Science

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Tech Videos: Mister Rogers & Dr. Tyson

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Science is about being amazed and in wonder at the world around you. All of the technical stuff that people usually associate with science takes a back seat to sitting back and saying "Wow, the world is cool!" It doesn't matter if you're an astrophysicist or everyone's favorite neighbor - anyone can represent the qualities behind scientific thought. The two videos included are an excellent example of this.

 

 

The above video by Brandon Fibbs features a speech from astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.  He spoke to congress about space exploration and its importance for America to be successful. Fibbs does an excellent job creating the visuals to correlate with Tyson's examples of the Civil Rights movement, the Apollo Moon missions, and even Occupy Wall St. As a plus, it uses music from Mass Effect 3, a great video game that involves the consequences the humanity interacting with other worlds and species.

Now, onto Mister Rogers and the "Garden of the Mind" remix video ...

 

 

 

 Doesn't that video capture what we all want to be, and what we want for future generations. It's all about having ideas and believing in yourself enough to push them through. Simply amazing!

 

 

 

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#ScienceLooksGood: Shuttle in NYC, Venus Transit

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One reason that I blog about science and technology is so that it can be accessible to everyone. Photos are a great way to communicate the complexity of science without dipping too far into the details. Check out these beautiful photos of the Space Shuttle in NYC and Venus overlayed over the Sun!

 

Shuttle in NYC!


Picture courtesy of https://twitter.com/IntrepidMuseum/

Check out this amazing pic of the Space Shuttle Enterprise near the World Trade Center site.  The Enterprise never actually flew in space, but it was the prototype model that NASA used to run tests and prove the aerodynamics of flight for reentry. It's currently heading on a barge to the Intrepid Museum in midtown NYC.

 

Venus Transit!


Picture and video courtesy of Universe Today

This photo is a compilation of several photos of the planet Venus as it crosses between Earth and the Sun.  Due to the orbits and rotations of both planets, it is extremely rare for Venus to be visible between Earth and the Sun.  As a matter of fact, this will not occur again until 2116. More photos are available from NASA.

Gizmodo has a great article on the importance of the transit of Venus throughout history.  From the article:

Transits of Venus were scientific gold for early astronomers, who used them to derive an accurate measurement of the size of the solar system. By noting the time each planet took to go around the sun, and then crunching that data via methods developed by 17th century mathematician Johannes Kepler, these telescope-equipped boffins could determine each planet's relative distance from the sun, as measured in terms of astronomical units (the distance from the Earth to the Sun). Collecting such data during a transit was the reason Captain Cook was able to travel halfway around the world from London to Tahiti in 1769.

 

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SpaceX Releases Gorgeous Videos and Photos of Successful Shuttle Launch

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Viewing history on an iPad

On its second try, SpaceX successfully completed the first launch of a commercial spacecraft on Tuesday morning at 3:44am. Right now, the Dragon spacecraft is in orbit, and the SpaceX team is doing checks and scans to prepare for its docking attempt with the International Space Station on May 25th. From the SpaceX updates website:

 

Mission Highlights: During the mission, Dragon must perform a series of complex tasks, each presenting significant technical challenges (dates subject to change):

  • May 22/Launch Day: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches a Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
  • May 23: Dragon orbits Earth as it travels toward the International Space Station.
  • May 24: Dragon’s sensors and flight systems are subjected to a series of complicated tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station; these tests include maneuvers and systems checks in which the vehicle comes within 1.5 miles of the station.
  • May 25: NASA decides if Dragon is allowed to attempt berthing with the station. If so, Dragon approaches. It is captured by station’s robotic arm and attached to the station, a feat that requires extreme precision.
  • May 25 - 31: Astronauts open Dragon’s hatch, unload supplies and fill Dragon with return cargo.
  • May 31: After approximately two weeks, Dragon is detached from the station and returns to Earth, landing in the Pacific, hundreds of miles west of Southern California.

 

I've included some high quality videos below from the Vimeo site - there are also photos. They speak for themselves.

 

 

 

 

 

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SpaceX's Dragon to Become First Commercial Aircraft to Visit International Space Station

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The title pretty much says it all. At 4:45am EST on May 19th, SpaceX will live stream the launch of their Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket. It's a huge day for space geeks such as myself, but I'm glad that the coverage is extending to the mainstream.

For all of the talk about budget cuts to NASA and ending the shuttle program, it's great to report on the future of space travel. I really believe that space (and the ocean) need to be explored to better understand what role we play in this vast universe. It's not about finding aliens, but about doing the science that's hard to do within the physical confines of Earth. But I won't lie and say I wouldn't be excited if we found a Mass Relay ...

Note that this is a demonstration mission, but assuming everything goes well cargo (and potentially astronauts) will be ferried back and forth in the future.

For more info check out their press kit.