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New Horizons Arrives At Ksc
Redstone
post Sep 26 2005, 09:56 PM
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NASA Press Release
APL press release
Space.com Article

Coming up...
October: communications checks
November: hydrazine loading and Atlas V countdown rehearsal
December: integration with Atlas V
January: LAUNCH! biggrin.gif

No pictures on the KSC webcams yet. unsure.gif

But still pictures here. cool.gif


Is that the flight RTG attached to the spacecraft? blink.gif Or just a dummy?
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Guest_BruceMoomaw_*
post Sep 29 2005, 03:46 AM
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Yep, there is no doubt that environmentalism attracts zany fanatics. So, however, does space exploration. And NASA's previous straight-faced official estimates of accident probabilities (one in 100,000 of a Shuttle exploding during launch) are not the sort of thing calculated to bolster public confidence in the agency's competence -- or its honesty.

I myself strongly doubt that there's any danger whatsoever -- even in the event of a high-speed reentry. (The Pu pellets are encased in iridium shells, after all. And when the rocket carrying the Nimbus 3 weather satellite blew up in 1968, the Pu cores in its two RTGs not only didn't powderize, but fell into the sea off the coast of Vandenberg virtually intact, were recovered by a robot submersible months later, and were simply refurbished and flown again on Nimbus' successor the following year.) But there's always a first time; and I myself will breathe a little easier after this thing is successfully launched.
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Guest_Richard Trigaux_*
post Sep 29 2005, 10:03 AM
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[quote=BruceMoomaw,Sep 29 2005, 03:46 AM]
when the rocket carrying the Nimbus 3 weather satellite blew up in 1968, the Pu cores in its two RTGs not only didn't powderize, but fell into the sea off the coast of Vandenberg virtually intact, were recovered by a robot submersible months later, and were simply refurbished and flown again on Nimbus' successor the following year.)
*

[/quote]

Good info. Good test. Not the worse case, but the most probable.


[quote=Sunspot @ Sep 28 2005, 10:33 AM)
I remember the fuss over the launch of Cassini and how envirnomental campaigners "emabarked on a campaign of misinformation" to get NASA's attention. ...... and even Martin Sheen showed up lol[/quote]


I think you all should not laugh so easily about environmentalists: they have their concerns too, and if we had paid a little bit more attention to what they say, we would not have ozone depletion, nuclear wastes, climate change, etc. (only scientists gave earlier warnings). And it is not because we are interested in space exploration that we must just get egoistically blind to the related environment concerns. Please do not become zany scientists!

It happens that I am among the pioneers of the french environmentalist movement, in the 1970'. I still back up the idea, but I must admit that since there was much taking over by leftists shemanigancers and "zany" dogmatists, so I prefered to take some distance from the main stream. As everybody know environmentalists generaly reject all what is nuclear (electricity plants, and of course weapons), but they have no general agreement about "scientific nuclear" such as synchrotrons and space probes.

And for people like me who feel environmentalist AND scientific, I have no ready made reply about such a question than "should we use RTGs?". The only thing I would state is that we should urge smart fusion research (not the cumbersome tokamaks) which does not arise such heartbreaking environment issues. Imagine a ion engine powered by a 1Mw lithium hydride cell: it will be the key for real freedom of move in the whole solar system and beyond. And I am in the process of writing a novel in where all rely on fusion interstellar spaceships and terraforming machines (with real physics).
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djellison
post Sep 29 2005, 10:08 AM
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QUOTE (Richard Trigaux @ Sep 29 2005, 10:03 AM)
I think you all should not laugh so easily about environmentalists: they have their concerns too...


But in this case - totally unfounded concerns - and they embark on a mission to spread missinformation. I dont laugh at those who object to the launch of RTG's into Space - they make me angry.

