Get your own diary at DiaryLand.com! contact me older entries newest entry


powered by SignMyGuestbook.com

My Last Thesis Journal

Le Mage Journal

2002-02-05 - 11:55 p.m.

I fixed my archives so there aren't too many lying waiting to be put away.

Did I mention the utter coolness and ugliness of the bruise? I know I'm fixating but it is so damn cool. :) I keep pulling down my pants to make people look at it. Its literally the size of my hand.

Onwards.


Space 'Hotels' to Slingshot Between Earth and Mars

Reuters

Feb 5 2002 5:43PM

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Reuters) - Futuristic space "hotels" that would employ planetary gravity to rocket between Earth and Mars are on the drawing board at Purdue University, researchers at the school said on Tuesday.

Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon and a leading booster of space tourism, is heading a team of Purdue engineers designing spacious "cycler" spacecraft to make the six- to eight-month interplanetary trips continuously.

The team envisions space "taxis" that would ferry passengers and supplies from the planetary surfaces to cycler craft speeding along at 13,000 mph as they traveled between the two planets.

The cycler craft would get "gravity assists" from the sun, the planets and their moons to "slingshot" to their destination.

"Once you put your vehicle into a cycler orbit, it continues on its own momentum, going back and forth between

Earth and Mars. You may need to carry some propellant for an occasional boost, but it's pretty much a free trip after that," aeronautics professor James Longuski said in a statement.

The cycler spacecraft would be assembled in space with parts ferried aboard space shuttles. An initial model will accommodate up to 50 passengers and provide all the "creature comforts," Longuski said.

Among the potential hurdles are the varying orbits of the two planets that could make it tricky calculating the correct slingshot trajectory.

Aldrin, a 72-year-old retired astronaut and former combat fighter with a doctorate in astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, targeted 2018 for an inaugural flight.

"We have to look at the configuration of those taxis and how much energy will be needed to intercept the cyclers," he said.

Reliable and reusable cycler transportation would "create an entirely new economic and philosophic approach to space exploration," Purdue researchers wrote in a December report prepared for National Aeronautic and Space Administration's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.


How awsome is that?


Applying for lots of jobs for State of NJ, horse farms, camps, etc anywhere. If anyone knows of anything I can do to aid the "Keep Beth in NB for the SUmmer" cause let know please.


Cold today. Must remember to wear sweater type clothing tomorow and give meagan ( bryans sister) the notes for the class she missed and go to ABP 3rd period.(company welcome!)

What else must I remember?

hrm.

I'v forgotten?

Well, as usual I get sad tuesday night because it should be wednesdays already so I can see feel etc bryan.

But I get to think about it which is cheering somehow.

The first meeting, the first "date", all that fun stuff. What to do for the thing coming up...

What I figured out the other night was that no matter what happens, if the fairytale goes on forever, if it ends amicably, if it ends badly (hopenot!), it was still such a good thing. We both know for sure now we are capable of something. I won't say "functional" but pleasing.

Thats something else to remember. The capability of emotion question.

Pro or con?

-bsg-

prior mistakes future mistakes


about me - read my profile! read other DiaryLand diaries! recommend my diary to a friend! Get your own fun + free diary at DiaryLand.com!

The past 12 months
18 months past
24 months past
36 months past
48 months past