Category Archives: Transhuman News

What could possibly quiet dozens of second graders, to the point that you could hear a pin drop? Perhaps talking to a real, live astronaut who's currently in space. "A lot of people have not had that opportunity and probably never will," said Maple Dale Elementary second-grader Luke Brown.Brown, an aspiring astronaut, took full advantage of the once in a lifetime opportunity. He asked Dr. Drew Morgan firsthand one of his burning questions about being on the International Space Station. "The sole purpose is to develop interest on the part of the youth in becoming astronauts and becoming familiar with science, technology and mathematics," said Dale R. Williams director of Great Lakes Division American Radio Relay League.The out of this world experience came together with the help of amateur radio operators."We set up radio equipment here on stage and put antennas on the roof of the building with motorized action on those," said Williams.From there, the radio operators track the space station across the sky. Williams said knowing when they'll get access is very predictable.Second-graders from Montgomery, Symmes and Blue Ash elementary schools all traveled to Maple Dale to participate. The event was livestreamed so that other grade levels could watch and hear.

What could possibly quiet dozens of second graders, to the point that you could hear a pin drop? Perhaps talking to a real, live astronaut who's currently in space.

"A lot of people have not had that opportunity and probably never will," said Maple Dale Elementary second-grader Luke Brown.

Brown, an aspiring astronaut, took full advantage of the once in a lifetime opportunity. He asked Dr. Drew Morgan firsthand one of his burning questions about being on the International Space Station.

"The sole purpose is to develop interest on the part of the youth in becoming astronauts and becoming familiar with science, technology and mathematics," said Dale R. Williams director of Great Lakes Division American Radio Relay League.

The out of this world experience came together with the help of amateur radio operators.

"We set up radio equipment here on stage and put antennas on the roof of the building with motorized action on those," said Williams.

From there, the radio operators track the space station across the sky.

Williams said knowing when they'll get access is very predictable.

Second-graders from Montgomery, Symmes and Blue Ash elementary schools all traveled to Maple Dale to participate. The event was livestreamed so that other grade levels could watch and hear.

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Local second-graders talk to astronaut aboard the International Space Station - WLWT Cincinnati

Grand Blanc East Middle School eighth-grader Alayna Broome asks a question of astronaut Jessica Meir, who is aboard the International Space Station. Broome won a national contest, which gave her and her classmates the opportunity to talk with Meir, who is aboard the ISS for a 9-month term. Photo by Jalene Jameson

GRAND BLANC Eighth-graders at Grand Blanc East Middle School had an out-ofthis world experience last week, thanks to their classmate Alayna Broome.

Out of 3,000 submissions from across the United States in the Opening Doors in Space program and contest, Broomes submission of plans for a space garden won the grand prize a chance to speak with NASA astronaut Jessica Meir who is currently living and working aboard the International Space Station.

As the first hospitality brand to participate in research aboard the ISS, DoubleTree by Hilton in partnership with Scholastic invited 5,000 middle school classrooms around the U.S. to participate in its Opening Doors in Space educational program and contest, which encouraged students to think creatively about how to innovate long-duration space travel to make it more comfortable and hospitable. DoubleTree by Hilton developed the educational program and contest to complement its famous DoubleTree chocolate chip cookies becoming the first food baked in space.

Grand Blanc East Middle School eighth-grader Alayna Broome talks with Grand Blanc City Councilman John Creasey, left, and U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee after a Skype session with astronaut Jessica Meir, who is aboard the International Space Station. Photo by Jalene Jameson

Broomes submission detailed a space garden that functions as a sustainable food source, as well as serves as a symbol of comfort to make travelers feel at home, no matter where they are.

As the students waited to connect with Meir, Mission Control in Houston could be heard asking for a voice check. Several students, including Broome, were able to ask Meir questions and see and hear her via Skype. Life in microgravity could be seen as Meirs curly hair floated above her head, bracelets she was wearing lifted off her wrist, and her microphone and a packaged cookie hung suspended in the air.