Doug
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Guest_Richard Trigaux_*
post Sep 29 2005, 04:11 PM
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QUOTE (djellison @ Sep 29 2005, 10:08 AM)
But in this case - totally unfounded concerns - and they embark on a mission to spread missinformation.  I dont laugh at those who object to the launch of RTG's into Space - they make me angry.
Doug
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I understand your anger, Doug. But usually it is polluters and authors of catastrophes who spread misinformation, to justify their shemes or to escape punishment.
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Guest_Sunspot_*
post Sep 29 2005, 04:25 PM
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QUOTE (Richard Trigaux @ Sep 29 2005, 05:11 PM)
I understand your anger, Doug. But usually it is polluters and authors of catastrophes who spread misinformation, to justify their shemes or to escape punishment.
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... I distinctly remember seeing and hearing a women in a news report leading upto the launch saying they "had embarked on a campaign on misinformation" to get NASA's attention. How can you expect people to make a decision on an issue when they're being lied to? As much as I support environmental concerns and issues, enviromental groups are notoriously loose with scientific facts - thanks in part to the publics disinterest and ignorance of science.
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Guest_Richard Trigaux_*
post Sep 29 2005, 05:37 PM
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QUOTE (Sunspot @ Sep 29 2005, 04:25 PM)
As much as I support environmental concerns and issues, environmental groups are notoriously loose with scientific facts - thanks in part to the publics disinterest and ignorance of science.
*


Alas this is often true.

I think science should be learned into primary school, there is no need to be a graduate to understand most basic facts. People understanding the world in which they are living are, I think, less prone to violence or fanaticism.

