"The Saturn IB space vehicle for the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission, with its launch umbilical tower, rides atop a huge crawler-transporter as it moves slowly away from the Vehicle Assembly Building on its 4.24-mile journey to Pad B, Launch Complex 39, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center."

Date: March 24, 1975

NASA ID: S75-24007, S75-24009

Martin Titan III-L

"The Titan III-L series was a Martin Marietta concept (late 1960’s into early 1970’s) for a heavy lift derivative of the Titan IIIC launch vehicle. The core would be increased in diameter from 10 feet to 15, and the number of liquid propellant rocket engines increased from two to four. Additionally, the vehicle could be given two, four or six solid rocket motors (Titan III-L2, Titan III-L4, Titan III-L6). The Titan III-L6 concept was considered as a first stage booster for the Space Shuttle.

The Titan III-L2 had enough lift capacity to launch an Apollo-derived capsule and service module, providing an alternative to the Saturn IB for space station logistics and crew transfer."

source

What’s happening to Reddit, and why should I care?

TL;DR: An unreasonable API price increase is going to kill third-party Reddit apps, destroying important moderator and accessibility tools. Many popular apps have announced they're shutting down on June 30. The admins/site leadership aren't backing down. Most of Reddit is going private on June 12-14 in protest.

Unreasonably dense explanation under the cut:

What is Reddit?

Reddit is a social news aggregation site that is made up of millions of individual boards/forums, called “subreddits.” 

Each of these subreddits has a topic (baking, Borderlands, hentai, pictures of cats wearing hats, etc.) and users can submit related posts to these subreddits (images, text, videos, links, etc.). 

Every subreddit is moderated by a team of unpaid volunteers, and can have anywhere from 10 to 10,000,000+ members. 

The current CEO of Reddit is Steve Huffman, or spez. He was one of the original co-founders in 2005, left in 2009, and returned to Reddit in 2015 following the Ellen Pao fiasco. (TL;DR: she was the scapegoat for several unpopular changes made to Reddit and site policy.)

What’s going on?

Reddit announced that they are going to start charging money for their API, when API access had previously been free, à la Twitter. Also like Twitter, they’re charging an exorbitant amount for it, which will essentially drive all of the third-party apps and tools using it out of business. 

Reddit did not have an official app for a long time, but it did have a free API, which allowed developers to access Reddit data and posts and make their own Reddit apps. Several of these third-party apps became extremely popular. (AlienBlue was the most popular iPhone Reddit client, before it was bought by Reddit in 2014 and then shut down and replaced with the official Reddit app in 2016.) To this day, millions of Reddit users use these third-party apps, accessibility tools, and moderation suites that rely on the Reddit API.

What’s an API?

An API (Application Programming Interface) is essentially a toolkit that allows different apps and websites to interact with each other. A third-party Reddit App, for example, uses Reddit’s API to allow its users to view subreddits, post comments, upvote posts, etc. For a non-technical explanation, see this comment.

The bullshit that’s happening (in no particular order)

The new API prices were announced on May 31 and are going to take effect on July 1. That gives developers 30 days to figure out what they’re going to do with their apps – nowhere near enough time to rework an entire monetization scheme and get it approved. In addition, the new API prices are completely outrageous. Everyone clowned on Twitter for setting an absurdly-high price for their API, and then Reddit went and did the exact same thing. (Keep in mind these third-party app dev teams are extremely small – Apollo, which has millions of users, is developed by one person.)

Blind people cannot use Reddit without third-party apps. (Reddit is claiming they’re going to make an exception for accessibility tools, but there has been no communication on how they define accessibility-focused apps or how they would get approved.)

Moderators cannot effectively moderate their subreddits without third-party apps. All subreddits are managed by an unpaid, volunteer mod team, who keep posts on-topic and fight spam and abuse. Many of the tools and bots they use to keep subreddits running smoothly are at risk with the new API changes, and historical promises from Reddit that new moderation tools are coming have always been fruitless. Many subs are moderated by just one or two people, and this change will be the final nail in the coffin.

The new API blocks NSFW content – while this is a bummer for NSFW content creators/viewers who use third-party apps, more significantly it makes it difficult for moderators to effectively police NSFW content and spam. (This could also point towards a future Tumblr-esque porn ban, but Reddit recently expanded desktop support for NSFW uploads so this is unlikely.)

The CEO of Reddit, Steve Huffman (spez) accused the developer of Apollo of blackmailing/extorting Reddit. Good thing the Apollo dev recorded the phone call and revealed that spez was lying. (Fun fact: spez was caught editing users’ comments without their knowledge back in 2016.)

Reddit claims these changes aren’t intended to kill competing apps, but they’re also testing turning off the mobile website and directing users to their app instead. It seems like Reddit’s moving towards the official app being the only way to access Reddit on mobile.

Reddit’s trying to go public and is laying off about 5% of their workforce.

Reddit admins are inviting users to newly-created German-language subreddits full of badly-translated content stolen from English subs for… some reason? (Maybe to make their site look like it has more of a global presence ahead of a potential IPO? Or to replace old and established non-English-language subs with new ones and new mods?)

Spez is hosting an AMA (Ask Me Anything) tomorrow, June 9 (but no time is listed in the post…)

Apollo, Reddit is Fun, and Sync (among others) have all announced that they will be shutting down their apps on June 30th.

(Fun side note, Apollo was actually namedropped and shown multiple times by Apple at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference this past week.)

To protest the impending API pricing changes, hundreds of subreddits are taking their subs private from June 12-14 (some indefinitely). Reddit has said they’re “open to postponing the API timeline to launch mod tooling, if [mods] agree to keep their subreddits open.” The mods aren't backing down, and as of 6/8 the protest is going forward as planned.

Why should I care?

Reddit is a mixed bag of a website, only as good as its individual subreddits. On one hand, the site is a breeding ground for hate, amplifying movements like Gamergate and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. On the other hand, Reddit is home to countless communities, works of art, hobbies, support groups, and political movements that provide both knowledge and support that can’t be found elsewhere. There’s a reason why searching anything + “reddit” is an effective search query – Reddit’s one of the few indexed and searchable places left on the Internet that hasn’t been completely enshittified yet – a place where you can get a question answered by real people.

