Celebrate with the newly rescued Chilean miners, watch the new NASA bill become law, build a base on the moon with Buzz Aldrin, and go for a ride in SpaceShipTwo on its first solo flight. All this and much more including Google’s self-driving car and our gadget of the week: the HydroBOB underwater scooter!
Science and Engineering Save Trapped Chilean Miners
The biggest new story round the world this week was the successful rescue of all 33 trapped Chilean miners, who survived underground for 70 days after a collapse in the San Jose copper-gold mine. Cheering and celebration was abound as each miner emerged from the Fenix 2 rescue capsule. Their safe return to the surface was made possible thanks to scientific knowledge and some incredible engineering, which kept the miners alive for the 70 days before their rescue in addition to hoisting them out. Each miner was strapped into a harness inside the 28”-wide Fenix 2 designed by NASA and constructed by the Chilean Navy. The bullet-shaped capsule was equipped with oxygen masks, heart monitors, and video cameras, and the entire rescue was broadcast live on TV and on the internet.
Fenix 2 Rescue Capsule (graphic from bbc.co.uk)
President Signs NASA 2010 Authorization Act
This Monday, President Obama signed into law the NASA 2010 Authorization Act, which will mandates $58.4 billion to be spent on NASA programs over the next three years. Exactly how the money will be spent is still uncertain and will be until after the mid-term elections. The few things that are for certain are an additional shuttle flight, an extension on the life of the International Space Station into 2020, and the development of a heavy-lift rocket beginning as early as 2011. “Now with the signing of this legislation into law, NASA has a blueprint, NASA has a roadmap,” said Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL). “The goal is not the moon. We were there 40 years ago. The goal is Mars by a flexible path. The president has stated that goal and this legislation which he is signing into law will now set us on that course."
New NASA budget sets Mars as the next goal
Buzz Aldrin Says Moon Before Mars
With the new direction being undertaken at NASA to get humans to Mars, some experts, including the second man on the moon Buzz Aldrin, say we are doing things in the wrong order. A critical component of space travel, says Aldrin, is establishing a permanent base on the moon, which would make a trip to Mars more viable. “Going to Mars requires an infrastructure in space,” Aldrin told FoxNews.com. “That’s where a moon base would come in.” Establishing a lunar base could provide a safe source of water and a site for fuel depots, which would reduce the cost of transporting fuel from Earth for an eventual Mars mission. Buzz has also spoken out about the possibility of using Mars’s own moon Phobos as a jumping off point for colonizing the red planet. Check out this video interview with the man himself.
Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo Makes First Solo Flight
After four flights attached to the mothership, SpaceShipTwo made it’s first solo journey last Sunday, when it was released at 45,000 feet. Test pilot Pete Siebold performed several flight quality tests during the 11-minute run before gracefully landing on the runway at the Mojave Air and Space Port. The flight test team at Scaled Composites is expected to complete numerous flight tests within the next 18 months before carrying the first passengers to space. Virgin Galactic is planning on flying regular flights from its Spaceport America in New Mexico beginning some time in 2012.
Pic of the Week: Lava Flows and Ash Plume from Klyuchevskaya Volcano
This image taken by ASTER aboard the Terra satellite depicts Klyuchevskaya Volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in far eastern Russia. The volcano is known for its frequent but mild volcanic activity. The false-color image shows the volcanic plume as well as active lava flows descending down channels on the volcano’s western flank. The lava flows appear red in the image. Click on the picture below for the glorious, full-res version.
Klyuchevskaya Volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia (click to embiggen)
Google wants to drive your car
This week Google announced that they have been testing a self-driving cars for the last year, for what they describe as a "Super Cruise Control" that can take over driving while you do other more important things (like surf the web). ABC took a Google self-driving car out for a spin (watch below).
Gadget of the Week: HydroBOB, the Underwater Scooter
Scuba diving and jet skiing are both fun things to do, so why not do them both with the HydroBOB? HydroBOB is the underwater scooter that’s easy to ride and requires no scuba training. Rather than wearing a mask with a breathing regulator, the HydroBOB has a big bubble of air just like a diving bell, so you can breathe naturally. To get on, you simply duck your head under the water, and stick it up into the bell. Currently, you can’t buy your own HydroBOB, but you can rent one at the Aquadome in Ft Lauderdale Florida. A $25 one hour package gives you a few minutes instruction and some time with the HydroBOB in the water. (via DVICE)
#FollowFriday
If you are on Twitter, you know there are plenty of amazing people out there tweeting away. And, many of them are scientists! Every Friday I’ll be bringing you a new list of great scientists, techies, and trekkies to follow on Twitter. This week…
- @alexwitze: Contributing editor, Science News http://bit.ly/sciencenewswitze
- @frankranz: Actor Fran Kranz (Topher, Dollhouse)
- @ProfBrianCox: ‘Wonders of the Universe’ starts filming May 11th for broadcast early 2011.
