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Contents contributed and discussions participated by Virinchi Tadikonda

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Are Solar Sails the Future of Space Travel? - 0 views

www.space.com/il-tech-space-exploration.html
shared by Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14 - No Cached
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      Innovation is one of the most important factors of space travel. This simple design can turn into something that we can use to potentially travel vast distances. 
  • But it took a long time for solar sails to go from concept to reality. The first successful demonstration of the propulsion system didn't come until 2010, when Japan's Ikaros probe deployed its 46-foot-wide (14 m) sail and became the first craft ever to cruise through space on the backs of photons.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      This just tells us that nothing comes easy, and that we might actually be a long distance away from achieving the next space milestone, which is setting foot on another planet. 
  • The $27 million Sunjammer mission, which takes its name from the Arthur C. Clarke story, will use a sail built by California-based company L'Garde that measures 124 feet (38 m) on a side. The sail, made of an advanced material called Kapton, is just 5 microns (about 0.0002 inches) thick. It weighs less than 70 pounds (32 kilograms) and packs down to the size of a dishwasher, NASA officials have said.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      As much as funds are being cut from NASA and budget cuts are taking a toll on all space related activities, research is definitely crucial. But we do not hear about these researches in the news. 
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    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      Prevention of disasters is one of the most important security aspects of technology. This kind of probes will enhance safety among the public but the one thing I see is that the media has not covered this. It is not a big aspect of technology it seems, and I disagree. 
  • And some researchers have even higher hopes for solar sails, suggesting that a truly enormous sail —one the size of Texas, for example — could send a spaceship to another star system in just a few centuries. (A space-based laser would have to shine a powerful beam on the sail as the craft moved farther and farther away from the sun, however.)   
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      This is the definition of future research for the benefit of society in the generations to come. This kind of technology can potentially unite us with another Earth. Unfortunately this is the first one I have found about any kind of research with solar panels in media. 
  • Several upcoming missions aim to harness the subtle push of sunlight, using gossamer "solar sails" to cruise through the heavens like boats through the sea.
  • A spacecraft equipped with a sail 1,300 feet (400 meters) wide, for example, could travel 1.3 billion miles (2.1 billion kilometers) per year, allowing it to escape the sun's sphere of influence in just a decade or so, according to researchers behind the Interstellar Probe, a NASA concept mission proposed about 15 years ago.
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SpaceX Launch Scrubbed Again - But No One Could See It Happen - NASA Watch - 0 views

nasawatch.com/...spacex-launch-s-2.html
shared by Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • This lack of visibility is rather unusual for SpaceX - a company that has gone out of its way to use social media and traditional media - with great success - to get word about its products and services to the widest audience possible.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      NASA contracts launches to smaller companies, and one happens to be SpaceX. This company is widely known for broadcasting launches around Cape Canaveral. Unfortunately, the limited amount of of companies that do that doesn't help to widen the media exposure. 
  • canceled its webcast and provided no commentary about the launch countdown, a public service offered even for classified Department of Defense satellite launches.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      NASA is not a part of this, as the final decision was made by SpaceX. Because they are a private company this is possible. The more privacy ensures less involvement with the media and public. Once upon a time the idea of Space travel was widely popular, but today it's quite the opposite. 
  • The hashtag "#FalconNein" quickly appeared. One would hope that SpaceX is paying attention and realizes that they are doing something cool - as are other space companies
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      The benefit of social media is that if something is great, it will appear in the media. But even if it didn't go through and failed, it will still appear in the media. Either way, there is still publicity 
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  • Cool sells. And if and when something goes wrong people root for the company to fix the problem so they can see cool things again.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      When Space was cool, that's when the government spent more money and time. When the last shuttle disaster occured, complaints came from every direction about mission safety. Space needs to become cool once again. 
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Future of Human Space Exploration Could See Humans on Mars, Alien Planets - 0 views

www.space.com/f-human-space-exploration.html
shared by Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • Closer to home, private industries like Mars One seek to establish a permanent settlement on the Red Planet. At the Smithsonian Magazine's "The Future is Here Festival" in Washington, D.C. this month, former astronaut Mae Jemison and NASA engineer Adam Steltzner spoke optimistically about the future of manned space exploration
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      The way that planet Earth and our Solar System is operating is that the sun expands everyday, and planets revolving around the sun. The sun will eventually grow and expand with the future being sucking in all the planets, killing all life. Future expansion of other planets is necessary. 
  • Although the idea that bacteria — and life — could hitch a ride on traveling rocks to spread life to other planets is not new, Steltzner suggested a deliberate program that sounds more like science fiction than science fact. Such bacteria could carry our genome and the instructions to reassemble it after landing on a planet (and, one assumes, after the planet has been terraformed to support such life). Steltzner described the process as "printing human beings organically over time."
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      Life in other planets is not at all impossible. There are many scientific methods to start life, the only question is how to do it, and will the life survive? 
  • In addition to curiosity-motivated exploration, Steltzner pointed out that as long as humans remain on a single planet, we are at risk of extinction when disaster strikes. "Our real estate portfolio suffers from a concentration of risk," he said.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      An important note is that we have limited resources on planet Earth. Once those resources are extinct, there must be exploration elsewhere from either Space, or deep in the unexplored regions of the oceans. 
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  • "Technology didn't slow us down getting to the moon," Steltzner said. "Technology won't slow us down getting to Mars."
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      The problem with this technology is that all the information that was used for getting to the moon was lost. The old computers got replaced and the people who worked to get astronauts to the moon retired. The key this time around is to not lose the information. In Kennedy's presidency, it took a long time to get all the components together. Now that technology is more advanced, it should take less time to get to the moon, and should be a straight shot to Mars. 
  • Mars may be one of the closest planets humans want to colonize, but it certainly isn't the only one. Mae Jemison described the 100-Year Starship project to an interested audience. Funded by NASA's Ames Research Center and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the 100-Year Starship project aims to develop the tools and technology necessary to build and fly a spaceship to another planetary system within the next 100 years. The program isn't necessarily concerned with building the ship itself as much as it seeks to foster innovation and enthusiasm for interstellar travel.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      The method of transportation is going to be very difficult. The researching that is in progress and takes a while to accomplish, obviously. Maybe this is NASA's plan to not release to the public yet? 
  • Though many people object to funding the space program when there are humanitarian needs that have to be met on Earth, Jemison points out that such exploration often leads to innovation and unexpected technology that make an impact on Earth-based programs. "I believe that pursuing an extraordinary tomorrow will create a better world today," she said.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      The original space launches did not revolve around trying to put up satellites, rather to explore space. Since then, satellites have been launched, telescopes have also been put up. Who knows what other technological aspects can be added once funding is no longer cut and innovation is big again?
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NASA budget 2015: More cuts, more politics. - 0 views