The Internet is increasingly driving toward individual walled gardens, where genuine connection and information is harder and harder to find. (Remember when all the wikis got eaten by Fandom? Or how every website destroyed the chronological feed and added stories to become the same? Or just everything about Twitter?)

Anyway, there’s no call to action here, just general despair. At the very least, we’ll be eating well on Reddit drama for the next couple weeks.

The interior of the rocket is instantly disconcerting. The entire thing is turned sideways. You can see several rows of seats extending downwards. The backs of the seats are against a wall, which houses a hefty-looking DOOR. There are rungs built into the wall that would allow you to climb down safely. Above you is an array of CRT MONITORS covering most of the wall.

Look around>

The lights are warm and dim, something much more comforting than the concerning red that bathes most of the Apollo facilities. The interior is made of glossy, smooth plastic and even has carpeted floors. You're surprised by the level of comfort it prioritizes. There also appears to be a communications TERMINAL next to the ladder.

Go to door>

You climb down the ladder and walk on the "wall", then lean down and examine the door. It has a large WHEEL on it.

Turn wheel>

You crank the wheel and pull. The door swings open. Looks like it was designed to keep the air inside in case of a breach. That's a smart safety feature. You look down at the room below. It's all empty racks and shelves, abandoned straps and hooks, and slots on the floor. It looks like it was designed to keep luggage and supplies secure. You close the door behind you and turn the handle back. There doesn't seem like any reason to keep it open.

Look at monitors>

You climb back up and look at the monitors. You recall that you never saw any windows on the rocket when you looked at it from the outside. Maybe the monitors are what let you see the outside?

Look at terminal>

The only familiar thing on the terminal is the INSTANT MESSENGER. There's also a program called STARTUP. You could probably use Heresy's advice now.

Talk to Heresy>

[HERESY is ONLINE]

Luna1: Hi Heresy.

Heresy: I see you made it to the rocket.

Luna1: Yeah, I did.

Luna1: But I don't know how to launch it.

Luna1: There's no obvious launch button.

Heresy: Those rockets were surprisingly autonomous and automated.

Heresy: They used a computer to run it.

Heresy: I should be able to help you launch.

Luna1: This seems kinda dangerous…

Heresy: You'll be ok, Sofia.

Heresy: Nothing can happen to you.

Heresy: I promise.

Luna1: Ok….

Luna1: So what do I do?

Heresy: Make sure the doors are closed and buckle yourself in.

Heresy: The terminal should have a few options for starting up the monitors and putting it in launch mode.

Heresy: Once you set those things up I can start it from my side.

You minimize the messenger. It sounds like Heresy was talking about the STARTUP program.

Use startup>

You double-click the application and it opens. The screen lights up with a flashy UI which features a short list of BUTTONS. They read monitors, safety check, and launch mode.

Use buttons>

You click every button in turn. The monitors start to whine and turn on soon after, displaying a clear view of the sky from the rocket's position on the launchpad. The cameras must be on the nose of the ship. When you click the safety check, a diagnostic program starts running and a loading bar appears. You barely even see it before it disappears, though. Seems like it's perfectly functional despite everything. Finally, you click launch mode. The program changes to a message.

"PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEAT AND BUCKLE UP FOR YOUR SAFETY. CLOSE MAIN HATCH BEFORE LAUNCH."

Ah, right, the HATCH. It would be a bad idea to leave it open during launch.

Close hatch>

You swing the hatch shut and turn the wheel on your side. Everything should be set up now. You need to let Heresy know.

Talk to Heresy>

Luna1: I think everything is set up now.

Heresy: Good.

Heresy: I saw that you set it to launch mode.

Luna1: Yeah.

Luna1: So I guess this is it then?

Heresy: Yeah. Buckle yourself in and I'll trigger the launch remotely.

Heresy: The course is already projected.

Something is bothering you. You pause a bit before sending your next message.

Luna1: Do I really have to go?

Heresy: What do you mean?

Luna1: I'm not sure if I'm ready to leave yet.

Luna1: I'm going to miss everyone a lot.

Heresy: You don't have to leave right now.

Heresy: You can stay as long as you like.

Heresy: But the thing is, your fate was already decided.

Heresy: At some point you'll decide to come anyway.

You think about her words for a while.

Luna1: How do you know?

Heresy: Because God told me, Sofia.

Heresy: I reached out to Luna for a reason.

Heresy: And I knew when you found me that you were who I was sent to find.

Heresy: We're both part of something bigger than us.

Heresy: That's why I need you.

You leave her waiting for a while again, trying to sort out your own conflicting emotions. But eventually you decide.

Luna1: Ok, I'm going to buckle up now.

You get into the seat nearest to the terminal and strap yourself in. The chair has excessive padding and buckles, and the headrest feels like more than just comfort. You look up at the grid of monitors. Something new has started to form on them. There's an overlap charting out the course to Earth from Luna. And then a countdown. As the countdown the rocket starts to rumble, more and more, and you can see the camera views start to show smoke drifting up. As soon as it begins the camera view cuts out, showing only the grid and leaving you in the dark to wait in anticipation. And then, liftoff.

You're pressed back into the seat as the rocket launches. Everything it shaking violently. You can faintly hear ripping and tearing metal and the booms of scattered vehicles and equipment flying from the thrust of the launch. The entire facility is probably demolished. But you can't afford to focus on that now. More and more pressure is piled onto you, and then you black out.

…

….

…..

You wake up suddenly, gasping desperately for air and trembling. You look around. Things are floating in the cabin. The cameras are back on, and you can see Earth in view, surrounded by the inky void and twinkling stars. As you slowly approach the planet, you notice what looks like a dense glittering silver ring around it. You're left to this view for quite a while. A timer in the corner of the grid says it'll be a number of hours before you make it. Eventually, you pass out.

…

….

…..

