Author: John

Hayabusa Update

 

Looks as if there has been another setback in the mission of the little space probe that could, the craft has started to tumble and is not longer in a good position to receive communications from Earth. A small fuel leak caused it to spin in an unexpected way but the ground controllers have been able to calculate when it points in the right direction so communications could still continue. The new orientation still fulfils the com and power requirements but not by much. The overall mission has been extended  by a few more years in a hope that they will be able to recover and head back to home with the sample of asteroid Itokawa

Hayabusa project

Robot Magazine On the Stands

Robot 

I’ve been reading through the premiere issue of ‘Robot Magazine’ and have nothing but good things to say about it. Anyone that has an interest in the growing area of hobby robotics needs to read this publication. No matter if you have a LEGO Mindstorm kit and want to get some ideas, a new VEX robotics system, or are building a ‘Robo One‘ classed robot there is going to be something in this for you. The lead story of how the Mythbusters built their own PackBot out of the new VEX Robot System is a great read. First class stuff!

Robot Magazine

Project Dalek

 

What self respecting sci-fi geek hasn’t dreamed about owning their own life sized Dalek? In the 32 page PDF you will learn all the ticks needed to build you very own replica of the terror of British TV. The instructions look very well written and the illustrations are easy to follow. Someone with a home shop should be able to knock one of these out in a month or so.

Project Dalek

Project Plowshare Book

Nuke

Greg sent this to me yesterday. I have read about Project Plowshare before, a good idea except for the radioactive leftovers you get from detonating nukes underground. I’m looking forward to reading this book.

Geography professor writes first in-depth account of scheme to engineer with atom bombs from PhysOrg.com
What would you think if someone told you that not so long ago, the U.S. government, led by gung-ho scientists, seriously considered exploding 300 or more atomic bombs to blast a sea-level canal in Panama? Or up to 764 in northern Colombia? […]

 

A New Life for Howard Stern

This morning was the end of Howard Stern’s 20+ years of broadcasting on terrestrial radio. For years his show has woken me up in the mornings and gave me something to laugh about and made me think of just how crazy things could be. After countless fines from the FCC for doing his own thing he has finally moved off the free airwaves and onto Sirius satellite radio. Some say this is the end of free speach on the radio, might be true because I doubt that anyone will step up and fill this void.
Now I have to find another station to set my alarm clock to. 

Howard Stern bids farewell on Yahoo

Howard Stern.com