic survey has uncovered at least $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan. Margaret Warner talks to New York Times reporter James Risen on what the valuable natural resources could mean for the Afghan economy and the ongoing war with the Taliban.

RARE EARTH MINERALS AND TECHNOLOGY | Correspondent Kira Kay reports on the hunt for the rare earth metals, elements found almost exclusively in China, that are key to the U.S.'s emerging green technologies, despite their short supply.
snip
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The New York Times article.
- LRK -

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http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/14/world/asia/14minerals.html
U.S. Identifies Vast Mineral Riches in Afghanistan

By JAMES RISEN
Published: June 13, 2010

WASHINGTON — The United States has discovered nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, far beyond any previously known reserves and enough to fundamentally alter the Afghan economy and perhaps the Afghan war itself, according to senior American government officials.

The previously unknown deposits — including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and critical industrial metals like lithium  — are so big and include so many minerals that are essential to modern industry that Afghanistan could eventually be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world, the United States officials believe.
snip
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I watched the few seconds Jack Lifton was on.  He is concerned that there is now a shortage of rare earth materials that are needed in many applications.
- LRK -

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http://seekingalpha.com/instablog/65370-jack-lifton/76592-jack-lifton-will-be-on-the-pbs-new-hour-tonight-june-14-2010
Jack Lifton will be on the PBS New Hour Tonight, June 14, 2010
Jun 14, 2010 2:47 PM

I have just been informed that tonight's News Hour with Jim Lehrer will have a segment on rare elements that will include footage from the six hours of taping that a documentary crew did of me speaking in Los Angeles, Boston, and Beijing.

Let's see how many seconds of coverage come from six hours of taping.

I hope I do a credible job; I have not seen the segment nor have I seen any of the video tape.

snip
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Comments by Jack Lifton last year.
- LRK -

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http://seekingalpha.com/article/173627-rare-earth-metals-a-china-price
Rare Earth Metals: A China Price
 by: Jack Lifton  November 15, 2009

Today's Wall Street Journal has an article entitled: "China Starts New iron-Ore Talks." The article brings up the possibility that the Chinese market, the world's largest, by far, buyer of iron ore, may well be serviced with a "China price." This would be a price lower than that charged by the cartel of iron-ore miners, Anglo- Australia's BHP and Rio Tinto (RTP) and Brazil's VALE, which controls 70% of the world's iron-ore production, to its largest customers outside of China.

I am predicting that this "China pricing" will indeed come into being, and that China will reciprocate by bringing into being a two-tiered pricing for metals within its control, in the production of which it dominates the world, the first of which could well be the rare earth metals. I predict that metals in which China dominates world production will be sold for la lower price within China that they are sold in the rest-of-the-world market.

A lower price charged to Chinese customers, producing products for the Chinese domestic market, for rare earth metals produced in China will mean that Chinese manufacturers of end use products critically dependent on the rare earth metals will be able to continue producing those products for the Chinese domestic market without a cost penalty.  Any rare earth metals still exported from China or produced outside of China will be able to be sold for much higher prices in the non-Chinese market.

snip
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Rare earth elements.
- LRK -

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_element
Rare earth element

As defined by IUPAC, rare earth elements or rare earth metals are a collection of seventeen chemical elements in the periodic table, namely scandium, yttrium, and the fifteen lanthanides.[1]  Scandium and yttrium are considered rare earths since they tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and exhibit similar chemical properties.

The term "rare earth" arises from the rare earth minerals from which they were first isolated, which were uncommon oxide-type minerals (earths) found in Gadolinite extracted from one mine in the village of Ytterby, Sweden. However, with the exception of the highly-unstable promethium, rare earth elements are found in relatively high concentrations in the earth's crust, with cerium being the 25th most abundant element in the earth's crust at 68 parts per million.

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Good news, bad news, and what is talked about on the news, hmmm, any political overtones?
Naw, no way, tsch, tsch.
- LRK -

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http://www.dailytech.com/Chinas+Stranglehold+on+Rare+Earth+Metals+Could+Choke+EV+Hybrids/article18274.htm
China's Stranglehold on Rare Earth Metals Could Choke EV, Hybrids
Jason Mick (Blog) - April 30, 2010 11:41 AM

China outguessed the U.S. when it came to rare earth metals -- it may take 15 years to bring U.S. mines online

The auto industry seems to be moving towards embracing hybrids and electric vehicles.  One needs only look at examples like the 2011 Nissan LEAF and 2011 Chevy Volt, or the the new Chevy Volt MPV5 EV-crossover concept.