Science Quickies
Not enough science for you? Here’s a warp-speed look at some more science tid-bits that are worth a look.
- South Pole astronomers discover massive galaxy cluster
- Finally, a beer for astronauts
TrekMovie’s Science Friday is an homage the the great NPR radio show Science Friday. Science Friday® is a registered service mark of ScienceFriday Inc.
Bravo United States! Hearing that NASA helped design the escape capsule and that an American led the drilling efforts has instilled pride that I’m an American. The United States does great things in the service of huamnity. I hope everybody in the world recognizes this.
Here’s a story about the American drill operator.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69B2O020101012
Strangely missing from the article, considering this website’s origin, is that SpaceShipTwo is named VSS ENTERPRISE.
The videos are wrong… Buzz shows the Virgin ship and Virgin ship shows electric bike.
The rescue of these brave miners has been truley inspirational. Shows how much can be done when we all work together! Teamplayers always are winners! God bless those 33 men and their families. I’m also thrilled to see NASA has a plan and the funding to back it up! However a. Moonbase “spring board” is realy a must as we go enroute to Mars and beyond. That seems like common sense to me. (Just keep that madman. John F Paxton away from mars!) LOL its great to hear some good news for a change yeah!
#1
Well put! And not only were Americans involved in the rescue, there were experts from around the world chipping in to help. Everyone deserves a big pat on the back! A big inspiration to see countries coming together and helping in a common cause.
#4
Last time I checked, Paxton was doing specials on the History Channel. So I think we’re okay for now. :)
I agree with the Astronaut and second man on the moon over the idiot President.
And yay for the rescue of the Chilean miners!
Well, Chile probes that in South America we are not all monkys like live on the jungle, like many on the North America belive… hoo.. and btw, we are all Americans.. we live on the American continet.
Thanks
#1 hoo well.. this is grate.. i mean, now looks like it was USA who rescue the miners.. hoo grate! HURRA FOR USA!
But sorry if i brake your little bubble, eavry country help, but the ones who rescue the miners are from CHILE.
Hoo.. and yes, USA does grate things for the world.. Star Trek its one of them, but it also does terrible things like WAR, or dictatorships that rules mi continet 30 years ago and kill a lot of persons, it also the first country that its killing the world with poisen gas, ¿should i keep in?
Well, this msg its probably going to get censor, but hell.. i have to said this.
the capsule was designed by a german engineer from my home town bad kreuznach. his name was “eberhard au”. it was first used in 1955 in the mine “dahlbusch” near gelsenkirchen. nasa may have updatet it, but the concept isn’t theirs.
Who cares!!!!!!!! No one died – isn’t that the most important detail?
Kayla, thank you for your great work!
#8 & #9
Bravo, Cerri. You’ve taken a great moment in world history and turned it into another bitter line of anti-Imperialist, nationalistic dogma. And since “we’re all Americans” here in the New World, I guess you folks in Chile won’t mind being referred to as Americans from now on, right? Right…?
Yeah, I didn’t think so.
13. Yep, citizens of the United States aren’t called Americans because of the continent we live on, we’re called Americans because our nation’s name is United States of America.
@ 9
It wasn’t my intent to diminish the international cooperation and of course, the Chilean effort to free the miners in my post. (@ 1) Yes, Chileans deserve almost all of the credit. I just want to point out that the United States gets a lot of criticism when in truth, it does a lot of great things for humanity. For example, look at the Afghan War. While there have been civilian tragedies, I really believe that Afghans are better off without the Taliban. Yet, we see some Afghans protesting the U.S. It amazes me. Do these people really want the Taliban back? The Taliban had summary executions, mistreated women, etc.
As far as your comments about war in your continent caused by the United States, assuming you’re talking about South America, I can only say that my country isn’t perfect. No, I’m not laying the blame for all the atrocities in Latin America on the United States. We are not perfect. The fight against Communism has led us into terrible mistakes. See Viet Nam.