www.slate.com/...5_more_cuts_more_politics.html
shared by Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • In 2014 NASA got a total of $17.646 billion. The 2015 request is for $17.460 billion, a reduction of $186 million dollars, or about a 1 percent cut. That could’ve been worse. As we’ll see, though, it’s where those cuts are going that are bad.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      A reason for the lack of media coverage can be actually due to NASA not spending as much money to use for missions. A cut down of missions lead to less media coverage for typical launches unless major launches occur, such as a mission to the moon. 
  • ut I still fear NASA will have to cut other missions to fund this one
  • Some areas got more money, like Space Technology. That includes tech that will help the proposed asteroid retrieval mission.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      NASA seems to be directing it's resources more towards missions that are bigger. This means more funding, and cutting of smaller missions. 
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  • Commercial Spaceflight will see an increase of more than $150 million to a total of $848 million. That includes buying launches from commercial companies like SpaceX, and I’m all for that. That comes with a $300 million reduction to the Exploration Systems Development,
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      Commercial Spaceflight by NASA is defined as flights that are for satellite repair and launching. This means that you can see crews up in space to repair GOES-R, Hubble, ISS, and other kind of satellites. 
  • Earth Science: cut by $56 million (given that so many in Congress are climate change deniers who want to cut Earth-observing missions, I think this may be a mistake). Astrophysics: cut by $61 million (including mothballing the wonderful SOFIA aircraft unless a German partner can pony up the cash; see page 15 of the report). Planetary Science: cut by $65 million. That last one is almost a victory, given how the White House has tried to eviscerate planetary exploration over the past few years. But don’t be fooled; these cuts would hurt. A lot. (Note added after I wrote this article but before it was posted: Casey Dreier at The Planetary Society has more on this situation.)
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      This paragraph alone shows how space exploration is going downhill, and that such explorations are not necessary. Astrophysics and Earth Science are two major fields that require much research for space exploration. Without either or a lack of information from either departments due to cuts, this just spells bad news. 
  • Again, let me remind you that this is a budget request. Congress will have a different budget for NASA,
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 27 Jun 14
       
      This is a budget request, but the government is much more stingy. These numbers for cuts can be much higher without any warning. 
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NASA - NASA Policy on the Release of Information to News and Information Media - 0 views

www.nasa.gov/...communication_policy.html nasa policy release information news media
shared by Virinchi Tadikonda on 25 Jun 14 - No Cached
  • public information, which is defined as information in any form provided to news and information media, especially information that has the potential to generate significant media, or public interest or inquiry. Examples include, but are not limited to, press releases, media advisories, news features, and web postings.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 25 Jun 14
       
      It seems that NASA only releases material to media that generates high interest. Any small things such as regular mission launches seem to be not released as frequently. 
  • this policy shall govern and supersede any previous issuance or directive.
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  • In keeping with the desire for a culture of openness, NASA employees may, consistent with this policy, speak to the press and the public about their work.
  • ) This policy does not authorize or require disclosure of information that is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) or otherwise restricted by statute, regulation, Executive Order, or other Executive Branch policy or NASA policy (e.g., OMB Circulars, NASA Policy Directives).
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 25 Jun 14
       
      It seems that even thought NASA policy says you can speak openly about what you do, you can't say everything because otherwise it is a breach of NASA policy. 
  • NASA's Mission Directorate Associate Administrators and Mission Support Office heads have ultimate responsibility for the technical, scientific, and programmatic accuracy of all information that is related to their respective programs and released by NASA.
  • Center Directors have ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of public information that does not require the concurrence of Headquarters.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 25 Jun 14
       
      Policy states that NASA holds high executives for accuracy of information. I see a small conflict in what employees may say, and what executives might say. It seems that employees may say one thing, and executives another.  
  • officers are required to coordinate to obtain review and clearance by appropriate officials, keep each other informed of changes, delays, or cancellation of releases, and provide advance notification of the actual release.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 25 Jun 14
       
      There is a hierarchy of how material is released. There is also an important and quick way to release information with precision and accuracy.  
  • Release of classified information in any form (e.g., documents, through interviews, audio/visual, etc.) to the news media is prohibited. The disclosure of classified information to unauthorized individuals may be cause for prosecution and/or disciplinary action against the NASA employee involved. Ignorance of NASA policy and procedures regarding classified information does not release a NASA employee from responsibility for preventing any unauthorized release.
    • Virinchi Tadikonda
      Virinchi Tadikonda on 25 Jun 14
       
      This seems to be the regular because NASA definitely has a lot of classified material that to this date since the moon landing has not been shared or released. 
  • Virinchi Tadikonda on 25 Jun 14
     
    Media Policy 
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