However, there's growing concern that the industry is casting a rather blind eye to what exactly the impact of its leap might be.  While about a third of U.S. oil comes from unstable regions like Nigeria and the Middle East, EVs present perhaps an equally challenging geopolitical resource problem.

According to Robert Bryce, author of the book "Power Hungry: The Myths of ‘Green’ Energy and the Real Fuels of the Future", the current third-generation Toyota Prius uses 25 lbs. (11 kg) of expensive rare-earth metals -- approximately twice the amount found in a standard vehicle.

snip
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Rare earth element
稀土元素

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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Hayabusa capsule plunges to Earth after historic visit to asteroid

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Capsule plunges to Earth after historic visit to asteroid
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/13hayabusaentry/

BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: June 13, 2010

Cutting across the night sky at more than 27,000 mph, a small Japanese capsule returned to Earth from the surface of an asteroid Sunday, but the fate of the drum-shaped sample return craft was not immediately clear.

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Live USTREAM recorded by some very excited Japanese.
- LRK -

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http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7634995
hayabusa re-entry
Recorded on 10/06/13

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Sequence of pictures as I saw Posted on June 13, 2010 by astroengine

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http://twitpic.com/1wgyd7
Sequence of images showing #Hayabusa re-entry over Australia #JAXA

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Beautiful picture of HAYABUSA re-entry, streaking across the sky.
- LRK -

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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/zoom/20100613-OYT9I00808.htm
星空を進む「はやぶさ」。天の川（左）の中にある南十字星の上で消えた＝尾崎孝撮影

[My attempt at Google translation - "Take the Sky "Hayabusa". Milky Way (left) has gone on in the Southern Cross-shooting Ozaki Takashi"]
- LRK -
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And if you want a lot more Twitter links, try this in Google search -- #Hayabusa site:twitter.com
See, even NASA -- http://twitter.com/NASA/status/16073757786

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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Asteroid Explorer "HAYABUSA"(MUSES-C) Capsule reentry plan

Look up.
- LRK -

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http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2010/06/20100612_hayabusa_e.html
Asteroid Explorer "HAYABUSA"(MUSES-C)
Capsule reentry plan

June 12, 2010 (JST)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) assessed the trajectory of Hayabusa and confirmed that it was nominal.
JAXA will implement the capsule reentry plan.

Hayabusa system is going well.

The following are main capsule reentry plans.

   * Around 6/13 19:51(JST) : Capsule separation
   * Around 6/13 22:51(JST) : Capsule reentry

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[See graphic on website - LRK -]
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It has been a long wait.
- LRK -

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http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/muses_c/index_e.html
snip
HAYABUSA, which was launched on May 9, 2003,achieved its goal of arriving at the Itokawa asteroid and performing scientific observations. As a result, its mission was featured in the scientific magazine "Science" as a first Japanese mission to illustrate various new findings about the asteroid including its gravity and surface conditions. HAYABUSA is now under preparations for its return trip to the Earth in 2010.
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JST is UT + 9:00 so waiting is about over.
- LRK -

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http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/t/time.htm
snip

TIME ZONES:

The world is broken into 24 separate time zones that are used to help determine the time in all areas of the world. GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) or UT (Universal Time) is a method of referencing the time differences across the world. The GMT or UT is centered in the middle of the time zone as 12:00. Any time zone to the left of this is -GMT or -UT and  any time zone to the right of this is +GMT or +UT. Below is a listing of time zone abbreviations, time zone descriptions and the UT difference.

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Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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Earth-Moon-Earth Communication ( Moonbounce )

Pat sent me an email and would like to get the word out about bouncing signals off of the Moon and looking at the results with Slow Scan TV.
I know, I mentioned the "M..." word.  Sorry, there ARE folks interested in where we have been.
- LRK -

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Hello Larry,

How should/could we promote Moon Bounce communications, where I joined a team that is experimenting with an imaging mode, called Slow Scan TV.  The teams at Dwingeloo, Holland, one of a number of big dish moon bounce stations around the world, are having success in bouncing via SSTV, images off the moon.