So I don’t get chewed out about talking politics, I will bring this back to Star Trek. Star Trek has taught us that our governents are not always right. I reference TOS episode “Arena.” Kirk spares the Gorn and then muses that maybe the Federation was wrong. One can love the Federation yet realize that it makes mistakes. The message is that we learn from our mistakes.
On the Mars issue, I’m no expert and I’m sure the experts have differing opinions of which is the wiser course between a mission straight to Mars vs Moon as a launching platform to Mars.
My biggest concern is this: From what I’ve seen, everyone (including our President) have demonized every policy or decision that George Bush ever made that I hope we are not tossing the baby out with the bath water.
If President Obama’s decision to change the game plan and billions of dollars already spent on the Bush method to Mars is going to be less expensive and make more sense from a scientific/engineering standpoint then lets give thanks for the courage of our President to see a bad plan and be willing to change it midstream.
Lets hope, even if we voted for him, that he’s making wise decisions not just meant to erase any memory of the last regime.
I for one, refuse to believe everything George Bush did was wrong– even if I’m glad he’s gone now.
Let’s not get political here. I’m sure we could all find bad things to say about every country if we really wanted to, including the U.S.A., all the way down the list of geopolitical power to Vanuatu, Nauru, and the Coral Sea Islands. We should find happiness and unity in Trek, not division.
There are tons of other places where we can indulge our inner political geek. Let this, at least, not be our political battlefield.
Thank you.
16… The problem is that both options (“Go back to the Moon first” vs. “Go straight to Mars”) are political minefields.
The “Moon First” option runs squarely into the “Been there, done that” Apollo 2.0 complaints and is therefore easy prey for budget cutters, who after all did kill Apollo 1.0 after only six landings, all on the near side, and all near the equator.
On the other hand the “Straight To Mars” option is going to be hideously expensive to try and do all at once, which means it will take a very long time (20 years is the usual estimate) to accomplish, and we have to depend on Presidents who only last eight years, tops, and Congresses that generally refuse to consider anything with a political payoff more than six years (a Senator’s term) away.
So here we are at a quandary. Which do we do? For now, the decision is “neither”. We’re going to build the basic infrastructure first and decide where to go later.
President Bush was following the recommendation of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board which said that NASA needed a clear goal, instead of changing goals every four years or having no goals at all.
And then of course President Obama came in and changed the goals.
But both Presidents were/are right.
NASA did need a goal, and Bush picked one that is not unrealistic. But Bush allowed NASA to choose a hopelessly expensive method of achieving it and then underfunded it. NASA wanted to design not one but two brand new launch vehicles even though it has the budget barely for one. (NASA claims Ares I and V are members of the same family and therefore save money, but they have almost nothing in common between them.)
President Obama heard advice from independent review boards that said NASA’s existing plan wasn’t going to work without a huge budget increase, so Obama killed that plan, instead wanting to invest in commercial alternatives and technology to make a replacement plan cheaper and safer at some undefined date in the future.
The problems that his critics saw instantly was that without any goal at all, as President Obama had done, NASA would be decimated by future Congresses that saw no reason for spending billions of dollars on R&D for a mission no one had given it, and that without an immediate successor to Shuttle, most of NASA experienced workforce would walk out the door looking for jobs elsewhere. And in five years or ten, when the President again decided to go to the Moon or Mars, NASA would have to recreate that experience at great expense in treasure and time. In short, it looked like President Obama was killing manned spaceflight, and it was very hard to argue otherwise.
So Congress went behind his back and re-instated the basics: Orion was revived under another name (“Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle”) and a new Shuttle-derived launch vehicle was authorized: one vehicle instead of two, and one that is much more closely descended from the existing (and already paid-for) Shuttle hardware.
17. We should find happiness and unity in Trek, not division.
We should but this the usa we’re on about here. Not the most civilised or peace loving of countries.
There is nothing wrong with the U.S.A. that isn’t wrong with a lot of countries. I’m quite annoyed with this country at times, but I’m sure other people are annoyed with their own countries as well.
There’s an old saying: If you’re outraged, you haven’t been paying attention. I think that there are as many Americans who are outraged by the actions of our own government as those who support them. However, now is not the place and this is not the venue for us to fight it out.
This is a place for fun and good discussion, which, at this point, excludes politics, I do believe.
Thorny and I are of one mind, I think, that President Obama hasn’t been very good at space policy. Thorny is less optimistic about the Constellation program than I was. I am of the belief, now, that half a loaf is better than none, so that while Constellation is no more, at least some of that which is good about it does survive.
