Randal B.’s Post

New Post: Voyager 1’s Archaic Onboard Computers Are Stuttering - https://lnkd.in/gcC5ZSMn - Humanity’s most distant spacecraft is glitching out—again—and engineers are having quite a diffitcult time solving the problem. Voyager 1, what are we going to do with you?Read more... - ----------------------------------------------------- Download: Stupid Simple CMS - https://lnkd.in/g4y9XFgR ----------------------------------------------------- or download at SourceForge - https://lnkd.in/gNqB7dnp

New Post: Double Plumes Spotted on Jupiter’s Cantankerous Volcanic Moon - https://lnkd.in/g7rhDFnm - NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured new images of Jupiter’s moon Io during its latest flyby, coming within an eerily close distance of the most volcanically active world in the solar system for a second time in less than two months. The close encounter also shows what appears to be a pair of plumes erupting from the…Read more... - ----------------------------------------------------- Download: Stupid Simple CMS - https://lnkd.in/g4y9XFgR ----------------------------------------------------- or download at SourceForge - https://lnkd.in/gNqB7dnp

New Post: NASA Budget Threatens Fate of Veteran X-Ray Telescope, Alarming Astronomers - https://lnkd.in/gvEhCjgB - It might be the end of the road for two of NASA’s most iconic telescopes as the space agency looks to reduce the funding for the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, much to the dismay of scientists who rely heavily on the cosmic observations of the missions.Read more... - #news #business #world -------------------------------------------------- Download: Stupid Simple CMS - https://lnkd.in/g4y9XFgR -------------------------------------------------- or download at SourceForge - https://lnkd.in/gNqB7dnp

How to #photograph the #eclipse, according to #NASA https://lnkd.in/gDBdJmBj #TWiT #tech #technology #technews #technologynews #solareclipse

NASA's X-59 Aircraft Aims for Supersonic Speed with Minimal Noise Impact. by Clarence Oxford - Los Angeles CA (SPX) Looking ahead, NASA anticipates a long-term deployment of these recording systems, up to nine months, during Phase 2 of the QueSST mission. The lessons learned from the CarpetDIEM flights, including the reduced setup time for recording stations and the coordination with various agencies, will inform the preparation for this next critical phase. NASA's groundbreaking X-59 experimental aircraft, designed to fly faster than the speed of sound while producing a significantly quieter sonic boom, is inching closer to its ambitious goal, thanks to recent advancements in ground recording technology. The agency's Carpet Determination In Entirety Measurements (CarpetDIEM) project has completed pivotal tests to capture these quieter sonic "thumps" from the ground, marking a crucial step toward revolutionizing supersonic flight. Over a 30-mile stretch of desert near NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, researchers successfully set up 10 microphone stations as part of CarpetDIEM flights. These tests were focused on assessing the deployment, operation, and data collection capabilities of a new generation of ground recording systems, essential for the upcoming tests of the X-59. "Forrest Carpenter, principal investigator for CarpetDIEM III, shared insights into the logistical challenges and learning curve associated with these tests. "We're kind of learning how to dance now so that when we get to the big dance, we're ready to go," Carpenter explained. This preparation is in anticipation of the X-59's eventual flights, designed to produce sonic thumps as quiet as about 75 perceived loudness decibels-a stark contrast to the over 100 decibels associated with the Concorde. The CarpetDIEM III testing utilized F-15 and F-18 jets from NASA Armstrong to simulate the X-59's quiet sonic boom through 20 supersonic passes, with one maneuver achieving a noise level as low as 67 perceived level decibels. These efforts are instrumental in validating the X-59's innovative design, aimed at mitigating the disruptive sonic boom that has historically limited supersonic travel over land. https://lnkd.in/dtCdta4Q