See their website http://www.camras.nl and look for SSTV.

Best Regards,
73, de Pat Barthelow AA6EG

Arecibo  Video Tours:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vicxDnn6LEY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rFeXsVz8hE&NR=1

"The most exciting phrase to hear in Science, the one that heralds new discoveries,  is not "Eureka, I have found it!"    but: "That's funny..."  ----Isaac Asimov
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http://www.camras.nl/index.php?lang=en
http://www.camras.nl/index.php?lang=nl

A link I found using SSTV as a search item.
- LRK -

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http://www.camras.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=149%3Asstv-eme-fotos&catid=76%3Aeme&Itemid=98&lang=en
SSTV-EME foto’s     
Written by Mark Bentum
Monday, 10 May 2010 21:12
There are no translations available.

Via Dick Harms kregen we een aantal leuke foto’s van Chris Ploeger (PA2CHR) van het SSTVEME gebeuren. Chris schreef: “Hierbij een paar foto’s die ik maakte in de shack van HB9Q

tijdens de, voor zover wij weten, eerste SSTV - EME verbinding op 70cm. ter wereld “.
snip

[Note: Google translate says -
Dutch to English translationShow romanization
By Dick Harms we got some nice pictures of Chris Ploeger (PA2CHR) of SSTVEME happen. Chris wrote: "Here are some photos I took in the shack of HB9Q

during, as far as we know, first SSTV - 70cm EME connection. world ".]
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 Also, I was a bit dense and took me a bit to realize that EME is short for Earth-Moon-Earth. (See in left navigation column)
http://www.camras.nl/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=76&Itemid=98&lang=en
[Note: Some of the captions are in Dutch and not translated.  Give Google translate a try. http://translate.google.com/#nl|en| ]
- LRK -

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http://www.nitehawk.com/rasmit/ws1_1.html
 Earth-Moon-Earth Communication
( Moonbounce )
Here you find a collection of EME stations with their WEB pages.

Moonbounce is often equivalent with large antennas, low feed line losses, T/R relays, LNA's, HPA's, Weaksignal detection, Moon tracking, lots of labor and system maintenance.
snip
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A lot of information about Radio Ham activities.  See the news articles at the bottom for links to items that include Moon Bounce items.
- LRK -

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http://www.hobbyspace.com/Radio/index.html
Space Radio
Tuning in the cosmos...

   Communicate with astronauts aboard the Space Station....Monitor satellite transmissions...Listen to erie Natural Radio...Use amateur satellite transponders to talk to other hams around the world...

snip

News, Articles & Upcoming Events

   * UNITEC-1 On the Way to Venus - ARRL - May.23.10
   * Moonbounce for Everyone -- Courtesy of the Arecibo Radio Telescope! - ARRL - Apr.7.10
   * Littlest station gives us the 'sound' of Mars Express - Mars Express Blog - Mar.5.10
   * Listening for LRO and LCROSS - Frednet/X PRIZE Foundation - Sept.8.09
   * Monitor Space Shuttle launch with your police scanner - Examiner - July.11.09
   * Ham Operators Shoot the Moon - Wired.com - July.6.09
   * Ham radio operators shoot for the moon - San Francisco Chronicle - June.27.09
   * A Ham Radio Weekend for Talking to the Moon - NYTimes.com - June.26.09
   * First German Mars Mission makes sidestep to Venus: Ground station in Bochum generated echoes from Venus - AMSAT-DL - Mar.27.09
   * World Moon Bounce / EME Day Gathering Momentum - Echoes of Apollo - Mar.22.09
   * ARRL NEWS: ARISS to Celebrate 25 Years of Amateur Radio in Space with Special Events - ARRLWeb - Dec.1.08
   * Ham radio makes contact in space - canada.com - Oct.27.08
   * Postcards from space - Cosmic Log/msnbc.com - Oct.21.08
   * Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, Gets Busy from Space - ARRLWeb - Oct.17.08
   * ARISS - Richard Garriott update - Oct.08
   * Hams in Space -- For the Young and Young at Heart - ARRLWeb - Sept.25.08
   * Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) - NASA - Aug.15.08
   * Hams Head into Space - ARRLWeb - June.3.08
   * Become a Ham Radio Operator - Wired How-To Wiki - May.14.08
   * Amateur radio operators prepare to contact Korean astronaut - Korea.net News - Apr.5.08