You awake at the jolt of the rocket. You're right inside the dense ring now. Now that you're closer, you can see what it's made of; metal scraps and debris. The rocket rumbles and shakes again. You must be bumping into the space debris. How many satellites and facilities were launched into orbit to create a ring this dense? You wonder for a moment, and the rocket shakes again. The lights flicker this time. You're getting nervous. Suddenly, you feel the thrusters again, and the pressure builds. It looks like you're coming in for an entry. The rocket slowly descends into the atmosphere, and as flames appear to build against the nose of the rocket the cameras cut out again. The ship rumbles and shakes more and more, and the pressure against you builds. A warning message appears and the lights flash red.

"WARNING: CRASH LANDING"

You close your eyes and feel the impact of the rocket slamming into the ground.

And then nothing.

NEXT

PREVIOUS

wait what’s happening on reddit?

From what I’ve read here, Reddit‘s pulling a Twitter and planning to charge ( a LOT of) money for third-party applications to use their API - meaning a lot of things will be forced to go offline forever.

Those include ALL third-party apps, which is important because Reddit‘s own app seems to be an utter mess that makes tumblr‘s look like the best programmed thing in the world, so pretty much everyone uses Reddit over those instead. Like, someone did the math for one of the main 3rd-apps, Apollo, and it would’ve cost the single guy who’s programming it 20mil$. Per month. And unless they changed it since last time I tried to go on there, you can’t use web-Reddit on your phone because they won’t let you click a single thing or even look at most subreddits without blocking it behind a "use the app“! Popup. Ik Tumblr does that too, but at least it actually. Let’s you look at tumblr. Kinda ironic that their app is such trash then.

More importantly however, the Reddit App isn’t compatible with native text-to-speech help for blind/visibly impaired people, while all those 3rd party apps are/were- so they’re essentially fucking over all blind/visibly impaired people and making it impossible for them to use Reddit at all.

And also a lot of very important tools for MODERATION. Which mods are apparently really dependent on especially on bigger subreddits because otherwise the workload would be insane + a lot of moderation stuff a lot harder. So. Yknow. They’re basically forcing mods, who do this *for free* to pay money to keep their own site afloat. Or letting subs go haywire and then nuked for not following general Reddit guidelines.

Because of that A LOT of subreddits decided to go on strike for 48h and set to private, resulting in like7700/8somethingthousand of them to go black, which then resulted in the whole site crashing from the amount of change.

Why people migrated to tumblr of al places seems to be kind of a mystery, but my own guess is either because tumblr became the official refugee-site after the whole thing with Twitter before, or because r/196, one of the really big subreddits, closed indefinitely instead of just those 48h (just as a sidenote, is how strikes should work, because otherwise they’ll just wait out the hours instead of doing anything- which is apparently also exactly what happened now).

Anyways that subreddit is apparently Reddit’s version of tumblr anyways so the vibe seemed to fit. And now the 196 tag is trending and probably here to stay for a while lmao

SwRI-developed instrument delivered for lunar lander mission Southwest Research Institute recently delivered the Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder (LMS) to Firefly Aerospace in Cedar Park, Texas, for integration into the Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander scheduled to arrive at the Moon in 2024. The sounder will determine the electrical conductivity of the interior of the Moon by measuring low-frequency electric and magnetic fields. “For more than 50 years, scientists have used magnetotelluric techniques, which use natural characteristics of the Earth’s electromagnetic fields to determine the electrical resistivity of the subsurface for research and resource exploration,” said SwRI’s Bob Grimm, principal investigator of the instrument. “LMS will be the first extraterrestrial application of magnetotellurics.” NASA’s Artemis program is series of increasingly complex missions to build a sustained human presence at the Moon for decades to come. To support these goals, LMS is part of a 12-day lunar lander mission to help understand the Moon’s subsurface in a previously unexplored location. LMS is being funded and delivered to the lunar surface via NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and is expected to land in Mare Crisium, an ancient, 350-mile-diameter impact basin on the Moon that subsequently filled with lava. It is a dark circular spot in the northeast region of the Moon’s nearside that stands apart from the large, connected areas of dark lava to the west of where most of the Apollo missions landed. These vast, linked lava plains are now thought to be compositionally and structurally anomalous to the rest of the Moon. From its vantage point at Mare Crisium, LMS may provide the first geophysical measurements representative of the overall Moon. Electromagnetic fields penetrate to greater depths with decreasing frequency, allowing LMS to probe the interior of the Moon to depths up to 700 miles or two-thirds of the lunar radius. The electrical conductivity depends on the temperature and composition of the materials traveling through the field. The measurements will shed light on the differentiation and thermal history of our Moon, a cornerstone to understanding the evolution of solid worlds. TOP IMAGE....SwRI developed and delivered the LMS instrument for the Mare Crisium lander to determine the electrical conductivity of the interior of the Moon by measuring low-frequency electric and magnetic fields. LMS includes (from left) a magnetometer (white) on an extendable mast, a central electronics box and four spring-launched electrodes. CREDIT Southwest Research Institute LOWER IMAGE....SwRI’s LMS instrument will be the first extraterrestrial application of magnetotellurics from aboard a lunar lander to Mare Crisium, an ancient, 350-mile-diameter impact basin that subsequently filled with lava. The basin is one of many large dark spots on the Moon’s surface visible to the naked eye. They were dubbed lunar maria, Latin for "seas," by early astronomers who mistook them for actual seas. CREDIT Lick Observatory

┏━━━━━━━°.•☆•.°━━━━━━━┓

Dear future pilot,

Congratulations! We are delighted to inform you that the Galaxy Garrison, Space Exploration and Research Centre, has accepted your training application. You will soon be attending your first classes, where you will be learning what there is to know in order to become a professional pilot and/or researchist in the technological fields of astro sciences.

━━━━━━━━°.•✧•.°━━━━━━━━

About the Garrison

Galaxy Garrison, Space Exploration and Research Centre, is a military base and academy located in the deserts of Arizona focusing on training and recruiting young, aspiring pilots and scientists.

“Galaxy Garrison exists to turn young cadets like you into the next generation of elite astro explorers.”

– Commander Iverson, expanding on the school’s purpose.

━━━━━━━°.•☆•.°━━━━━━━

There is a list of rules the students have to follow that maintain order in the community, so it is extremely important that they are followed strictly and precisely as written. There are also multiple programs and option courses, as well as after hour programs that the trainees can attend, they will be listed underneath the rules.