About environment, it is often scientists who first ring the alarm. Only after environmentalist develop these concerns in a more pro-social perspective. So ecology owes nearby everything to science. But despites this I knew environmentalist who were really anti-science. And really uninformed about it.
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Posts in this topic
- Redstone   New Horizons Arrives At Ksc   Sep 26 2005, 09:56 PM
- - odave   I just showed this picture to my 8 year old, and t...   Sep 27 2005, 12:43 AM
- - hendric   She sure is pretty with all that gold foil. ...   Sep 27 2005, 02:07 AM
- - spfrss   [quote] Is that the flight RTG attached to the spa...   Sep 27 2005, 09:30 AM
- - BruceMoomaw   As I understand it, the only possible show-stopper...   Sep 27 2005, 09:31 AM
|- - paxdan   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 27 2005, 10:31 AM)I...   Sep 27 2005, 10:26 AM
|- - Bob Shaw   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 27 2005, 10:31 AM)As...   Sep 27 2005, 08:46 PM
|- - spfrss   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 27 2005, 10:31 AM)As...   Sep 28 2005, 08:36 AM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (spfrss @ Sep 28 2005, 08:36 AM)The pro...   Sep 28 2005, 09:46 AM
- - remcook   "I'm sure he'll agree, once they...   Sep 27 2005, 02:06 PM
|- - odave   I thought it was "nucular"   Sep 27 2005, 05:56 PM
|- - um3k   QUOTE (odave @ Sep 27 2005, 01:56 PM)I though...   Sep 27 2005, 06:00 PM
- - BruceMoomaw   Actually, the blood-chilling thing about "nuc...   Sep 27 2005, 09:20 PM
|- - Bob Shaw   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 27 2005, 10:20 PM)Ac...   Sep 27 2005, 10:10 PM
|- - Jeff7   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 27 2005, 04:20 PM)Ac...   Sep 27 2005, 10:38 PM
|- - Mark6   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 27 2005, 09:20 PM)Ac...   Sep 30 2005, 02:32 AM
||- - spfrss   If you go to http://www.pluto.jhuapl.edu/overview...   Sep 30 2005, 07:06 AM
||- - ljk4-1   QUOTE (Mark6 @ Sep 29 2005, 09:32 PM)Carter p...   Sep 30 2005, 02:33 PM
||- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (ljk4-1 @ Sep 30 2005, 02:33 PM)Wh...   Sep 30 2005, 07:07 PM
|- - ljk4-1   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 27 2005, 04:20 PM)Ac...   Oct 31 2005, 05:31 PM
- - SigurRosFan   How many RTG pellets are now on board??   Sep 27 2005, 10:43 PM
- - hendric   "Mr. President, we're sending the plutoni...   Sep 28 2005, 12:30 AM
- - edstrick   BruceMoomaw: "..Actually, the blood-chilling ...   Sep 28 2005, 06:59 AM
- - BruceMoomaw   Well, I certainly never had trouble with it -- unl...   Sep 28 2005, 07:31 AM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 28 2005, 07:31 AM)Fa...   Sep 28 2005, 09:24 AM
- - BruceMoomaw   I forgot to mention that Eisenhower also fouled it...   Sep 28 2005, 07:33 AM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 28 2005, 07:33 AM)Fa...   Sep 28 2005, 09:22 AM
- - djellison   Please go and read the safety reports for the laun...   Sep 28 2005, 09:59 AM
|- - Sunspot   QUOTE (djellison @ Sep 28 2005, 10:59 AM)Plea...   Sep 28 2005, 10:33 AM
- - djellison   If the public were made as aware of the military p...   Sep 28 2005, 10:41 AM
- - RNeuhaus   I will put anything nuclear information from NH sp...   Sep 28 2005, 03:33 PM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (RNeuhaus @ Sep 28 2005, 03:33 PM)The p...   Sep 28 2005, 05:38 PM
- - SigurRosFan   But how many RTGs are actually on board? Earlier ...   Sep 28 2005, 04:06 PM
|- - helvick   QUOTE (SigurRosFan @ Sep 28 2005, 05:06 PM)Bu...   Sep 28 2005, 05:50 PM
|- - SigurRosFan   QUOTE (helvick @ Sep 28 2005, 07:50 PM)... de...   Sep 28 2005, 07:29 PM
|- - helvick   QUOTE (SigurRosFan @ Sep 28 2005, 08:29 PM)0....   Sep 28 2005, 08:24 PM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (helvick @ Sep 28 2005, 08:24 PM)The lo...   Sep 29 2005, 10:16 AM
|- - helvick   QUOTE (Richard Trigaux @ Sep 29 2005, 11:16 A...   Sep 29 2005, 05:15 PM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (helvick @ Sep 29 2005, 05:15 PM)You...   Sep 29 2005, 05:47 PM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (helvick @ Sep 29 2005, 05:15 PM)Its a ...   Sep 30 2005, 07:15 AM
- - SigurRosFan   Thanks a lot, Helvick!   Sep 28 2005, 06:22 PM
- - mike   Chernobyl exploded rather spectacularly and yet pe...   Sep 28 2005, 07:18 PM
|- - tty   QUOTE (mike @ Sep 28 2005, 09:18 PM)Chernobyl...   Sep 29 2005, 11:39 AM
- - deglr6328   QUOTE (Sunspot @ Sep 28 2005, 10:33 AM)I reme...   Sep 28 2005, 09:21 PM
- - SigurRosFan   Okay. I calculate 200.8 Watts for launch power.   Sep 28 2005, 10:41 PM
- - BruceMoomaw   Yep, there is no doubt that environmentalism attra...   Sep 29 2005, 03:46 AM