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Very glad to hear that Arecibo Radio Telescope is still on the air.
They used to listen to Pioneer 10 and 11.
http://www.seti-inst.edu/seti/projects/project-phoenix/past_campaigns/pc-pioneer10.php
- LRK -

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http://www.arrl.org/news/view/moonbounce-for-everyone-courtesy-of-the-arecibo-radio-telescope
Moonbounce for Everyone -- Courtesy of the Arecibo Radio Telescope!
TAGS: amateur radio, hams, joe taylor, puerto rico, radio telescope, yagi antenna
04/07/2010

Sending Amateur Radio signals to the Moon and back has never been easy. After roundtrip journeys of nearly half a million miles, even the most powerful signals generated by hams are exquisitely weak on arrival. Because of the equipment and expertise necessary for successful "moonbounce" operating, this facet of Amateur Radio has been traditionally confined to a small audience. But for three days in April even hams with very modest stations will have the opportunity to experience the thrill of moonbounce, thanks to the giant radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

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If you read the above article you will see that I am late for the World Moon Bounce Day 2010.
Maybe you did better and will help others get the word for other upcoming events.
When I was at NASA Ames I received information from a High School student in Hungary that was listening to the Moon.
I must admit I am not looking up with all the tools that are available.
- LRK -

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http://echoesofapollo.com/moon-bounce/
World Moon Bounce Day 2010
EOA April 17th

This major event will add a new word to most people’s vocabulary – Moon Bounce. Moon Bounce has been happening for almost as long as the oldest of us can remember. From the early days when it was thought to be a  means of communications that the military could exploit right through to today’s more peaceful use by amateur radio hobbyists. So what is moon bounce? Also known technically as Earth-Moon-Earth transmissions (EME), it is simply bouncing radio waves off the moon’s surface and back to earth. Every day hundreds of people enjoy doing just that and they do it as everyday people using mainly homemade dishes and antennas and  a mix of “do it yourself” systems, electronics and “off the shelf” equipment.

So why hold World Moon Bounce Day? At Echoes of Apollo we are both interested in space (especially the moon) and amateur radio. We created an event to highlight both of these amazing areas of interest.  We are also looking to the commercial world to take part soon and make this an event for the whole world to enjoy
snip
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Thanks to you folks, like Pat, that help get my head out of the books.
 Much to learn and enjoy.

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

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Fly Your Face in Space

Bert's sister sent him a link to NASA's Fly Your Face in Space, which he passed to me.
It looks like you can have your picture fly on one of the last two shuttle flights and get a certificate for your keeping.
- LRK -

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http://faceinspace.nasa.gov/
 Fly Your Face in Space

NASA wants to put a picture of you on one of the two remaining space shuttle missions and launch it into orbit. To launch your face into space and become a part of history, just follow these steps:

First...Select the Participate button at the bottom of this page and upload your image/name, which will be flown aboard the space shuttle.  Don't have a picture to upload? No problem, just skip the image upload and we will fly your name only on your selected mission!

Next...Print and save the confirmation page with your flight information.

Later...Return to this site after the landing to print your Flight Certificate - a commemorative certificate signed by the Mission Commander. You can also check on mission status, view mission photographs, link to various NASA educational resources and follow the commander and crew on Twitter or Facebook.

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If you go to the "Education" tab you will be presented with a number of links to NASA items of General Interest and items for Students and Educators.
- LRK -

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http://faceinspace.nasa.gov/education.aspx
Face In Space

Links
snip
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At the bottom of the above page is a link for a complete list of NASA social networking sites
- LRK -

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http://www.nasa.gov/connect/
Connect and Collaborate with NASA

Connect With NASA on Social Networking Sites
Connect with NASA at...
Collaborate with NASA

snip
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In looking at some of the Collaboration links I see it is already NOT politically correct to mention Lunar activities. :-(
OK, to go to Mars.
- LRK -

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http://beamartian.jpl.nasa.gov/
NASA Be A Martian - Age of Virtual Exploration & the Human-Robotic Partnership

snip
----------------

Not OK to Inspire (Lunar activities)
- LRK -

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http://moontasks.larc.nasa.gov/
The contest is open and will award prizes for the lunar-centric challenge that is due May 15, 2010. In light of NASA's new mission priorities, we will change the contest next fall to reflect non-lunar centric challenges.