That which survives is good, so that eventually we may go where no one has gone before. As far as the VSS Enterprise incident, I, too, believe that the name should have been mentioned in lieu of SpaceShip Two.
I loved Constellation, and I still do, but all our yesterdays are still gone, and while Constellation may be dead, its children shall lead.
Read my stupid blog for the gory details.
^^I meant to say, if you’re NOT outraged, you haven’t been paying attention.
#19
“Not the most civilised or peace loving of countries.”
As opposed to all those peaceful, civilized countries out there with absolutely perfect records, living in utopian harmony with nature? Name some examples, please…. And let’s start with your country first….
I repeat — we should find unity in Trek.
I think we can find much to pity in the United States, but again, this means nothing, since there is much to pity in every country in the world. No country is perfect.
If we cannot find peace and harmony in a Trek site, then I think more’s the pity. For Trek is about the future, about the future of humanity. We must save humanity in our own way — as individuals, who believe in the betterment of mankind.
If there is to be first contact, then we must be prepared; if there is we are not simply a victim of the paradise syndrome, then each of us must be the emissary toward that voyage’s end. We are the representatives, the ambassador class of an undiscovered country, lest tomorrow be yesterday once again.
Let’s keep politics out of this forum, I almost forgot what the topics were, after reading all the off the topics posting. There are a lot of things I could say about Obama, G W Bush, Clinton, George Bush, but I don’t as I choose to keep this forum about NASA, Chilis miners and Star Trek of course. I am surprised Anthony hasnt steered this forum back to what the topics are about, not political bickering. Let’s keep this place a fun place to be and on topic. There are hundreds of other site that would welcome that stuff, but please not here.
^^ Bravo, 24! :-)
While I agree that if we can avoid politics we should. I’m sorry I started some of this discussion when I was trying to show American pride of our helping hand. But let’s face it. Star Trek was a very political show. And whether you like it or not, the DNA of Star Trek has Gene Roddenberry’s politics all over it. Take a look at some of the TOS episodes.
1. A Private Little War- Anti-Viet Nam war; Cold War politics
2. The Omega Glory- Often mistaken for being an overtly patriotic show, but took shots at religion. Remember how the Yangs thought Spock was the devil?
3. A Taste of Armageddon- Anti-war.
4. The Doomsday Mahcine- A message for the need of arms control
5. Let That Be Your Last Battlefield- A message about racism.
6. The Devil in the Dark- A plea for tolerance.
Brannon Braga believed Gene Roddenberry to be a secular humanist. (text of speech, below. Par. 5) I wonder what he would say about today’s world where religion is dividing us? Star Trek is science fiction but Roddenberry used it to make the world a better place. With exception of secular humanism, I agree with Gene’s politics.
http://sidmennt.is/2006/08/16/every-religion-has-a-mythology/
I wonder what those studying the problems of the length of the Mars mission, think of the 33 men trapped for 68 days…..
I just have to say, I don’t always agree with America’s decisions and leaders. I, personally, do not like the President, as I find him overly socialist and under experienced. I find many Americans to be stupid and ignorant.
But I certainly don’t think America is a pit of barbarian conquerors the world puts it out to be. If America were, would we bother researching super accurate weapons when we could just carpet bomb enemy countries? Why do we not conquer and expand every day? Because we believe in peace.
No offense, but if you think the world is bad now, imagine if America hadn’t existed post WWII, if the Soviet Union had no opposite Superpower, where would countries be?
Before you blindly criticize America, take a few moments to think about these things.
# 22
“As opposed to all those peaceful, civilized countries out there with absolutely perfect records, living in utopian harmony with nature? Name some examples, please…. And let’s start with your country first….”
Well said, Vultan.
#28
Thanks, TG. I agree with your comments as well.
#11- Not to be cynical or callous, but the MOST important detail is to learn from the mistakes made so that they can be avoided in the future. This is true whether anyone died or not.
I, for one, am glad all 33 of those miners made it out safely, and with their sanity (apparently) intact, but the wiseguy in me thinks they should have attached a little LOX motor to the base of the escape capsule and given them a thrill up the rescue shaft. And pump the sound of a starship going to warp into their headsets when they feel the rocket kick in. BA-ZOOM-M-M-M!!!!!!!! LOL :-)
Hey, wait a minute. Could I get an IAAPA sanction to build one? What an amusement park ride that would make………..!