Meir explained to the students how the DoubleTree cookie became the first food baked in space using a special oven. She said being able to cook, smell and taste freshly made food is important for long-term space travel and for the crews psychological well-being.

Who doesnt like freshly baked cookies? Meir said. The oven is right here above my head in this lab. All the crew members pass through here, and the lab was full of this wonderful smell of baking cookies. I love to bake and bring things to people to share

This is Broomes design for a space garden. Her design won the grand prize in the national DoubleTree by Hilton and Scholastic Opening Doors in Space program contest. Drawing provided

6 at work, and it reminded me of that. That wonderful aroma really did make me feel at home.

Meir has been aboard the ISS since September and is completing a 9-month mission. She said people often ask her what she misses in space. She said she misses her family and friends, but the astronauts are able to Skype weekly with loved ones and can even call them on the phone. Surprisingly, she said she really doesnt miss anything else.

I thought Id miss the outdoors because I love to hike and be out in nature, she said. I think its because were in a unique and exceptional environment, nothing like anything youve experienced before. Everything is so unique and special and beautiful looking down at the Earth, doing the space walk and all the experiments. Theres so much exciting stuff going on.

One of those exciting moments for Meir was being part of the first all-female space walk in history. Another experiment has been growing a crop of lettuce on the ISS. Meir and her crew have had two harvests of Mizuna mustard lettuce, which she said has had a positive psychological effect for them from being able to grow and care for the plants, harvest them and be able to eat what theyve grown in a salad.

The other important factor in food sources and ways we can grow and prepare food in space is important to long-duration and deep-space missions, Meir said. Food has to be more sustainable because were not going to bring everything with us.

Meir said she has wanted to be an astronaut since she was about 5 years old, but her career before space was as a comparative physiologist studying animals that live in extreme environments. She said she studied emperor penguins and elephant seals in the Arctic, in particular why they both can live in the same environment and are deep sea divers, but the penguins can only stay underwater for 2 minutes, while the seals can stay under for 2 hours.

Meir said she believes space exploration is an inherent part of human beings having the desire to go farther, and that desire is very important for humans to progress as a society and civilization.

Sometimes the unintended results are often the most fruitful, she said. You may uncover a whole different realm of answers that you werent even looking for. It changes you as a person up here. Ive had people describe to me how they felt when they looked back on Earth for the first time with their own eyes. It gives you a profoundly different feeling for your place in the world. Its easy to get caught up in the small minutiae of things that dont really matter. Were all a part of something much bigger, and were all in this together.

After the presentation, Broome discussed her winning project and what it was like talking to an astronaut. She said she knew astronauts are able to grow plants in space, so she came up with the idea of a space garden that would make the ISS seem a little more like home. She said she was happy she won, but she would have liked to see what other students came up with.

Broome said being able to talk with Meir was a life-changing moment.

It was really cool because we got to have a conversation with her through just Skype, Broome said. Its just so amazing we got to talk to someone so far away from us in space when were on Earth. Its just so awesome to hear from her experience and what she learned and that she didnt actually miss anything from Earth because its so unique.

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East Middle School students talk to astronaut on the International Space Station - Grandblancview

Optical Surfaces Ltd. reports how a motorised UV-Vis-NIR collimator and interferometric alignment system it supplied to the Deutsches Zentrum fr Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR)in Berlin, Germany has been used to set-up the ground breakingDLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS).

On 23 October 2019, DLR the renowned German Aerospace Center, and the U.S. company Teledyne Brown Engineering (TBE)announced thestart of routine operations for DESIS on the International Space Station. Operated by DLR and TBE,DESIS is the most powerful hyperspectral Earth observation instrument in orbit and addresses a wide range of applications. Its high-resolution image data will enable the development of measures for environmental protection and support the more efficient, ecological use of agricultural land.