Student Challenge:  We have expanded the contest beyond rover exploration of the lunar surface. The new challenge is to design tools and instrumentation for human and robotic exploration on the moon. The NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate and the Exploration Technology Development Program encourage college students to design tools and instruments needed for future human and robotic exploration of the moon. Student projects will tackle real problems required for successful lunar missions. An expanded list of example problems will be posted to Design Challenge page soon. Check back often for new FAQ and other information.

Contest News
* NASA rover fact sheets

Moon Work Contestants visit Desert RATS near Flagstaff, AZ In September, the top three scoring teams from the 2009 Moon Work contest attended the NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) lunar analog test site at Black Point Lava Flow north of Flagstaff, AZ. After touring the equipment stations at the site, the students gave a brief overview of their contest projects to a group of scientists, engineers and technicians. Joe Kosmo, D-RATS project manager, gave each of the teams an engraved award plaque to commemorate their achievement.
View more Desert RATS photos.

snip
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I wonder if it will be ok to send robots to the Moon or will there be no need for these activities?
Oh, oh, don't tell anyone where they hid the box with the simulated regolith.  We wouldn't want any testing of lunar devices going on year round, no, no, --- no testing.
- LRK -

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http://www.nasa.gov/offices/ipp/innovation_incubator/centennial_challenges/regolith/index.html
Centennial Challenges - NASA's Prize Program for the "Citizen Inventor"

Regolith Excavation Features
College Team Wins NASA Lunar Robot Prize

Paul’s Robotics, a team led by college student, Paul Ventimiglia of Worcester Polytechnic Institute won the $500,000 first prize in the 2009 Regolith Excavation Challenge that concluded on Oct. 18.

snip

In this challenge, teams design and build robotic machines to excavate simulated lunar soil (regolith). Excavating regolith will be an important part of any construction projects or processing of natural resources on the Moon. The robots are tested in box containing eight tons of simulated lunar regolith that is about 4 meters square and about one-half meter deep. In order to qualify for a prize, a robot must dig up and then dump at least 150 kg of regolith into a container in 30 minutes. The teams with the robots that move the most regolith  will claim the three cash prizes. NASA is looking for new ideas for excavation techniques that do not require excessively heavy machines or large amounts of power. None of the teams in the 2007 or 2008 competitions were able to meet the winning criteria. Following the 2008 event, a suggestion was made to find a permanent facility for the box with the simulated lunar regolith and that home was found in the Research Park at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA.  The 2009 competition held in October in that new facility, which will also be available year-round for testing of lunar devices.

snip
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I don't suppose the Information Technology (IT) Summit will have to worry about communicating with the Moon.  Been there, done that. . . .  :-(
- LRK -

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-- First NASA IT Summit to Gather Industry Leaders and Explore Tech Innovations
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=31011

"NASA's first Information Technology (IT) Summit will bring together government and industry
leaders to explore the outer reaches of information technology. The summit, which takes place August 16-18 at the Gaylord National Harbor in Maryland, will gather 750 participants and more than 100 expert presenters with themes on collaboration, social networking, innovation, infrastructure, operations and IT security and privacy."
----------------

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

=============================================

NASA's DC-8 Laboratory Heads to Australia for Hayabusa Re-entry - 06.07.10

Follow the updates for the Hayabusa Re-entry.
Watch those looking up by whatever means available.
- LRK -

------------------------------------------------

NASA's DC-8 Laboratory Heads to Australia for Hayabusa Re-entry - 06.07.10
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/status_reports/dc-8_status_06_07_10_prt.htm

A planeload of scientists and specialized instruments aboard NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory is scheduled to depart NASA’s Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility at Palmdale, Calif., for Australia Tuesday evening, June 8, to catch a glimpse of the fiery return of a Japanese spacecraft to Earth on June 13.

The group of astronomers from NASA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and other institutions are flying to Melbourne, Australia to make final preparations for the highly anticipated return of JAXA's Hayabusa spacecraft, which may bring back to Earth a sample of the near-Earth asteroid Itokawa. Hayabusa is expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and land in the Woomera Test Range in southern Australia late Sunday night, June 13.

