Solar Storm Attacks Earth!

False Color image of Solar Eruption.

Well, yes, it's a solar storm, and yes, it is hitting the Earth, so I call it an attack just for the effect. But the fact is, this Solar Flare that is hitting the Earth and causing fantastic Polar Lights could just as well cause interference in satellite communications. These disruptions could affect GPS navigation systems, high-flying aircraft travel, power grid transmission lines, and radio signals. Listen to news updates for anything serious though.

This all stems from what's called a CME, or "Coronal Mass Ejection" that occurred on the Sun yesterday and has begun hitting the Earth's magnetic field.

Shields Up!

You can get detailed information on the best site I know for tracking this storm, SpaceWeather, at: http://www.spaceweather.com/

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Delays in Resupply to ISS

Falcon 9 and Dragon under preparation.

It will not launch earlier than late April, but SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon resupply capsule are making progress towards their flight. The soon-to-be-historic flight will accomplish two major milestones for SpaceX. The mission combines its next objective, that of a rendezvous near the station, with its next objective, which is actual docking. By achieving the two goals in one flight, SpaceX will leap forward in their progress and save money as well. If successful, it ill be the first commercial resupply of the ISS (outside of Space Agencies). Last week, the Falcon 9 rocket seen in the picture above made a successful testing on the pad of its fueling and simulated launch.

ATV-2 on approach to ISS.

Meanwhile. on Friday March 2, European Space Agency directors announced a delay in the launching of the next cargo resupply to the ISS. Workers will need to re-enter the cargo area of the craft, designated ATV-3 (Automated Transfer Vehicle 3) to retighten cargo straps and prevent load shifting during the launch. This delay will move the launch to March 23. The ATV-3, officially nicknamed Edualdo Amaldi (after an Italian physics scientist), will carry 7 tons of fuel, water, air, and supplies to keep operations going on the ISS. The ATV is to be launched on top the Arianne 5 rocket from the Guiana Space Center in South America.

By Mark Daymont
Space Center Eductor

The Imaginarium's Morning Cafe

Hello Troops,
A moment at the Imaginarium's Morning Cafe for a Sweet Sticky Bun, a hot cocoa, a gaze out the window at the rising sun and a moment to once again ponder the power of human imagination.

Pull up a chair.

One of my favorite commercials of the year.
Imagination's Highest Award for this one.

I always do. Don't You?
Never travel Solo. Take a Wookiee.
At least you'll be OK to drive in the HOV lane on the freeway.

There comes a time when you just can't take it anymore. People stand up and say "Enough is Enough." A lesson Rush Limbaugh is only now learning.

Every family seems to have one.
Are you the one in your family?

Drink finished with only a few drops down the front of my shirt (hey this may turn out to be a good day). Taking a moment to lick the sugar off my fingers and then its out the door of the Morning Cafe and down the street to the Space Center.

See you in the trenches.

Mr. W.

Making the Most of a Perilous Occupation: A Wedding Proposal on the Magellan

Hello Troops,

I want to thank Nicole for writing this post. Strange things indeed happen at the Space Center, not the least of which - a marriage proposal. I met the bride to be on Sunday at my niece's home. Family and friends of my niece were gathered for the obligatory feast following a baby blessing when I overhead a young woman talking about her wedding proposal at "that space place". Autumn brought her right over and introduced me to her. She showed me the ring. We both agreed it was a proposal never to be forgotten.

And now Nicole's account of the proposal itself.

It started off as an unusual mission, but not unusual in a bad sense. The Magellan crew had decided to throw a surprise party for their grandfather, a self-proclaimed Trekkie. We often have surprise parties for younger crews, but not usually for an older crew. The crew consisted of all age ranges as members of the family came together to celebrate the grandfather’s birthday. The mission itself was fairly normal; the crew and the staff both did an excellent job. At the end of the flight, the crew asked Zac and me to take some group pictures of them as they celebrated their victory.

After taking multiple group pictures with three different cameras, the birthday grandfather, who had been the admiral, left the group to talk with Zac and me. “Get the cameras ready,” he whispered with a gleam in his eye. “We are about to have a real proposal.”

Zac and I looked at each other with obvious delight; nothing like this had happened to us at the Space Center before. The admiral walked back down the stairs to join his crew.

“As the admiral of a starship, it is my privilege to marry people,” he stated. After some bantering between the crew members, one man stepped forward and asked if he could get married. The admiral nodded his approval and the man turned to his girlfriend. He got down on one knee and with victory music playing in the background, he asked her the question; while cameras flashed, she smilingly held out her hand and told him that she would marry him. Cheers broke out from the crew. The man slipped a diamond ring onto her finger.

Zac and I grinned as we continued to snap pictures while the crew celebrated. In my humble opinion, I believe that the man must have realized how short life can be when you are in the perilous occupation of flying a space station and, during the course of the mission, must have decided to finally marry the woman he loves. That, of course, is my own opinion, and you can see the situation as you wish. Zac and I were excited to have been able to take part in such a rare event at the Space Center, and we join with everyone as we wish the couple a wonderful future together.