The hyperspectral Earth observation instrument provides images with a one-of-a-kind level of quality. The sensor system collects image data in 235 closely spaced spectral bands from on board the International Space Station (ISS), at an altitude of 400 kilometres. It has a ground resolution of 30 metres and a spectral resolution of 2.55 nanometres. This significantly increases the depth of information available in Earth observation data. The first images were acquired shortly after initial setup and DESIS data has already been used to identify plastic islands and oil slicks at sea. A few months ago, the high spatial resolution of DESIS made it possible to detect rare Earth elements from space for the first time.

Ilse Sebastian, a Calibration Engineer at DLR commented By installing the motorised UV-Vis-NIR collimator and interferometric alignment system in our class 100,000 clean room we have been able to undertake diffraction limited broadband imaging for MTF measurement, focusing and geometric calibration of single optics and focal planes, fully integrated camera systems and hyperspectral imaging systems such as DESIS. To monitor and verify that the UV-Vis-NIR collimator system is consistently in alignment Optical Surfaces also designed and supplied a software-operated Laser Unequal Pathlength Interferometer (LUPI) system to interface with the collimator system".

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Environmental Monitoring from the International Space Station - Novus Light Technologies Today

Recently, a batch of baked chocolate chip cookies returned from space, signifying a major step forward towards the future of how humans will eat and thrive in space.

The delicious experiment, which took place using cookie dough from Hilton's DoubleTree Hotel and the Zero G oven, an oven designed specifically to work in the microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station, was the first time that raw ingredients (the dough) was cooked or baked.

"I think it was a great success," former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino, who has served as a sort of "cookie consultant" for Hilton throughout this experiment, told Space.com. "We now know this can be done." He added that the success of this experiment opens "the door for other opportunities to cook things."

Related: Space Food Evolution: How Astronaut Chow Has Changed (Photos)

The experiment also answered a few questions about what happens when you try to bake in space. One of the biggest questions people had was: "would the space station smell like fresh-baked cookies?" And, apparently the smell from the cookies did permeate the station (after they were baked for a certain amount of time). The experiment also found that cookies take a lot longer to bake in space (they don't know why yet) and they turn out looking like regular, Earth cookies, not puffed up like some thought they might be.

"With this cookie i thought it would be a lot poofierm," Massimino said. The cookie looked more "like a cookie you would bake on Earth.

Further investigation and analysis of the experiment's results will also continue to answer questions, such as why the cookies took much longer to bake in space and why they weren't "poofy."

Massimino, who brought individually-wrapped, bite-sized biscotti up to space with him and famously was only one of two astronauts to ever gain weight in space, related the experiment to an experiment he partook in which tested how sunflowers would grow in space. According to Massimino, the flower itself looked "normal" but "the stalk was like a wire below us," because it didn't need to be thick to support the flower because of the microgravity environment.

As Massimino, who also serves as the Senior Advisor for Space Programs at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York, NY, explained, the experiment has been an incredible teaching tool for people of all ages.

The cookie experiment is a "great way to get people of all ages interested in what's going on in space," he said.

But, besides its importance as an education tool, the experiment also has incredible applications for supporting longterm spaceflight, he added.

"I think a lot of astronauts will be looking forward to having cookies," he said about some of the most obvious applications. "In space," he added "you're looking for these reminders of home." Massimino added that these connections to home, to Earth, helps astronauts to feel "normal" and morale boosters like these are incredibly important to the astronaut's psychological well-being, which is integral to their performance.

This experiment also marks a big step forward for space exploration.

"This is a big step in that direction for the future of exploration where we're gonna be off the planet for longer periods of time," Massimino said. He continued, adding that within the very near future we may be starting to build settlements on off-Earth location like the moon, and we will need to use specialized tech to ensure that the humans living off-Earth have access to good, nutritious (and delicious) food.

As far as what might be next for baking or cooking in space, Massimino had a couple of suggestions.