⚠︎ ℝ𝕌𝕃𝔼𝕊

- Cadets are permitted to roam freely in the centre, as long as they are within their restrictions. It is still a military academy, and limits shall be respected.

- They are given a 9 pm curfew, so every student must be in their dormitories by that said time.

- There are multiple passwords hidden in the rules, ones like: astro

- Students shall wear their cadet uniforms at all times during school hours and when they are required, except on weekends when casual wear is permitted.

- Must be at the very least semi-literate.

- Students shall be respectful of the equipment of the school and others.

- Another word that shall be said upon entering the chat, as it is a second password, and it is ‘jupiter’.

- Cadets shall not bully, ooc that is.

- Of course it also isn’t in the school’s rules to bully, but we all love some good angst so story-wise it is permitted.

- please use brackets or some other form of indication that you are speaking ooc when you are.

- Nothing 18+ please. If anything like that were to happen it has to stay in the dms.

- No forcing ships, it could ruin the experience of another roleplayer.

- Students are not permitted to dance to the music playing from the speakers on monday mornings, we are trying to fix the rickroll incident and would appreciate if students didn’t encourage such bad behaviours (yes I’m looking at you Matt).

- One more thing—password: apollo

⌨︎ ℙℝ𝕆𝔾ℝ𝔸𝕄𝕊, ℂ𝕆𝕌ℝ𝕊𝔼𝕊 𝔼 𝔼𝕋ℂ.

➪ Compulsory:

• English—Mr. Harris.

• Mathematics—Professor Montgomery

• Astrological and Geological Sciences—Adam W.

• History of Space Discoveries—Adam W.

• Health, Fitness and Survival Training—Takashi Shirogane, K. Ryu

• Fundamentals of Robotics and Equipment Operations—Samuel Holt

• Fundamentals of Space Flight—Hedrick T.

➪ Option Courses:

• Advanced Robotics—Samuel Holt

• Engineering and Technology—Professor Montgomery

• Flight Training—T. Hedrick

• Medical Training—J. Dos Santos

• Defence Against Alien Attack—K. Ryu

• Skill and Strength Development—Takashi Shirogane

After Hour Programs:

• Paintball—Takashi Shirogane, K. Ryu

• After Hours Arts Program—Mr. Harris

• After Hours Choir—Adam W.

• Will add more if requested.

━━━━━━━°.•☆•.°━━━━━━━

➪ 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔼𝕩𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕤:

• Satellite Communications

• Simulator Rooms

• Classrooms

• Dormitories

• Instructor’s Lounge

• Indoor Pool

• Rooftop Tennis

• Will add more if requested.

Hillary's tweet is true in the worst way, technically: NASA wasn't taking girls at that time. They weren't taking anyone!

Ya, they weren't really taking any applicants, Mercury 7 and their backups were pretty well all carried over from when it was a military program and a lot of those backups along with the Mercury 7 were the ones that did the Gemini and Apollo programs.

I'm foggy on when they started recruiting and accepting different folks outside the military for astronaut status, they had thousands of women of every shape, size, and colour working for them just not going into space.

Russia had their first woman in space decades before we did because their military was integrated like that already.

But ya you're right, they weren't taking applications, they'd seek you out if they wanted you.