|- - Richard Trigaux   Good info. Good test. Not the worse case, but th...   Sep 29 2005, 10:03 AM
|- - djellison   QUOTE (Richard Trigaux @ Sep 29 2005, 10:03 A...   Sep 29 2005, 10:08 AM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (djellison @ Sep 29 2005, 10:08 AM)But ...   Sep 29 2005, 04:11 PM
|- - Sunspot   QUOTE (Richard Trigaux @ Sep 29 2005, 05:11 P...   Sep 29 2005, 04:25 PM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (Sunspot @ Sep 29 2005, 04:25 PM)As muc...   Sep 29 2005, 05:37 PM
- - djellison   A little bird tells me, NH is... 72 pellets, 190+...   Sep 29 2005, 02:04 PM
- - SigurRosFan   What is the birds name?   Sep 29 2005, 02:20 PM
- - djellison   It was from Alan via email to me - I think he just...   Sep 29 2005, 03:38 PM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (djellison @ Sep 29 2005, 03:38 PM)http...   Sep 29 2005, 04:15 PM
- - BruceMoomaw   "... I distinctly remember seeing and hearing...   Sep 30 2005, 12:18 AM
|- - ljk4-1   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Sep 29 2005, 07:18 PM)...   Sep 30 2005, 02:18 AM
- - mchan   In the latest PI update, Alan Stern describes NH...   Oct 4 2005, 03:35 AM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (mchan @ Oct 4 2005, 03:35 AM)In the la...   Oct 4 2005, 08:58 AM
|- - Rob Pinnegar   QUOTE (Richard Trigaux @ Oct 4 2005, 02:58 AM...   Oct 4 2005, 05:12 PM
|- - mchan   QUOTE (Rob Pinnegar @ Oct 4 2005, 10:12 AM)Sw...   Oct 5 2005, 04:01 AM
|- - Richard Trigaux   QUOTE (Rob Pinnegar @ Oct 4 2005, 05:12 PM)It...   Oct 5 2005, 01:22 PM
|- - punkboi   QUOTE (Rob Pinnegar @ Oct 4 2005, 10:12 AM)It...   Oct 26 2005, 06:05 AM
|- - imran   Pluto rocket in Florida damaged by Hurricane Wilma...   Oct 29 2005, 12:42 AM
|- - BPCooper   QUOTE (imran @ Oct 28 2005, 08:42 PM)Pluto ro...   Oct 29 2005, 04:50 PM
- - djellison   Lots of posts deleted - it had all got far too pol...   Oct 5 2005, 10:17 PM
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|- - ljk4-1   MISSION: New Horizons LAUNCH VEHICLE: Lockheed Mar...   Oct 14 2005, 06:06 PM
- - RNeuhaus   New update about NH. Good detail about 7 science i...   Oct 19 2005, 10:36 PM
|- - Richard Trigaux   What will New Horizons do near Pluto? Just a fly-...   Oct 20 2005, 05:28 AM
|- - mchan   QUOTE (Richard Trigaux @ Oct 19 2005, 10:28 P...   Oct 20 2005, 05:56 AM
|- - RNeuhaus   QUOTE (Richard Trigaux @ Oct 20 2005, 12:28 A...   Oct 20 2005, 01:25 PM
- - Richard Trigaux   OK, a fast fly-by, and perhaps an attempt to rende...   Oct 20 2005, 01:24 PM
- - BruceMoomaw   Alan Stern says its RTG fuel -- although less than...   Oct 20 2005, 09:03 PM
|- - Comga   QUOTE (BruceMoomaw @ Oct 20 2005, 03:03 PM)Al...   Oct 25 2005, 04:53 AM
- - Redstone   As we get closer to launch, I thought post this ch...   Oct 29 2005, 05:16 PM
|- - BPCooper   Thank's for posting that. I assume that the da...   Oct 29 2005, 05:59 PM
|- - Alan Stern   The plot shown is an old version of the launch win...   Oct 29 2005, 07:26 PM
- - BruceMoomaw   You got any word on how serious the possible storm...   Oct 30 2005, 06:53 AM
|- - Alan Stern   Bruce- It's only superficial. The threat to la...   Oct 30 2005, 10:34 AM
|- - BPCooper   The Boeing strike should have no effect on NH proc...   Oct 30 2005, 04:55 PM
|- - Alan Stern   QUOTE (BPCooper @ Oct 30 2005, 04:55 PM)The B...   Oct 30 2005, 05:10 PM
||- - BPCooper   QUOTE (Alan Stern @ Oct 30 2005, 01:10 PM)To ...   Oct 30 2005, 05:33 PM
|- - BPCooper   QUOTE (BPCooper @ Oct 30 2005, 12:55 PM)The B...   Nov 2 2005, 10:49 PM
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|- - mchan   QUOTE (BPCooper @ Nov 4 2005, 07:24 PM)I had ...   Nov 6 2005, 04:30 AM
|- - mcaplinger   QUOTE (mchan @ Nov 5 2005, 08:30 PM)For seein...   Nov 6 2005, 04:39 AM
|- - BPCooper   QUOTE (mcaplinger @ Nov 6 2005, 12:39 AM)I do...   Nov 6 2005, 04:13 PM
- - mike   It's amazing to me that such humble-looking ma...   Nov 5 2005, 02:39 AM
|- - ljk4-1   QUOTE (mike @ Nov 4 2005, 09:39 PM)It's a...   Nov 5 2005, 04:27 AM
|- - ljk4-1   QUOTE (ljk4-1 @ Nov 4 2005, 11:27 PM)Wil...   Nov 7 2005, 03:06 PM
|- - djellison   QUOTE (ljk4-1 @ Nov 7 2005, 03:06 PM)Any...   Nov 7 2005, 03:09 PM
||- - ljk4-1   QUOTE (djellison @ Nov 7 2005, 10:09 AM)We di...   Nov 7 2005, 03:14 PM
|- - ugordan   QUOTE (ljk4-1 @ Nov 7 2005, 05:06 PM)The...   Nov 7 2005, 03:26 PM
||- - ljk4-1   QUOTE (ugordan @ Nov 7 2005, 10:26 AM)And wha...   Nov 7 2005, 03:30 PM
|- - mike   Who's to say what some alien species will thin...   Nov 7 2005, 06:19 PM
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- - dvandorn   I'm impressed by NH's relatively small phy...   Nov 5 2005, 09:21 AM
|- - mchan   QUOTE (dvandorn @ Nov 5 2005, 02:21 AM)I...   Nov 6 2005, 04:39 AM
- - mike   Ah. It's easy to complain and never actually ...   Nov 7 2005, 08:08 PM
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