"This IS the droid you're looking for." NASA Droid: Year 1962 FriendsofNASA.org: Happy Star Wars Day! Happy National Space Day! "This Star Wars Day we're betting this droid, built around 1962 to test NASA space suits, would beat C-3PO in a fight. Its mechanized limbs had strain gauges to indicate how much force was required to move in a suit." —NASA History Office First of all there is a question of just what to call this device. Is it a “dummy”? That’s what its creators called it sometimes, but that sounds too pejorative and does not give credit to its complexity. Is it a “robot”? That’s what it looks like. Or is it an “android,” defined by the dictionary as “an automaton made to resemble a human being”? But what is an “automaton”? “Anything that can move or act of itself,” among other definitions. That is close enough, so we will call it an “android” from now on. The android was built in Chicago at the Illinois Institute of Technology beginning around 1962, to test space suits for NASA. It was intended to be installed in a prototype suit (on Earth), and its limbs would be set in motion that closely resembled what a human suit wearer would do. Strain gauges would tell how much force was required to move in a suit, and therefore how much effort an astronaut needed to wear the suit. It was never intended to fly in space, and could not operate without a control console connected to it. Apparently it also could not stand on its own, but was suspended by a parachute-type harness. The device worked on hydraulic motors, which were controlled by knobs operated by a human operator nearby. It did not have any computer or “brain” in it. Therefore I avoid the term “robot,” which implies self-contained autonomous operation, although in other respects it does resemble a robot, and that term is not totally inaccurate. Although lacking a computer, it was nevertheless a very significant breakthrough in the ability to mimic the motions of the human body. As a dramatic demonstration of its capabilities, its designers got it to dance “the twist,” and to mimic the pelvic gyrations of Elvis Presley. Because of the maze of tiny tubes and valves that carried hydraulic fluid, the android tended to leak, which could have damaged an expensive space suit. At times it was covered with a “wet suit” to catch the leaks, but I believe that problem was never solved. As far as I can tell, only two androids were built, and it never really fulfilled the function it was built for. The project ended around 1967. Source: https://lnkd.in/gT-49s9T Credit: National Air & Space Museum (NASM) Image Credit: Eric Long/NASM Story Credit: Paul Ceruzzi/NASM Release Date: Sept. 8, 2009 Ulrich Eberle, Ph.D. Randall Nichols Mark Gotch Joseph A. Sholtis, Jr. #NASA #Space #History #Spacesuits #Testing #GeminiProgram #ApolloProgram #Droid #HumanSpaceflight #StarWarsDay #NationalSpaceDay #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #IllinoisTech #Chicago #NASM #WashingtonDC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

#Breakingnews: first #flightresults from the check-out and commissioning of the Starling Formation-Flying Optical Experiment (#StarFOX). It took about 10 years to achieve the objective I set for the #Stanford Space Rendezvous Laboratory. Namely to develop and demonstrate #autonomous satellite #swarming #algorithms in orbit together with my students. Is it #spacebased #situationalawareness? Is it autonomous #navigation in #deepspace? Is it autonomous co-location of swarming satellites? Yes, it is all of these things combined for a new #era of #sustainable #spaceexploration! The video below presents the first optical relative navigation flight results for a swarm of spacecraft using only inter-satellite bearing angles. On the left, photographs are taken every minute by one spacecraft of the Starling swarm, and visible objects are classified as other swarm members, stars, or background clutter. Two swarm members are visible and their angular positions in the image are used to estimate their relative orbits, shown on the right. Initial orbit errors (lines) and formal uncertainties (shaded regions) are reduced over time as new angle measurements are obtained by the camera and processed sequentially. Even under very challenging conditions, due to inconsistent target illumination (eclipses) and minimal target motion, the angles-only Absolute and Relative Trajectory Measurement System (ARTMS, https://lnkd.in/dhFVuYyM) is able to demonstrate relative navigation to multiple resident space objects using only inter-satellite bearing angles matching accuracy from on-ground hardware-in-the-loop tests. Acknowledgements: Justin Kruger (graduating this week!) and Space Rendezvous Laboratory #Starling is funded by NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Small Spacecraft Technology program based at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley and within the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington. More on Mission Operations here: https://lnkd.in/dQTduZhf More on Starling here: https://lnkd.in/d8RA8rH3