As NASA continues to pursue new human missions to low Earth orbit, lunar orbit, the lunar surface, and on to Mars, the NESC continues to provide a robust technical resource to address critical challenges. The NESC Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS), Crew Systems, and Extravehicular Activity (EVA) discipline is led by the NASA Technical Fellow for ECLS, Dr. Morgan Abney, ECLSS & Crew Systems Deputy Dave Williams, Extravehicular & Human Surface Mobility Deputy Danielle Morris, and EVA Deputy Colin Campbell. In 2023, this team led assessments and provided support to the Commercial Crew Program, ISS, Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, Extravehicular and Human Mobility Program, Gateway International Habitat, and Moon-to-Mars Program. Three of the most notable activities in 2023 are briefly described below. Mitigation for Water in the Helmet During EVA During EVA22 in 2013, water was observed in the helmet and assumed to be the result of a “burp” from the drink bag. No further investigation was pursued because water had been observed to some degree (water on visor, wet hair, etc.) on eight previous occasions. The result was a nearly catastrophic event during EVA23, where astronaut Luca Parmitano experienced dangerous quantities of water in his helmet. Both EVA23 and EVA35 in 2016 contributed to identification of drowning as a key risk, which resulted in several water mitigation approaches. Based on these approaches, the program determined the risk level to be acceptable for nominal EVA. However, in March 2022, a crewmember returning from EVA80 noticed water accumulated on the visor of his helmet obstructing ~30-50% of his field of view. Due to the increasing complexity of EVA objectives on EVA80 and forward, the ISS Program identified loss or reduction of visibility as a greater risk than previously recognized and sought to identify methods to prevent even small quantities of liquid water from forming in the helmet during EVA. The NESC was asked to provide support to the activity through modeling of the helmet and two-phase (water and oxygen) flow behavior in microgravity, through model validation testing, and through testing of mitigation hardware identified by the larger team. The model predictions provided a map (Figure 1) of anticipated liquid water formations based on the contact angle between the face or head and the helmet surface. Based on the ISS helmet with no water mitigations, the model predicted that large blobs would most likely form bridges between the helmet and face and that rupture of those bridges would result in the majority of liquid transferring to the face. To mitigate this risk, the ISS EVA80 team devised a solution to add absorbent materials in the path of the oxygen and water entering the helmet. Following EVA23, the helmet absorption pad (HAP) was added for bulk water collection. The improved mitigation strategy based on EVA80 included a HAP extender (HAP-E) and a helmet absorption band (HAB) (Figure 2). The NESC provided modeling of the mitigation hardware and validation testing of the HAB configuration using flow conditions anticipated in ISS operation (Figure 3). The testing provided ground validation of the HAB performance. The HAB and HAP-E have both been implemented in flight. Figure 1. Map of predicted water formations within a helmet as a function of face/head and helmet contact angles. Dashed rectangle indicates the expected domain of the ISS helmet with no water mitigations.  Figure 2. Water mitigation strategy for the ISS helmet: a) sketch of HAP, HAP-E, and HAB, b) side view of early prototype, c) bottom view of early prototype.  Figure 3. HAB ground validation testing under trickle water flow conditions. Evaluation of Terrestrial Portable Fire Extinguishers for Microgravity Applications  The tragic fire of Apollo 1 has, of necessity, instilled in NASA an enduring respect for the risk of fire in spacecraft. As such, robust fire detection and response systems have been a cornerstone of NASA-designed vehicles. Portable fire extinguishers (PFE) are a fundamental fire response capability of spacecraft and both carbon dioxide and water-based PFEs have been used by NASA historically. However, terrestrial-based PFEs, particularly those using new halon-based suppressants, may provide improved capability beyond the NASA state-of-the-art. In 2023, the NESC sought to evaluate the effectiveness of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) PFEs in microgravity. The team developed an analytical model to predict the discharge rate of three terrestrial COTS PFEs containing CO2, HFC-227ea, and Novec 1230. The model considered the internal geometry of the PFEs, the material properties of the suppressants and their corresponding PFE tanks, and the effects of microgravity and in-flight perturbations. The results predicted that for PFE tanks containing dip tubes, like those for HFC-227ea and Novec 1230 where nitrogen gas is used as a pressurant, microgravity plays a significant role in the discharge performance due to two-phase flow. Figure 4 shows the various equilibrium configurations based on gravity and perturbations. As a comparison, the analysis predicts >80% discharge of the HFC-227ea in the COTS PFE within ~30 seconds with the remainder discharging over ~0.5-1 hours when discharged in a terrestrial fire (Figure 4A), while only 60-80% discharges in 30 seconds with the remainder discharging over 1-2 hours in microgravity (Figure 4C).  Figure 4. Equilibrium two-phase configurations of nitrogen (white)-pressurized liquid suppressant (blue). A) PFE held nominally with nozzle up in 1-g with no perturbations, B) PFE held inverted in 1-g or in 0-g where liquid preferentially accumulates away from the dip tube entrance with no perturbations, C) PFE in 0-g at the statistically most probable state with no perturbations, D) PFE in 0-g where nitrogen preferentially accumulates at ends of the PFE with no perturbations, E) PFE in any level gravity with significant perturbations (shaken up), and F) statistically most probable state in 0-g following complete discharge. Based on this analysis, the use of terrestrially designed PFEs containing gaseous pressurant over a liquid suppressant will likely result in decreased initial discharge of the suppressant and significantly longer total discharge times in microgravity as compared to terrestrial discharge performance. Testing is ongoing to validate the models using a custom-designed PFE test stand (Figures 5 and 6) that enables multi-configuration testing of COTS PFEs.  Figure 5. (left) PFE test stand for model validation. Design prevents directional load effects to enable accurate mass measurement during PFE discharge. Figure 6. (right) Insulated PFE housing and remote discharge control allows for accurate, real-time thermal measurements during validation testing. Standardized Abrasion, Cut, and Thermal Testing for Spacesuit Gloves and Materials   State-of-the-art spacesuit gloves have been optimized for the challenges of ISS. Artemis missions call for high-frequency EVAs at the lunar south pole, where temperatures in the permanently shadowed region (PSR) will expose crew gloves to temperatures lower than ever previously experienced and where frequent and repeated exposure to regolith dust and rocks will present significantly increased risk for abrasion and cuts. With the development of new spacesuits by commercial partners, inexpensive and repeatable test methods are needed to characterize, evaluate, and compare gloves and glove materials for their thermal performance at PSR temperatures and for their resistance to lunar regolith abrasion and cuts. To address these needs, the NESC is leading a team to develop standardized test methods in coordination with ASTM International Committee F47 on Commercial Spaceflight.   Three standardized methods are currently in development. The first method seeks to standardize lunar dust abrasion testing of glove (and suit) materials based on adapted “tumble testing” first proposed at NASA in 1990. The NASA-designed tumbler (Figure 7) enables testing of six samples per run and compares pre- and post-tumbled tensile strength of materials to compare abrasion resistance. The method is highly controlled using a commercially available tumble medium and lunar regolith simulant.   Because material properties change with temperature, the second method seeks to develop a standardized approach to evaluate the cut resistance of glove materials at relevant cryogenic temperatures. The method is an adaptation of ASTM F2992 Standard Test Method for Measuring Cut Resistance of Materials Used in Protective Clothing with Tomodynamometer (TDM-100) Test Equipment. In order to allow for cut evaluation at cryogenic temperatures, the TDM-100 cut fixture was modified to include channels for liquid nitrogen flow (Figure 8A), thereby cooling the test material to 77 K.  Figure 7. Hardware used in the tumble test method. Tumbler apparatus (left). Tumbler with panel removed to show lunar regolith simulant and commercially available tumbler media (top right). Tumbler panel showing lunar regolith simulant (bottom right). The third method seeks to evaluate the thermal performance of gloves down to PSR requirement temperature of 48 K. Historical thermal testing of gloves was conducted with human-in-the-loop (HITL) testing for both radiative and conductive cooling. Conductive cooling was accomplished by having the test subject grab thermally controlled “grasp objects” and maintain contact until their skin temperature reached 283 K (50 ºF) or until they felt sufficient discomfort to end the test themselves. While HITL testing is critical for final certification of gloves, iterative design and development testing would benefit from a faster, less expensive test. To meet this need, the NESC is developing a glove thermal test that uses a custom manikin hand designed by Thermetrics, LLC (Figure 8B).  Figure 8. A) Mandrel used in cut testing as designed for ambient testing (left) and cryogenic testing (right). Flow channels allow for liquid nitrogen flow to cool the material sample to cryogenic temperatures. B) Prototype of Thermetrics, LLC custom manikin hand for spacesuit glove thermal testing. The manikin hand is outfitted with temperature and heat flux sensors to monitor heat transfer to the hand. The hand is placed within a spacesuit glove and thermally controlled with internal water flow to simulate human heat generation. The Cryogenic Ice Transfer, Acquisition, Development, and Excavation Laboratory (CITADEL) chamber at JPL is then used to test the glove thermal performance at a range of temperatures from 200 K down to 48 K. Thermal performance is evaluated to mimic historical HITL testing under both radiative and conductive cooling. Conductive cooling is accomplished through a temperature-controlled touch object and is evaluated using two touch pressures. All three methods will be incorporated as ASTM F47 standard test procedures following NASA and ASTM committee review and approvals (targeting 2024).   ASA astronaut and Expedition 68 Flight Engineer Nicole Mann is pictured in her Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) during an EVA. The NESC has recently contributed to astronaut safety investigations of water accumulating in EMU helmets during EVAs, and developing EMU gloves for use in the harsh conditions of the lunar south pole.

