This Week in Space

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Sorry for the much overdue This Week in Space. I just haven't felt like doing one lately, and haven't even followed space news for a month or so.

 

Satellite proposed to send solar power to Earth

The first time I saw this idea was in Sim City '2000' back in 1993 or 1994 where you could build microwave power stations that would beam solar energy down from space via mirowaves.It's a good idea, just not really been worth it due to cost of solar cells, they are however getting cheaper and electricity is getting more expensive as demand for it increases.

Artemis Innovation Management Solutions has been given some seed money by NASA to look deeper into a project the company first proposed last summer; namely, building a satellite that could collect energy from the sun and beam it back down to Earth to add to the electrical grid. Building such a satellite has been bantered about for several decades by various groups and scientists, but until now, no one had come up with a design that would work given all the constraints of the time. But now, an idea proposed by longtime NASA engineer John Mankins, now with Artemis, has clearly created enough interest within NASA that some money to investigate the idea is being offered.

Read more HERE

 

New look at HD 10180 shows it might have nine planets

I like how when I was born we knew of a whopping 0 planets outside of our star system, we now know of over 2,000 and confirm more weekly. HD 10180 has as many as we used to (before Pluto lost planethood) and may even have more. The chance that we are the only sentient life in the universe is absurdly low, hell we likely aren't alone in our neighborhood in our galaxy.

Astronomer Mikko Tuomi of the University of Hertfordshire, has found after looking at data regarding the solar system surrounding the star HD 10180, that it likely has nine planets making it the most highly populated solar system known to man (ours has just eight after the demotion of Pluto). He details his findings in a paper pre-published on arXiv (and set for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics) describing how after studying slight wobbles by the star as it’s tugged by planetary gravitation, he found what he believes is confirmation of a seventh planet, and evidence for two more.

Read more HERE

Newfangled space-propulsion technology could help clean up Earth orbit

I love it! I want to see this used on a small sattelite inside of 5 years. Get to it!

Some of the most valuable “real estate” for humans isn’t on Earth at all but rather above the planet’s atmosphere, where all manner of human-made objects orbit. The problem is that those orbits are too crowded with dead satellites and debris, making new launches riskier. Robert Winglee has spent years developing a magnetized ion plasma system to propel a spacecraft at ultra-high speeds, making it possible to travel to Mars and return to Earth in as little time as 90 days. The problem is that cost and other issues have dampened the desire to send astronauts to Mars or any other planet.

Read more HERE

 


Will Russia rescue ExoMars?

I hope this mission gets salvaged, although we have a nice one on it's way... Curiosity which is set to land between August 6 and August 20, 2012.

After NASA was forced to back out the joint ExoMars mission with the European Space Agency due to budget constraints, ESA went looking for help with the planned multi-vehicle Mars mission. Now, reportedly the Head of Roscosmos Vladimir Popovkin met with Director General of the ESA, Jean-Jacques Dordain last week, and the two signed a memorandum of understanding to work together to make ExoMars a reality.

Read more HERE

 

Hubble spies a spiral galaxy edge-on

There is your beautiful image for this installment of This Week in Space.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has spotted the "UFO Galaxy." NGC 2683 is a spiral galaxy seen almost edge-on, giving it the shape of a classic science fiction spaceship. This is why the astronomers at the Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory, Cocoa, Fla., gave it this attention-grabbing nickname.

Read more HERE

Mitch Daniels on Senate Enrolled Act 1

Dear Mr. Mercer,
 
I appreciate your thoughts and input on Senate Enrolled Act 1. This was one of the closest and hardest calls I've ever made before signing a bill. 
 
I neither proposed nor supported the legislation when it was offered in the General Assembly. I did study it very closely when it came to me. Based on what I'd heard, I was surprised to discover that this law increases rather than reduces the legal protection of law enforcement officers. The law enforcement associations with whom I communicated agree on this point. But, ironically, the law could have the reverse effect if its meaning is misreported or misunderstood.
 
I have been a consistent supporter of law enforcement throughout my tenure as governor, and have benefited from the strongest possible relationships with those who represent our police and other professionals. I understand and share their concerns about misperceptions. I will do all I can as long as I am in this job to make the real effects clear, and to continue supporting the brave people of Indiana law enforcement every way I can.
 
Attached is the statement that I issued at the time I signed the bill. 
 
Thank you for your citizenship.
 
Sincerely,
 
Mitch Daniels

Now here is the "SEA 1 statement.doc" file that was attached.

MEDIA ADVISORY
March 21, 2012

 

Governor signs SEA 1; final 2012 Bill Watch update

 

Tuesday evening, Governor Daniels signed SEA 1, titled “Right to defend against unlawful entry.” He issued the following statement about his decision to sign the bill:

 

“After close inspection, I have decided to sign Senate Enrolled Act 1. Contrary to some impressions, the bill strengthens the protection of Indiana law enforcement officers by narrowing the situations in which someone would be justified in using force against them. Senate Enrolled Act 1 puts into place a two-part test before a person can use deadly force against a law enforcement officer:  First, it clarifies and restates the current requirement that a person reasonably believe the law enforcement officer is acting unlawfully. Second, it adds that the force must be reasonably necessary to prevent serious bodily injury to the citizen. This second requirement is not part of the current law.

“Moreover, unless a person is convinced an officer is acting unlawfully, he cannot use any force of any kind. In the real world, there will almost never be a situation in which these extremely narrow conditions are met.