Alien Spacecraft Detected on Google Maps! User Claims Spotted ’12-Metre-Wide A mysterious object, similar to an alien spacecraft, has been discovered on a remote island in Antarctica. The object was also seen on Google Maps. ufo google map UFO Sightings on Google Maps: Aliens and Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) are surely one of the most mysterious and discussed topics of all time. Extraterrestrial spotting and UFO sighting always make headlines however, most of them are hoax while rest of them were still a mystery. In a similar vein, recently a mysterious object that a crashed UFO has been found on the edge of a remote island in Antarctica. Like any alien ship, which we have seen in any sci-fi movie, the object has a domed top, a wide rim, and a metallic silver appearance. Surprisingly, it was seen on the Google Map near Modev Peak on Two Hummock Island, six-mile-long island with two Rocky Mountains. The mysterious picture of the ‘UFO’ was shared on Reddit by web sleuths, who said the object was an alien spaceship or UFO that might landed or crashed on the island. The web sleuths pointed out the object’s circular shape and as evidence of its artificial origin, estimating that it was 12 metres in diameter. They also rubbished the possibility of the object’s natural formation of ice or rock. Not only the shape of the object but its location also raised speculation because it was spotted near the site where ex-US Navy officer Eric Hecker claimed that he had witnessed “powerful machines” that were capable of communicating with extraterrestrial crafts in deep space. Eric Hecker shared his experience at the US UFO Disclosure meetings, that was held eight months ago. The meeting was held to discuss the government’s understanding and involvement in the UFO phenomenon. Billy Carson, a paranormal researcher and UFO believer, said the Antarctica is hiding a evil or dangerous secret under its frozen surface. according to him, a NASA photo shows a “pyramid” in the Ellsworth Mountains, which he believes is a sign of an “ancient evil” that might be unleashed by scientific exploration. He also quoted Buzz Aldrin, the former astronaut, who warned regarding the danger of sinister force. However, several people have termed his theory as nonsense, but on a contrary he insists that it is true. Recently, a NASA scientist has recently made a shocking revelation that is sure to give goosebumps to believers in extraterrestrial life. It is worth noting that NASA has already discovered several mysterious tunnels. Following these discoveries, the American space agency has also been accused of hiding information regarding extraterrestrials. In fact, according to media reports, Kevin Knuth, a distinguished academician working at NASA’s Ames Research Center, believes that the oceans are inhabited by aliens, where they are living secretly. #alien #ufo #googlemap #nasa #extraterrestrial #mysterious #pyramid #tunnels #spacecraft #Antarctica

Orbital Paparazzi Captures a Sneaky Picture of the ISS A presumption of the ISS successful orbit arsenic seen by a satellite. Image: HEO Robotics The International Space Station (ISS) was caught looking a small undignified successful a caller photograph captured by an imaging outer successful orbit. Astronomers Could Soon Get Warnings When SpaceX Satellites Threaten Their View This week, Australia-based HEO Robotics released a photograph of the ISS similar we’ve ne'er seen it before. The fuzzy black-and-white representation was taken by 1 of the company’s non-Earth imaging satellites arsenic it was a specified 43 miles (69 kilometers) distant from the 356-foot-long (109 meters) abstraction station. Image: HEO Robotics “Non-Earth imaging provides the champion presumption of satellites successful space,” HEO Robotics wrote connected X. HEO Robotics provides outer imagery of objects successful orbit, arsenic good arsenic outer inspection services for authorities and commercialized operators. The institution has imaged implicit a 100 objects aft they reached their orbital destinations and aboriginal utilized its bundle to place the objects. The institution has a fleet of 30 sensors successful debased Earth orbit, which it uses to drawback unflattering photos of orbiting satellites and spacecraft. Earlier successful February, HEO Robotics captured a photo of the European Space Agency’s ERS-2 Earth reflection outer arsenic it tumbled towards its fiery decease done Earth’s atmosphere. The company’s nosy satellites besides gave america our first look astatine SpaceX’s Starlink V2 outer successful orbit. But possibly nary different entity successful debased Earth orbit is arsenic celebrated arsenic the ISS, which is astir the size of an American shot tract and with a wide of astir 1 cardinal pounds, according to NASA. The abstraction presumption has been successful orbit for much than 20 years, circling our satellite astatine a region of 250 miles (460 kilometers). We’re utilized to seeing NASA images of the ISS soaring gracefully done orbit, looking similar a mechanical phoenix. The caller outer representation of the abstraction presumption is simply a bully reminder that it’s conscionable an awkward heap of metal floating done space, doing its best. For much spaceflight successful your life, travel america connected X and bookmark Gizmodo’s dedicated Spaceflight page. https://ift.tt/6D3Ae7G