The team of 27 astronomers will have their instruments focused out the DC-8's specialized windows as it cruises at an altitude of 39,000 feet, far above light pollution and clouds. Using their suite of spectroscopic and radiometric imaging instruments, they hope to get a clear reading on what happens during the fiery re-entry process when the spacecraft descends like an artificial meteor at more than 27,000 mph.

At the same time, ground-based observation teams will attempt to reconstruct the as-flown trajectory to correlate with the airborne imaging data.

Following its launch in 2003, Hayabusa arrived at Itokawa in September 2005 and observing the asteroid's shape, terrain, mineral composition, gravity and other aspects over the next 2  1/2  months. Hayabusa briefly touched down on Itokawa's surface that November to sample surface material.

NASA’s primary goal during the airborne mission is to study the re-entry of Hayabusa's 40-pound sample return capsule to enable heat shield designers and engineers gain technological insight for the development of NASA's future exploration vehicles.

Astronomers made similar airborne studies from NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory for the September 2008 re-entry of the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle "Jules Verne," as well as the January 2006 Stardust sample return re-entry over Utah. During those missions, scientists studied the levels of radiation, light and out-gassing of the descending spacecraft, to better understand meteor and heat shield radiation mechanisms.

NASA's Science Mission Directorate is supporting the airborne observation of the Hayabusa SRC re-entry via the In-Space Propulsion Technology Project.

snip
http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1876386/dc8_flying_laboratory_heading_to_australia_for_hayabusa_reentry/
------------------------------------------------

More information and images.
- LRK -

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http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/multimedia/imagegallery/DC-8/index.html
Dryden Flight Research Center

DC-8 Image Gallery

DC-8
ED10-0145-34

Hayabusa re-entry imaging mission project scientist Peter Jenniskens of the SETI Institute and NASA's Ames Research Center and Christina Giannopapa of the Netherlands' Eindhoven University prepare lenses for one of the specialized cameras for installation on NASA's DC-8 flying laboratory

snip
------------------------------------------------

Daily updates to Hayabusa.
- LRK -

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http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/home/hayabusa-live/
2010/06/09 12:53 JST: TCM-4 operation started, precise guidance to WPA
Category: 2010_English
Posted by: HayabusaLive
JAXA would like to announce that TCM-4 operation has commenced (12:30 June 9th, 2010 (JST)). It will take around 2 hours 30 minutes for ion thrusters to accelerate.

Hayabusa system is going well.

*TCM : Trajectory Correction Maneuver
*WPA : Woomera Prohibited Area

2010/06/09 12:53 JST: TCM-4 WPAへの精密誘導開始について
Category: News_jp
Posted by: HayabusaLive
はやぶさの運用に関して、6月9日 12:30（日本時間）にTCM-4を開始しました。
イオンエンジン噴射加速に約2時間30分を予定しています。

探査機の状態は良好です。

※TCM: Trajectory Correction Maneuver （軌道補正マヌーバ）
※WPA : Woomera Prohibited Area （豪州）

2010/06/09 09:00 JST: Today’s Hayabusa
Category: Location_jp
Posted by: HayabusaLive
Hayabusa is currently 1,989,730 km away from the Earth, located at 8h44m00s RA and
29.79 deg DEC (Constellation of Cancer), as of 00:00:00 UT, 09 Jun. 2010.
From Hayabusa’s point of view, the Earth can be seen in a direction of Microscopium.

2010/06/09 09:00 JST: 本日の はやぶさ君
Category: Location_jp
Posted by: HayabusaLive
2010年06月09日00時00分00秒
（日本時間では、06月09日の09時00分00秒）現在のはやぶさ君は、
地球からの距離1,989,730 km、
赤経8h44m00s、赤緯29.79度(かに座)にいます。
はやぶさ君から見て地球の方向には、けんびきょう座が見えます。

2010/06/08 19:44 JST: TCM-4 operation decision
Category: 2010_English
Posted by: HayabusaLive
JAXA would like to announce that it was authorized to implement TCM-4.

It is scheduled to conduct on June 9th 12:30 (JST).

