Space - It's Rather Large

[T_M_C]

I saw an interesting documentary today about him on RT ( Russia Today ).

Great to see the old footage.

It's ironic now that the US relies on Russia to get to the ISS.

Having virtually mothballed the shuttles.


I heard this along time ago.  It's a bit of an urban myth, but it might be true,

"I hear the US spent $33,000,000 inventing a pen that would write in space.

The Russians used a Pencil."   

TMC

[JDog053]

Wouldn't surprise me if it was true, no shame in using a Pencil in Space

[fog]

IIRC from QI that pencil vs pen thing in space is half myth and half true.

They didn't want to use a pencil for fear of broken bits of graphite getting into the instruments and circuitry which was a legitimate concern so looked at developing a special pen.  All along though a normal ballpoint pen would have worked in zero gravity anyway.

Something like that.

[TheKhakinator]

NASA had nothing to do with developing the "Space Pen" funnily enough; the design was done completely independently by a company who then marketed their pens to NASA after developing the technology.

Funnily enough bomber crews in WWII used ballpoint pens because fountain pens leaked at high altitude.

[fog]

This is pretty cool to have a play with. There's a free version to download which does more than these sorts of programs usually do and the version on Steam looks like it has even more features.

http://universesandbox.com/about/

Universe Sandbox - Interactive Space Simulator	powered by Aeva

[T_M_C]

Those are some really cool effects.   

I remember coding a galaxy simulator a few years back.

Thinking that if i create a galaxy of thousands of particles and coded gravity that attracted the particles all with inertia and mass the galaxy would form spiral arms and start spinning.

Unfortunately after i left it running overnight, it ended up as just as much a random mess as when i started.

It oscilated nicely though.

TMC

[fog]

Yeah playing with particle and gravity systems is great fun.  I posted some screenies a while back of some lovely patterns generated using one I'd written, but I only got those after putting some artificial constraints on the simulation.  Without them, much like you, I just had random results.

[fog]

Last ever shuttle launch today then.  I still remember watching the very first one live on TV as a kid.

Anyone know what the crack is with the US space programme now?  Is there to be a replacement shuttle, has it proved to be just as expensive as using traditional rockets or are they cutting back on space missions altogether?

[T_M_C]

They are paying the russians to get them to the space station.   

The American Space Programme is still officialy in operation, but Nasa are going to rely on private commercial ( non Government ) companies and organisations for their space programme.

But it's now just a shadow of it's former self.

Yet more proof to me that there is an American super secret second space programme, with all the super advanced technology withheld from the public.

Quoting Ben Rich, head of Lockhead Skunkworks.

"We now have the technology to take ET home"


Interestingly, the Chinese are all set to take the lead in the Public Space Race.
Having already landed probes on the moon.
And their manned moon landing space programme is only a fews years away now.

India, are also very close behind.

TMC

[fog]

They are paying the russians to get them to the space station.   

lol.  What.  Wow 

Interestingly, the Chinese are all set to take the lead in the Public Space Race.
Having already landed probes on the moon.
And their manned moon landing space programme is only a fews years away now.

India, are also very close behind.

Cool.  I'd love to watch a live moon landing.

[fog]

Happy birthday Neptune.

Astronomers will celebrate a remarkable event on 11 July. It will be exactly one year since the planet Neptune was discovered. Readers should note a caveat, however. That year is a Neptunian one. The great icy world was first pinpointed 164.79 years ago – on 23 September 1846. And as Neptune takes 164.79 Earthly years to circle the sun, it is only now completing its first full orbit since its detection by humans. Hence those anniversary celebrations.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jul/10/neptune-orbit-anniversary-astronomy

[T_M_C]

 

TMC

[fog]

So the end of the shuttle then.  I still remember watching the very first launch as though it was yesterday.

[fog]

Some great shots of the final Shuttle mission here

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/07/space_shuttle_era_ends_with_at.html

[TheKhakinator]

was watching that. nothing quite as emotional as seeing those engines light.