Pioneering Pediatric Neurology: Nanhedil Offering Best Neurological Treatments for Children in Gurgaon

Introduction: When it comes to pediatric healthcare, having qualified specialists on staff can significantly impact the well-being of young patients and their families. The Child Heart Centre at Nanhedil, renowned as the best pediatrics heart center in Gurgaon, India, is a prime example of how dedicated pediatric neurologists or child neurologists combine compassionate care with high-quality treatment plans through a multidisciplinary approach.

Initially recognized for its specialized cardiac treatment, Nanhedil has expanded its scope to include a range of pediatric specialties, including neurology. Offering services such as Fetal Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, and specialty clinics, Nanhedil meets every medical need and surpasses expectations by providing effective solutions and treatments. Under the direction and guidance of pediatrician Dr. Manvinder Singh Sachdev, MD, FNB, in pediatric cardiology, Nanhedil has become an oasis of healing and hope for children with complex medical needs and their loving families.

Dr. Manvinder Singh Sachdev Leading the Way:

Dedicated, knowledgeable, and compassionate, Dr. Manvinder Singh Sachdev has established himself as one of India's best child neurologists in pediatric cardiology. Expertise in pediatric healthcare was successfully achieved by Dr. Sachdev, who completed his medical training at prestigious institutes such as Madras Medical Mission in Chennai. Dr Sachdev combines his wealth of experience with his current role as Director and Head of the Pediatric Cardiology Department at Nanhedil, having previously held positions at several highly esteemed medical facilities like Sir Ganga Ram, Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, and Medanta Medicity. Promising to provide children with complete medical solutions, Nanhedil's mission has been inspired by his lifetime commitment to medical professionalism and patient-centred treatment approaches, plans and strategies.

Expansion into Pediatric Neurology for Nanhedil:

Dr. Sachdev's outstanding management has opened the door for a glimmer of hope for parents whose children require medical solutions in pediatric neurology. Nanhedil's primary concern continues to focus on cardiac treatment. Nanhedil collaborates with the top pediatric neurologists in India because we understand how critical and complicated it is to treat neurological diseases in children and provide them with complete care for a healthy life throughout life. Nanhedil aspires to tackle challenging neurological disorders with high accuracy and complete compassion by utilising cutting-edge facilities and an interdisciplinary approach to achieve the desired results and healthy children.

The Role of Collaboration in Pediatric Healthcare is a Blessing for Many:

The fundamental principle of Nanhedil's method of handling pediatric healthcare is collaboration between top medical professionals in their respective fields. The hospital guarantees that children with neurological diseases receive the most advanced care possible by collaborating with the best pediatric neurologists to plan the best treatment. These experts have an in-depth understanding of the unique demands as well as needs of pediatric patients and their families along with offering excellent medical skills and expertise. Nanhedil works every day to deliver personalized treatment programs that are suitable to each child's condition through teamwork and combined expertise, promoting better outcomes and an enhanced quality of life for children who are challenged with neurological illness and their loving families as well.

State-of-the-Art Facilities and Technology at Nanhedil for Best Treatments:

At Nanhedil, our commitment to providing the highest quality and world-class care goes beyond medical expertise and comprises the application of state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge advanced technologies. With state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment tools, the facility provides children with neurological conditions with a wide range of treatments that are precise, accurate and effective. Nanhedil establishes new benchmarks in pediatric neurology in India by offering young kids the best possible care by utilizing specialized imaging techniques and cutting-edge machinery for treatment which are used in top countries worldwide.

The Importance of Compassionate Care In Treating Neurological Disorders:

Just as essential as clinical knowledge is in the discipline of pediatric healthcare, compassion is equally important. Taking this consideration into account, we always place an important emphasis on delivering compassionate treatment, making sure that kids and their families have an atmosphere of support and compassion throughout the course of their medical treatment and become healthy again to face any challenge in life. Nanhedil offers young patients the needed affection and compassion they deserve from the moment they arrive until their treatment is concluded, establishing a supportive atmosphere that promotes healing and rehabilitation which in turn results in providing favourable results to all three doctors, children and their families.

Conclusion: Choose Nanhedil And Give Your Child The Gift Of A Healthy Mind In a nutshell, Nanhedil in Gurgaon, led by Dr. Manvinder Singh Sachdev, stands as an exemplary beacon of pediatric healthcare excellence in India, comparable to the world's top treatment facilities for children with neurological conditions. Initially gaining fame as the best pediatrics heart center in Gurgaon for its specialized cardiac care, Nanhedil later broadened its medical practice to encompass pediatric neurology, employing the best pediatric neurologist doctor in India. This expansion allows Nanhedil to offer comprehensive healthcare solutions for children suffering from neurological disorders and requiring intricate medical procedures. As a leader in pediatric healthcare, Nanhedil delivers healing and hope to child patients and their families nationwide through professional medical collaboration, utilizing cutting-edge facilities and advanced machinery, and a commitment to compassionate care that truly makes a difference. If your child is battling a neurological disorder, Nanhedil represents the ideal one-stop solution to initiate treatment and pave the way toward a healthier, brighter future for your child.

The final view of Skylab, from the departing SL-4 after 84 days in the orbiting laboratory.

"An overhead view of the Skylab space station cluster in Earth orbit as photographed from the Skylab 4 Command and Service Modules (CSM-118) during the final fly-around by the CSM before returning home. The space station is contrasted against a cloud-covered Earth.