 

“So as a matter of law, law enforcement officers will be better protected than before, not less so.  What is troubling to law enforcement officers, and to me, is the chance that citizens hearing reports of change will misunderstand what the law says. 

 

“Today is an important day to say: Indiana’s outstanding law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect all Hoosiers. The right thing to do is cooperate with them in every way possible. This law is not an invitation to use violence or force against law enforcement officers. In fact, it restricts when an individual can use force, specifically deadly force, on an officer, so don’t try anything.  Chances are overwhelming you will be breaking the law and wind up in far worse trouble as a result.”

 

This was the final bill of the 2012 session requiring the governor’s action. Bill Watch has been updated at this link: http://www.in.gov/gov/billwatch.htm

 

 

 

-30-

 

 

Media contacts:          

Jake Oakman, 317/232-1800, joakman@gov.in.gov

Trevor Kight, 317/233-4721, tkight@gov.in.gov

 

What's new with Ryan

So I really haven't done a post about me in a bit. Hrmm, let's see... I'm now too old for service in the military branches I'd consider as active-duty... but I still have some time for guard/reserve. I'm still struggling with the battle of the bulge and need to drop 50lbs still... but working on it. I'm bummed that John Carter is an apparent loss, 160 million in the whole still... but then movies like Hunger Games made 155 million opening weekend which launched it considerably into turning a profit... personally I'd have left 20 minutes minimum of the movie on the cutting room floor. Looking to do my first AR build sometime in the next 3-4 months as money allows. Well my loyal readers, that's about all that is going on in my life presently. Ryan out.

Indiana General Assembly, Governor Mitch Daniels Stand Firm for Hoosier Civil Liberties as Misinformation Campaign Continues

lease Thank Governor Daniels, Senate and House Leadership, and Senate Bill 1’s Authors and Sponsors for their Dedication to Protecting the Civil Liberties of ALL Hoosiers

On March 9, the Indiana General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to reaffirm lawful Hoosiers’ civil liberties disregarded by last year’s state Supreme Court decision, Barnes v. State of Indiana (2011).  On Tuesday, March 20, Governor Mitch Daniels signed Senate Bill 1 into law, reaffirming constitutional rights and the rule of law in Indiana.

Overturning the effects of the Barnes decision was no easy task, especially when bloggers launched a vicious smear campaign that grievously misrepresented the bill language.  This resulted in a severely misinformed public, including many rank-and-file law enforcement officers.

SB 1 was supported by the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association, Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, Indiana Public Defender Council and Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller.  That such law enforcement and legal entities joined together to support SB 1 speaks to the bill’s integrity as a law which protects both the rights of lawful citizens and law enforcement officers.

Prosecuting attorneys and public defenders alike testified that SB 1 reads nearly word-for-word identical to the Castle Doctrine language that passed overwhelmingly in both legislative chambers and was signed into law in 2006.  Both groups acknowledged that the only change in SB 1 from this Castle Doctrine law is an added protection for police officers that did not exist in the 2006 law.

Several members of the Indiana General Assembly deserve our appreciation for their particular steadfastness in protecting Hoosiers’ civil liberties.  If not for the dedicated efforts by state Senator Brent Steele (R-44), who began the entire process by chairing a summer study committee to study the methods by which to fix the court's decision, the bill author, state Senator Michael Young (R-35) and House sponsor, state Representative Jud McMillin (R-68), Indiana self-defense law and Fourth Amendment rights would not have been properly reaffirmed this year.

Additionally, state Representatives Greg Steuerwald (R-40) – Rep. McMillin’s second House conferee on the final version of the bill -- and Ryan Dvorak (D-8) worked closely with Rep. McMillin to craft the critical House amendment which merited endorsement by the NRA and the above legal and law enforcement entities. The House amendment received critical backing on the Senate floor from Senators Brent Steele, Randy Head (R-18), Travis Holdman (R-19) and Jim Buck (R-21). Senator Mike Delph (R-29) served as the second Senate conferee with author Mike Young.

The NRA would especially like to thank Senate President David Long (R-16) and House Speaker Brian Bosma (R-88) for their leadership and support in seeing the bill through the entire process.

Senate Bill 1 passed in the state Senate 38 to 12; the Indiana House passed it by a 67 to 26 vote.

In his signing statement released Wednesday morning, Governor Mitch Daniels stated, "contrary to some impressions, the bill strengthens the protection of Indiana law enforcement officers by narrowing the situations in which someone would be justified in using force against them."

Governor Daniels went on to explain, "So as a matter of law, law enforcement officers will be better protected than before, not less so."  This act took effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature.  To view the Governor’s statement, please click here.

The National Rifle Association would like to express its sincerest thanks to all who supported this legislation and stood up for the civil liberties of Indiana citizens, and would encourage you to do the same. 

Please click here to read some important factual information about Senate Bill 1.

My grandfather's wreck

Saturday I had to go over to my grandparents trailer to get my grandmother's motorized wheelchair out of the back of my grandfather's truck. My half-brother went with me nad we wrestled then unwieldy thing up 6 stairs and into the trailer... I'm sure glad we did, Monday my grandfather was driving and someone came out of an intersection "lost control" they claim" and absolutely slammed into the back end of the truck. The truck rolled and my the cab crushed down around my grandfather. It took emergency services over a half hour to cut him out. He was quite lucky, he only has some serious roadrash on his head, shoulders etc and had some glass they had to dig out of him.