So what does Massimino want to see next? "The next thing would definitely be a pizza of some sort," he said. "Bagel bites or hot pockets of some sort." He added that it would also be nice for astronauts to have something they could "bite into something big like a big cheeseburger or a big sandwich."

Follow Chelsea Gohd on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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Cosmic cookies! Astronaut weighs in on the future of baking in space - Space.com

Looking for a career with some serious upward mobility? NASA is hiring astronauts for the agencys Artemis program, which will send humans back to the moon in 2024 and establish sustainable lunar exploration by 2028 in preparation for sending the first humans to Mars in the mid-2030s.

NASA is accepting applications from March 2 to 31 for the next class of Artemis Generation astronauts, according to a news release from the space agency.

Since the 1960s, NASA has chosen 350 people to train as astronaut candidates, 25 of whom have called Ohio home, making our state the fourth-largest producer of U.S. astronauts, according to Ohio.org. Astronauts from Ohio include Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, John Glenn, the first man to orbit Earth, and Cleveland native Jim Lovell, the first astronaut to make four space flights.

There are 48 astronauts in NASAs active corps, and they will need more crew members for multiple destinations as part of the Artemis missions and beyond, the release states.

Were celebrating our 20th year of continuous presence aboard the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit this year, and were on the verge of sending the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024, said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. For the handful of highly talented women and men we will hire to join our diverse astronaut corps, its an incredible time in human spaceflight to be an astronaut. Were asking all eligible Americans if they have what it to takes to apply beginning March 2.

Basic requirements to become a NASA astronaut include:

Candidates must also have either:

Applicants can apply to be an astronaut here.

First-time applications will be required to take an online assessment that will take up to two hours to complete.

After being selected as a candidate and completing training, new astronauts could launch on American rockets and spacecraft to live and work aboard the International Space Station, where they will take part in experiments and prepare the U.S. for further exploration of the solar system.

NASA expects to select the next class of astronaut candidates in mid-2021 to begin training.

For more information and details on the requirements to become a candidate, click here.

NASAs Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and the Plum Brook Research Center nearby in Sandusky, are playing pivotal roles in the Artemis program.

NASA Glenn researches things like solar electric propulsion, which will be key to a small station that will circle around the moon known as "Gateway," to nuclear power on the surface of the moon.

RELATED: NASA Glenn playing pivotal role in USA's lunar return, including station orbiting the moon

Last November, the Orion spacecraft, the exploration vehicle that will land the first woman and the next man on the moon in 2024, was delivered to Plum Brook Station for environmental testing.

RELATED: The Orion spacecraft makes its way to Plum Brook Station in Sandusky

Learn more about the Artemis program on NASA.gov here.

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To the moon and beyond apply online to become a NASA astronaut in the Artemis program - News 5 Cleveland

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP Two Middle Township High School students and one of their coaches made history Wednesday when they participated in the first oath of military enlistment from space.

Seniors Dylan Hoffman and Anthony Anderson, as well as coach and substitute teacher Donald Justin Rhinesmith, recited the oath from the high school library as spoken by U.S. Army Col. Andrew Morgan, a NASA astronaut aboard the International Space Station.

Its a one-time opportunity, but it will also be in conjunction with the Space Force as the sixth branch of the U.S. military, said Army Staff Sgt. Derek D. Olson, a recruiter in Atlantic and Cape May counties.

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP Four Cumberland County residents were arrested Sunday night after police s

Olson said there are three Army astronauts currently, including Morgan.

The enlistment ceremony was broadcast via Facebook Live from Space Center Houston to more than 1,000 future service members from 150 locations throughout the country.

Olson said that each year, his office enlists about 60 new recruits for the Army.

The Middle Township High School Navy National Defense Cadet Corps joined the recruits for the ceremony Wednesday.

Hoffman, 17, of Cape May Court House, said its always been his dream to enlist in the Army.