Note: the solar shield which was deployed by the second crew of Skylab and from which a micrometeoroid shield has been missing since the cluster was launched on May 14, 1973. The OWS solar panel on the left side was also lost on the workshop's launch day."

Date: February 8, 1974

NASA ID: 7449819, 7449835, SL4-143-4707, SL4-143-4706, 7449862

"A ground-level view of Pad B, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center, Florida, showing the Skylab 3/Saturn IB (CSM-117/SA-207) space vehicle during prelaunch preparations. The launch vehicle is venting liquid oxygen during pre-final countdown cryogenic loading."

Date: July 20, 1973

NASA ID: S73-31697

Framed AI reproduction of Helmut Jacoby’s 1961 “The IBM 7094”

The IBM 7094, introduced in 1962, was an important mainframe computer in the evolution of computing technology and brought several technical innovations that marked significant improvements over its predecessor, the IBM 7090. Here are some key technical innovations of the IBM 7094:

Increased Speed and Performance: The IBM 7094 operated at higher clock speeds than the IBM 7090, running at 2.18 MHz compared to the 7090's 2.0 MHz. This increased its computational speed, making it one of the fastest machines of its time. It could execute up to 229,000 instructions per second.

Double Arithmetic Unit: The IBM 7094 featured a double arithmetic unit that enhanced its capability to handle floating-point arithmetic, a critical feature for scientific computations. This made the 7094 particularly valuable for applications in fields such as space research and engineering.

Additional Instructions: The 7094 introduced additional instructions to the existing IBM 7090 instruction set, which allowed for more versatile programming and operations. These instructions included ones for handling interrupts and improved input/output operations, which were essential for managing the complex computational tasks it was designed for.

Hardware-based Multiply-Add Unit: The 7094 included a hardware-based multiply-add unit that could perform a multiply-add operation in a single step. This was particularly useful for certain types of vector calculations common in scientific computing, significantly speeding up these operations.

Improved Input/Output Capabilities: The 7094 offered improved input/output capabilities which allowed for more efficient data handling and transfer between the computer and peripheral devices. This was crucial for large-scale data processing tasks.

Compatibility with IBM 7090: The IBM 7094 maintained backward compatibility with the IBM 7090, allowing for the use of existing software and peripherals. This compatibility was important for customers upgrading from the 7090, as it protected their investment in software and training.

The IBM 7094 played a significant role in the advancement of computing during the 1960s, contributing to major projects such as NASA’s Apollo space missions. Its technical innovations not only provided enhanced performance and capabilities but also helped set the stage for future developments in the field of computing.

[HERESY is ONLINE]

HERESY: Hello? Is somebody there?

A text chat is open on the computer. It looks like someone is trying to reach out. You don't know why, but just as the hatch and computer terminal seemed to call to you, the text chat does as well. You feel compelled to reach out somehow.

Talk to HERESY>

[VitalsStation12B is ONLINE]

VitalsStation12B: Hello?

HERESY: I can't believe it…

HERESY: Someone actually answered.

HERESY: I didn't fully believe it when the station read as active again.HERESY: And yet here you are.

VitalsStation12B: Who exactly are you?

VitalsStation12B: And what is this place?HERESY: I guess it makes sense you wouldn't know what's happening, seeing as the moon has become how it is.

HERESY: Where you're standing is a station that monitors the vitals of the moon's internal mechanisms. There's a lot of them.

HERESY: These stations used to make sure that the systems that keep the moon habitable are still up and running, but I suppose they're pretty self-sufficient at this point.

VitalsStation12B: Uh, I'm sorry, but I'm totally lost here…

VitalsStation12B: I don't know what any of this even means…

HERESY: Ah, right…sorry.

HERESY: You probably need a better explanation.

HERESY: I need you to follow my lead, ok?

HERESY: Tab out of this chat and open the vitals monitor, please, I need to know what it says.

You minimize the window and examine the desktop. There only seems to be 3 APPLICATIONS on the screen.

Look at applications>

There are 3 applications on the desktop in front of you. One reads INSTANT MESSENGER. The second reads VITALS MONITOR. The third reads EUTHANASIA PROTOCOL.

Open instant messenger>

Double-clicking the application only seems to open the chat you just minimized. You minimize it again, mildly frustrated at the small error. However, opening the messenger again highlights a detail you hadn't noticed before; a list of CONTACTS available to talk to.

Look at contacts>

There doesn't appear to be anyone online, and all of the contacts have names very similar to the one assigned to you. However, there is one that stands out, that has a completely different name. MILKNEWS.

Click on milknews>

[MilkNews is ONLINE]

MilkNews: Hey what's up man

MilkNews: I'm so bored

VitalsStation12B: Dude did you seriously set a custom name for yourself?

VitalsStation12B: You know you can't do that

MilkNews: Who caaaaaares mannnnn

MilkNews: What are they gonna do, fire us?

VitalsStation12B: Jeez, don't say I didn't warn you

VitalsStation12B: Were you also too stupid to bring any entertainment?

MilkNews: My Wonderswan died

VitalsStation12B: That's why I use crosswords, no batteries required

MilkNews: Can't play a strategy game on a crossword puzzle book!

VitalsStation12B: Look I would love to talk but you know as well as I do that the communication terminals are business only

MilkNews: You're way too stuck up

VitalsStation12B: Whatever man

VitalsStation12B: I'll see you after my shift

[MilkNews is OFFLINE]

Well, that's certainly strange. You wonder what the people in the chat logs were talking about. It does little to illuminate what exactly this room is and what it was built for. Or how the stranger talking to you got ahold of it.

Minimize instant messenger>

You once again minimize the application and turn your attention to the only one you haven't looked at.

Open euthanasia protocol>

Although an application opens, it appears as though whatever the program does, it's locked behind a code. It seems unlikely you will be able to find a code anywhere that would grant you access. And even then, somehow the name makes you nervous. You don't want to fool with it.

Open vitals monitor>

A warm chime sounds from the computer when you double-click the application, followed by a simple loading screen bearing an emblem with the word "Apollo" underneath it. What does that mean? The loading screen finally disappears and a PAGE opens.

