Wobbie's bits

Authorities consider UK Moon proposals

wobbie — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 10:58:29 +0000

The UK is proposing to its European Space Agency partners a lunar orbiter that drops penetrators on to the Moon’s surface and a lander to carry out in-situ geological dating

Penetrator and soft lander proposals developed by SSTL in a PPARC funded study are being considered by ESA. UK space industry is also pushing for an all-British effort.

UK firm unveils proposals on Space Blog as Japan gives up after decades of plans.

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British space team to shoot for the Moon

wobbie — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:17:27 +0000

Long awaited resurgence of interest in space in the UK supporting Moon plans.

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UK going to the moon

wobbie — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 10:43:26 +0000

Britain might be going to the moon using British engineering!

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UK to go to the moon solo?

wobbie — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 10:26:24 +0000

Since the unfortunate failure of Beagle-2, the already weak UK Space aspirations became difficult to find – a far cry from the enthusiasm with which rising power China and the high profile US missions coordinated by NASA. The UK now has a very real opportunity to go to the moon by exploiting UK developed high technology at low cost.

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Invisibility Cloak ‘Five Years Away’

wobbie — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 15:50:53 +0000

Scientists have taken the first steps towards creating a Harry Potter-style cloak of invisibility. Professor John Pendry, from Imperial College London, said that it may not take long to develop an invisible fabric – assuming there is sufficient research into the technology.

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Magnets Could Fling Satellite Weapons into Space

wobbie — Mon, 09 Oct 2006 11:23:46 +0000

A new study by the US Air Force has suggested a cheaper method of sending satellites (possibly missile weapons) into orbit. A ring of superconducting magnets would contain and propel a payload, accelerating it over a period of hours, before suddenly powering down the magnets and flinging the satellite into space at 23 times the speed of sound.

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Satellites used to track rat infestation

wobbie — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 14:51:21 +0000

Of all the uses of satellites, locating the Pied Piper is one I had not conceived. Neglected islands are bring allowed to return to nature and with the absence of man the age of rats has not gone unnoticed. The DMC isn’t just used for monitoring natural disasters, rodent rampages too.

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Satellite navigation in a spin

wobbie — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 13:40:27 +0000

With Galileo in the pipeline and next generation GPS (Navstar) advances being announced there has been talk of Satnav scuffles in the press. Let’s not forget that the Russians have Glonass and that all of these systems aspire to combine in a GNSS – combined navigation system for the good of all. Rob Coppinger, Flight International discusses.

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Google confirm free book downloads

wobbie — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 10:35:15 +0000

The Internet really is changing. Only yesterday Universal announced that they would publish their back catalogue of music videos for free and now the next chapter in the Google Books saga unfolds.

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Pluto Seems Poised to Lose Its Planet Status

wobbie — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 09:28:34 +0000

NY Times view on the Pluto “demotion” is interesting. It seems everyone has their own view. It is still there though, I guess the real question is whether it is dull or exciting. That’s where New Horizons comes in.

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