*TCM: Trajectory Correction Maneuver

2010/06/08 19:44 JST: TCM-4実施判断について
Category: News_jp
Posted by: HayabusaLive
はやぶさの運用に関して、TCM-4を実施することが決定しましたのでお知らせいたします。

なお、TCM-4は、6月9日 12:30（日本時間）開始を予定しております。

※TCM: Trajectory Correction Maneuver （軌道補正マヌーバ）

snip
------------------------------------------------

I guess we will have to make the most of what our robot/spacecraft friends can do.
And if you enjoy Power Point Presentations, we probably will be seeing more of them..
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/new_space_enterprise/home/workshop_home.html
May 25 - 26, 2010 Moody Gardens Hotel & Convention Center Galveston, TX
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -
=============================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

=============================================

HAYABUSA heading to Australia

Wish the Japanese luck in retrieving the capsule.
- LRK -

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http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/muses_c/index_e.html
June 5, 2010 Updated
HAYABUSA heading to Australia
JAXA confirmed that the third trajectory correction maneuver (TCM-3) was successfully carried out for the Asteroid Explorer "HAYABUSA" at 1:44 p.m. on June 5 (Japan Standard Time.) This operation completed the guidance of the HAYABUSA from the Earth's outer rim to the Woomera Prohibited Area in South Australia.

snip
------------------------------------------------

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2010/06/20100605_hayabusa_e.html
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) would like to announce that TCM-3 operation was successfully completed (1:44 p.m. June 5th, 2010 (JST)).
By this operation, Hayabusa was guided from Earth's outer rim toward WPA in Australia.

http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/muses_c/index_e.html
Launch Date 13:29, May 9, 2003 (JST)

HAYABUSA (MUSES-C) has been developed to investigate asteroids.
HAYABUSA explored an asteroid named "Itokawa," after the late Dr. Hideo Itokawa, the father of Japan’s space development program.
HAYABUSA is traveling through space using an ion engine.

snip
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How long did it take the Japanese to send a spacecraft to an asteroid and back, about 7 years.
And that is with the assistance of an ion engine.
- LRK -

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http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/muses_c/index_e.html
snip
HAYABUSA, which was launched on May 9, 2003,achieved its goal of arriving at the Itokawa asteroid and performing scientific observations. As a result, its mission was featured in the scientific magazine "Science" as a first Japanese mission to illustrate various new findings about the asteroid including its gravity and surface conditions. HAYABUSA is now under preparations for its return trip to the Earth in 2010.
snip
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Hmmmmm, In Russia we are practicing for a 520 day mission to Mars and back and here we have a mission to an Asteroid that took 7 years.  I wonder if we will practice that on the ground with humans who will want to twiddle their fingers for seven years to look at an asteroid up close and personal?

Radiation suits in order, hide in the water supply, tend the garden, recycle, recycle, recycle, for what, to say been there, done that?
Will we pick an asteroid that has a lot of nickel or platinum and bring it back to Earth orbit where it can be mined.  Or land it on the Moon where we won't be waiting, since we have been there already and done that.
- LRK -

http://www.permanent.com/a-geolog.htm
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http://chview.nova.org/station/ast-mine.htm
While asteroids are rich in the metals and minerals needed for needed for building space facilities, comets are rich sources of the water and carbon-based molecules needed to maintain life. According to John Lewis (a University of Arizona planetary scientist), for example, the smallest Earth-crossing asteroid 3554 Amun  (see orbit) is a mile-wide (2,000-meter) lump of iron, nickel, cobalt, platinum, and other metals; it contains 30 times as much metal as Humans have mined throughout history, although it is only the smallest of dozens of known metallic asteroids and worth perhaps US$ 20 trillion if mined slowly to meet demand at 2001 market prices.
snip
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=amun;orb=1  3554 Amun (1986 EB)
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=amun;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=1#cad
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- LRK -

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http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/0604/Falcon-9-launch-takes-place-after-aborted-attempt
Falcon 9 launch takes place after aborted attempt

 By Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com Senior Writer / June 4, 2010

The brand new commercial Falcon 9 rocket soared into orbit from Florida on its maiden flight Friday, the first test for a new era of private vehicles that could one day send cargo – and possibly astronauts – into space.

snip
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Falcon 9 will at least get cargo to the ISS but then ESA can already do that and so will the Japanese and the Russians have been doing it for us for awhile.
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMDYOK26DF_index_0.html
http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/rockets/h2b/index_e.html
http://onorbit.com/node/1246
- LRK -

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http://www.spacex.com/falcon9.php
Falcon 9 User's Guide (2.9 mb)

The Falcon launch vehicle family is designed to provide breakthrough advances in reliability, cost, flight environment and time to launch.  The primary design driver is and will remain reliability, as described in more detail below. We recognize that nothing is more important than getting our customer's spacecraft safely to its intended destination.