My grandfather was in the Army. When I was a kid, he would pull out the uniforms and my grandmother said my eyes would light up, he said.

He said he wants to be in the infantry.

A man from the Villas section of Lower Township was charged after authorities last month fou

Anderson, 18, of Rio Grande, said he decided to enlist because he likes working with his hands, particularly auto mechanics. He said he became interested in the Army when the recruiters visited the school his sophomore year.

Its a pretty amazing experience, Anderson said of the ceremony.

Hoffman said he was honored to be able to participate.

Rhinesmith, 27, of Cape May Court House, a Middle Township High School graduate, hopes to become an officer.

Morgan told the recruits he was only able to become an astronaut because of the opportunities he had in the Army.

All things that are worth doing are hard, said Morgan. Im so proud of you and your decision to serve.

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

Mainland Regional High School plays Middle Township in the first round of the CAL girls basketball tournament, in Linwood, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020. (VERNON OGRODNEK / For The Press)

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Middle Township Army recruits receive oath of office from space - Press of Atlantic City

The Pentagon is working on a nuclear thermal propulsion engine with the goal to be able to drive satellites around in space, The Daily Beast reports. This seems to be a multi-motivated effort to thwart other countries space progress, better mine resources from the moon, and also serve as a weapon. Like a well-rounded athlete or entertainer, the nuclear thermal propulsion system aspires to be a triple threatliterally.

If this sounds somewhat sinister, youre not wrong, although its not any more or less villainous than any other defense thing. But that name...

DARPAs budget request for 2021, which the agency released in early February, asks for $21 million for the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations program, or DRACO, The Daily Beast says. Cislunar refers to the area between Earth and the moon. Draco has strong malevolent Malfoy energy, but also just means dragon in Latin.

The technology involves a small nuclear reactor mounted on a rocket, where the reactor produces thrust by pushing hot or burning material out of a rear opening. Current satellites have very small thrusters that serve almost exclusively to adjust altitude, and these are often electric, because satellites can gather solar energy for much of the year. Even so, the bursts are typically budgeted rigidly because of the opportunity cost of spending fuel at all.

A highly mobile and powerful satellite thrust system is something new, at least if it gets to the execution phase. Being able to navigate in orbit has been a moonshot goal for all the global powers for a long time; so many ideas exist at many levels of development. There are inherent limitations to vehicles that are meant to stay in orbit and interact with Earths surface. And although the moon obviously orbits Earth and stays in a predictable patternour original satellite!that orbit is hundreds of thousands of miles further away than most of the satellites in orbit.

NASAs IBEX satellite is exceptionally high and near the moon at about 200,000 miles. Most of Earths communications satellites are in an orbit about 22,000 miles up, which is called geostationary orbit because of how these satellites appear to stay with the Earth as it spins. The area between 22,000 and about 239,000 miles is pretty empty, and this is where the U.S. and Chinese militaries and space services imagine their nuclear-thrust cislunar vehicles.

The Daily Beast says the vision for these nuclear reactors includes being assembled, in the Johnny Cash tradition, one piece at a time. This spreads the heavy payload over many rocket launches, but requires the reactor to be put together while in space. The human-occupied International Space Station orbits at around just 250 miles up, and assembly of a nuclear satellite engine would take place far, far above that, so wed need some kind of autonomous or remote assembly.

Today, NASA and the military believe this technology is a good complement to our plans to return to the moon by 2024, for example, and the increase in global government and civilian rocket launches. Its not hard to imagine a future where companies have mines on the moon that are regulated by some kind of cislunar police force. Of course, just because its easy to imagine, that doesnt mean its a good or feasible idea.

Read the original:
The Pentagon Is Working on a Nuclear Thermal Rocket - Popular Mechanics

Last month, the first cookies baked in space returned to Earth. This test of a new oven designed for microgravity aboard the International Space Station was not only a delightful experiment but also an important one. After all, this was the first time astronauts cooked raw ingredients in space. And yes, the ISS did smell of fresh-baked cookies. From Space.com's interview with NASA astronaut Mike Massimino who consulted on the experiment back on Earth:

Further investigation and analysis of the experiment's results will also continue to answer questions, such as why the cookies took much longer to bake in space and why they weren't "poofy...."

