Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Monday, September 26, 2005

Cosmical

Cosmical

The evidence is in and the news is alarming. Empirical scientific data shows that the globe is in fact warming and causing the polar ice caps to melt. This news should send shudders down the backs of those who have doubted the increasing temperature. Only one problem. The global warming is occurring on Mars.
The climate on Mars is showing a warming trend and recent images have shown the first evidence of seismic activity on Earth's neighbor planet, scientists said today.

New gullies that did not exist three years ago have been pictured on a Mars sand dune -- just another of what scientists say are surprising discoveries found by cameras aboard the 8-year-old Mars Global Surveyor that are changing notions about the climate and formation of Mars.
"To see new gullies and other changes in Mars surface features on a time span of a few years presents us with a more active, dynamic planet than many suspected," said Michael Meyer, NASA's Mars Exploration Program chief scientist.
Images taken by the Mars Orbiter Camera on board the Surveyor showed that boulders have fallen down a Martian slope in the past two years.
Michael Malin, principal investigator for the Mars Orbiter Camera, told reporters it was the first evidence scientists had seen of some kind of seismic activity, or possible "marsquake," on the planet.
If so, "it could speak to the planet having warmth in the interior ... which means the interior could be more active than previously thought and there could be a habitable environment in the deeper regions of Mars," said Jack Mustard, geological sciences professor at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Malin said images of Mars' southern polar cap showed that scarps formed there are retreating at "a prodigious rate" of about 10 feet per Mars year. Mars years are nearly twice as long as Earth years.
Do the little Green Martians drive SUV's? Apparently very small ones.
Thanks from listening.

Mining the Moon

Bechtel's plans to mine Helium 3 from the Moon! Will Fusion from Helium 3 work? Stay tuned.

SPACE MANUFACTURING 8
ENERGY AND MATERIALS
FROM SPACE


Tuesday, September 13, 2005

The Military's Walrus: An Unlikely Flying Machine

I am fascinated by lighter than air stuff. Look for a stratopheric internet platform soon and see also for information about the new operational Zeppelin NT. Note that public fears of hydrogen (though the new Zeppelin uses Helium) are fueled by the Hindenburg explosion. It was not the hydrogen that caused the big problems, but the dope used to hold the fabric onto the frame of the Hindenburg. It turns out to have the same formula as solid rocket fuel used today! See the argument put forth by a NASA rocket scientist , though this is disputed by A.J. Dressler of the U of Arizona See
I bring this hydrogen thing up because the public seems to have this overblown fear of the hydrogen economy because of the film and sound track of the Hindenburg disaster: "Oh the Humanity" See:

The Military's Walrus: An Unlikely Flying Machine

The Space Review: The hurricane and the vision idea

Should NASA end the Shuttle program? Maybe that would be a good thing, but probably not politically feasible. The Space Station, an idea in orbit looking for a mission, would probably be hard pressed to keep flying with only the Soyez. However, it would save billions that could be used towards a new heavy launch vehicle for the Moon and Mars.
The Space Review: The hurricane and the vision

Sunday, September 11, 2005

Slashdot | Visiting Our Red Space Neighbor Enthusiasm for visiting our red space neighbor seems to be growing. m4dm4n67 writes "A study carried out by

Slashdot | Visiting Our Red Space Neighbor: "Enthusiasm for visiting our red space neighbor seems to be growing. m4dm4n67 writes 'A study carried out by MIT's Aeronautics and Astronautics department has concluded that getting men to Mars in the 2020 timeframe is possible"

Thursday, September 08, 2005

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