Like Falcon 1, Falcon 9 is a two stage, liquid oxygen and rocket grade kerosene (RP-1) powered launch vehicle. It uses the same engines, structural architecture (with a wider diameter), avionics and launch system.

snip
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I wonder how I say, "to the moon" in Chinese?
I guess I should get my Chinese dictionaries down and dust them off, or use Google -
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http://translate.google.com/#en|zh-CN|to%20the%20Moon

to the moon
到月球
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- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

=============================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

=============================================

See you in 520 days – or today @esa.int

Well if I can't mention going to the Moon, maybe an article about simulating going the Mars will have to do.
Wherever you are going to find yourself in a confined space with a group of fellow humans, you have to be able to get along.  The long flight to Mars and back and a short stay there, will test your ability to control your emotions.

I found that a five week leadership course in the Navy with two others in my room was a real test.  One of my roommates was so neat you just wanted to scream, and of course I could never get my towels to hang perfectly.  Then getting a demerit for a chicken feather on your bed didn't help much either.  Not leaving your cramped quarters for 520 days will be hard even if you don't have to worry about being zapped by a Solar storm or hit by a meteorite.
- LRK -

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-- Hatch closed! 18-month Mars500 mission has begun
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=30962
-- Mars500: Goodbye Sun, goodbye Earth, we are leaving for Mars!
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=34244

"Mars500, the first full-length simulated mission to Mars, started today in Moscow at 13:49 local time (11:49 CET), when the six-man crew entered their 'spacecraft' and the hatch was closed.  The experiment will end in November 2011"

The mood was serious, intense but very determined in the Mars500 facility at the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow this afternoon, as the crew of the Mars500 talked to the press and and then walked into the modules that will be their home for next 520 days.

snip
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http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=34244
 Mars500: Goodbye Sun, goodbye Earth, we are leaving for Mars!

STATUS REPORT
Date Released: Thursday, June 3, 2010
Source: ESA Mars 500
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars500/index.html
3 June 2010

This is the first entry of the Mars500 mission diary by European crewmembers Diego Urbina and Romain Charles.

Hello,

If you are reading these lines, I guess that you already know most of the technical characteristics of the Mars500 project. For our first diary, I would like to write some lines about our training and how it is from the inside.

snip
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I hope you caught that this is being conducted in Russia.
- LRK -

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100602/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_mission_to_mars
Russia launching 520-day Mars mission simulation

 By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer Vladimir Isachenkov,
Associated Press Writer   – Wed Jun 2, 9:43 am ET

MOSCOW – A manned mission to Mars may be decades away, but an international team of researchers will try to experience what one might be like by locking themselves up in a windowless capsule for a year-and-half — the time needed for a roundtrip to the red planet. 

The all-male crew of three Russians, a Frenchman, an Italian-Colombian and a Chinese won't endure weightlessness, but from Thursday they will live for 520 days in the spartan conditions of a mock spaceship and follow a harsh regimen of experiments and exercise.

The main task of the Mars-500 experiment is to study the effects of long isolation to help a real space crew of the future cope better with stress and fatigue.
snip
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Meanwhile back on this side of the Atlantic a look in at the vegetable garden for those that would like to learn how to survive on what you can grow.  Fresh food from Earth to Mars would be a rarity.
- LRK -

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-- Live Webcams On Devon Island
http://www.onorbit.com/node/2252

"There are several webcams currently in operation on Devon Island in Support of the Arthur
Clarke Mars Greenhouse located at the HMP Research Station. The greenhouse was installed on Devon Island in the summer of 2002. These webcams update once a day, conditions permitting, through the greenhouse's autonomous systems using an MSAT satellite connection."

snip
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 Other interesting items at the On Orbit web site as well.
http://www.onorbit.com/
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -
=============================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

=============================================