"This is a big step in that direction for the future of exploration where we're gonna be off the planet for longer periods of time," Massimino said. He continued, adding that within the very near future we may be starting to build settlements on off-Earth location like the moon, and we will need to use specialized tech to ensure that the humans living off-Earth have access to good, nutritious (and delicious) food.

As far as what might be next for baking or cooking in space, Massimino had a couple of suggestions.

So what does Massimino want to see next? "The next thing would definitely be a pizza of some sort," he said. "Bagel bites or hot pockets of some sort." He added that it would also be nice for astronauts to have something they could "bite into something big like a big cheeseburger or a big sandwich."

image: NASA

With the illustrious name Temporarily Captured Object 2020 CD3, Earths new moon might not be entertaining a manned landing at any time in the future. Especially since its only a few feet wide. But the tiny sattelite, spotted February 15 with the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, is something to celebrate all the same. Our []

SpaceX and Space Adventures have partnered to offer space tourists a trip to orbit on the SpaceX Crew Dragon space capsule. They expect the first flight to launch in late 2021 or early 2022. Around $50 million will get you a seat. From Spaceflight Now: The mission would not dock with the space station, but []

Thirty years ago today, the Voyager 1 spaceprobe had completed its ncounters with the outer planets and was careening out of our solar system. The time came to shut off the probes cameras to preserve power and memory for the other onboard scientific instruments. But before engineers flipped the switch, one last photo opportunity was []

Whether youre managing a political campaign or building a client base, there comes a time when you stop seeing people and start seeing numbers. This doesnt happen suddenly. You shake hands, make calls, and build relationships. And then those relationships disappear into a database of donors or customers as your organization grows. People get brought []

Learning to ride a bike is one of those quintessential childhood experiences thats as rewarding as it is scary. Prep your precious babe for success by starting them early with the worlds lightest balance bike, the Brilrider FLIGHT. For the uninitiated, balance bikes are no-pedal bicycles that propel forward by pushing off the ground with []

With so many advancements in modern society, youd think wed have moved beyond the butane lighter by now. A pressurized, flammable gas, butane fumes can irritate your eyes and skin, can elevate your heart rate, and even lead to cardiac arrest. And we did mention that whole highly pressurized and flammable part, right? While certainly []

Excerpt from:
Space cookies and the future of pizza pockets beyond Earth - Boing Boing

Fort Leonard Wood

WednesdayFeb26,2020at11:02AMFeb26,2020at11:06AM

St. Robert Recruiting Station, in partnership with NASA and Space Center Houston, will host the first ever, nationwide live oath of enlistment ceremony from space.

FORT LEONARD WOOD Six future Soldiers will raise their hands in an oath of enlistment ceremony with U.S. Army Col. and NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan at Waynesville High School at 11:40 a.m.

A live stream of this ceremony can be found on the Fort Leonard Wood Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/fortleonardwoodmissouri/and on the U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/USAREC/.

St. Robert Recruiting Station, in partnership with NASA and Space Center Houston, will host the first ever, nationwide live oath of enlistment ceremony from space. More than 850 Future Soldiers will participate at more than 130 locations across the country.

At the completion of the ceremony, Morgan will conduct a question-and-answer session with the new enlistees at Space Center Houston and participating venues from across the country.

Only 29 percent of youth meet the minimum qualifications to serve as a Soldier.

Those who meet the requirements and are selected to serve receive top-notch technical training and education in more than 150 career fields, with almost a third of those in STEM-related fields.

Excerpt from:
Fort Leonard Wood to live stream International Space Station Oath of Enlistment Ceremony - The Rolla Daily News