Look at page>

You examine the page; it's hard to understand exactly what the screen is trying to show you, though. The visuals are green on black, and the application is showing you some kind of diagram. There's a lot of strange shapes, but they're all contained within a circle, and there are 2 distinct wedges taking up the top third of it. All over the circle are small DOTS that have a number next to them.

Look at dots>

There's too many to count, but the highest number a dot is labeled with is 413. Although some of the dots are green, the vast majority are a blinking red, standing in harsh contrast to the green that makes up most of the shapes on-screen. You hear a small chime and the chat application flashes.

Talk to HERESY>

NEXT

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NASA Space Tech Spinoffs Benefit Earth Medicine

As NASA innovates for the benefit of all, what the agency develops for exploration has the potential to evolve into other technologies with broader use here on Earth. Many of those examples are highlighted in NASA's annual Spinoff book including dozens of NASA-enabled medical innovations, as well other advancements. This year's publication, NASA's 2024 Spinoff, features several commercialized technologies using the agency's research and development expertise to impact everyday lives, including: - Spherical "squishy" robots capable of dropping into dangerous situations before first responders enter - "Digital winglets" aircraft-routing technology that's enabling increased fuel efficiency and smoother flights  - Lighter, more durable disc brake designs that produce less dust than traditional disc brakes - Computer software to help businesses and communities cope with and recover from natural disasters like wildfires - New 3D printing methods to additively manufacture rocket engines and other large aluminum parts  Squishy Robotics' Tensegrity Sensor Robots help first responders determine their approach to a disaster scene. Firefighters used the robots during a subway attack exercise at the 2021 Unmanned Tactical Application Conference to detect gas leaks and other hazards. Credits: FLYMOTION LLC "As we continue to push new frontiers and do the unimaginable, NASA's scientists and engineers are constantly innovating and advancing technologies," said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. "A critical part of our mission is to quickly get those advances into the hands of companies and entrepreneurs who can use them to grow their businesses, open new markets, boost the economy, and raise the quality of life for everyone." The medical innovations include the first wireless arthroscope – a small tube carrying a camera inserted into the body during surgery – to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which benefited from NASA's experience with spacesuits and satellite batteries. Technologies for diagnosing illnesses like the coronavirus, hepatitis, and cancer have also stemmed from NASA's space exploration and science endeavors. Even certain types of toothpaste originated from the agency's efforts to grow crystals for electronics. Additional 2024 Spinoff highlights include developments under NASA's Artemis campaign, like a small, rugged video camera used to improve aircraft safety and a new method for detecting defects or damage in composite materials. Meanwhile, another spinoff story details the latest benefits of fuel cell technology created more than 50 years ago for Apollo, which is now poised to support terrestrial power grids based on renewable energy. The book also features several technologies NASA has identified as promising future spinoffs and information on how to license agency tech. Since the 1970s, thousands of NASA technologies have found their way into many scientific and technical disciplines, impacting nearly every American industry. "As NASA's longest continuously running program, we continue to increase the number of technologies we license year-over-year while streamlining the development path from the government to the commercial sector," said Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "These commercialization success stories continually prove the benefits of transitioning agency technologies into private hands, where the real impacts are made." Spinoffs are part of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate and its Technology Transfer program. Tech Transfer is charged with finding broad, innovative applications for NASA-developed technology through partnerships and licensing agreements, ensuring agency investments benefit the nation and the world. To read the latest issue of Spinoff, visit: https://spinoff.nasa.gov Read the full article

NASA Space Tech Spinoffs Benefit Earth Medicine, Moon to Mars Tools - Technology Org

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NASA Space Tech Spinoffs Benefit Earth Medicine, Moon to Mars Tools - Technology Org

As NASA innovates for the benefit of all, what the agency develops for exploration has the potential to evolve into other technologies with broader use here on Earth. Many of those examples are highlighted in NASA’s annual Spinoff book, including dozens of NASA-enabled medical innovations and other advancements.

Squishy Robotics’ Tensegrity Sensor Robots help first responders determine their approach to a disaster scene. Firefighters used the robots during a subway attack exercise at the 2021 Unmanned Tactical Application Conference to detect gas leaks and other hazards. Image credit: FLYMOTION LLC

This year’s publication, NASA’s 2024 Spinoff, features several commercialized technologies using the agency’s research and development expertise to impact everyday lives, including:

“As we continue to push new frontiers and do the unimaginable, NASA’s scientists and engineers are constantly innovating and advancing technologies,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “A critical part of our mission is to quickly get those advances into the hands of companies and entrepreneurs who can use them to grow their businesses, open new markets, boost the economy, and raise the quality of life for everyone.”

The medical innovations include the first wireless arthroscope – a small tube carrying a camera inserted into the body during surgery – to receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which benefited from NASA’s experience with spacesuits and satellite batteries. Technologies for diagnosing illnesses like the coronavirus, hepatitis, and cancer have also stemmed from NASA’s space exploration and science endeavors. Even certain types of toothpaste originated from the agency’s efforts to grow crystals for electronics.

Additional 2024 Spinoff highlights include developments under NASA’s Artemis campaign, like a small, rugged video camera used to improve aircraft safety and a new method for detecting defects or damage in composite materials. Meanwhile, another spinoff story details the latest benefits of fuel cell technology created more than 50 years ago for Apollo, which is now poised to support terrestrial power grids based on renewable energy.

The book also features several technologies NASA has identified as promising future spinoffs and information on how to license agency tech. Since the 1970s, thousands of NASA technologies have found their way into many scientific and technical disciplines, impacting nearly every American industry.

“As NASA’s longest continuously running program, we continue to increase the number of technologies we license year-over-year while streamlining the development path from the government to the commercial sector,” said Daniel Lockney, Technology Transfer program executive at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These commercialization success stories continually prove the benefits of transitioning agency technologies into private hands, where the real impacts are made.”

Spinoffs are part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and its Technology Transfer program. Tech Transfer is charged with finding broad, innovative applications for NASA-developed technology through partnerships and licensing agreements, ensuring agency investments benefit the nation and the world.

Source: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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