Archive for category Space and Satellites
ATI Introduces NEW Tropospheric impairment prediction at high frequencies course
Posted by Val in Space and Satellites on May 2, 2013
Tropospheric impairment prediction at high frequencies is 4-day course is aimed at satellite communications engineers who wish to increase their understanding of the impact that the atmosphere, and particularly the troposphere, has on geostationary satellite links. The course will present the concepts going from general elements to specific techniques and illustrate them using practical examples of satellite coverage planning for DTH and broadband services, incorporating Matlab® and VBA-based implementations of the current ITU-R prediction models.
After this course you will have obtained additional tools and knowledge to perform geostationary satellite link design at high frequencies, incorporating best practices and international performance recommendations, and to identify the limitations associated with current methods for propagation impairment prediction.
The course is taught by industry experts Dr. Lorenzo Luini and Mr. Luis Emiliani, GENG.
Keep an eye on our schedule to attend this new and exiting course.
The Antares Rocket Finally Launched Over The Weekend, And Put Something Pretty Amazing Into Space
Posted by Val in Space and Satellites on April 23, 2013
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers many courses on Space & Satellite Technology. We thought the news below would be of interest to our readers.
It took Orbital Sciences a few tries, but they successfully launched their Antares rocket on Sunday. The rocket’s primary payload was just a “mass simulator” that was standing in for their Cygnus capsule, but it also launched three of NASA’s new PhoneSat micro satellites. The PhoneSats are built with off-the-shelf items like Android phones, and NASA wants you to help track them.
Jasper Wolfe of NASA called the Phonesat project, “a kind of demonstration effort.” He also says that on a personal note, he thinks they’re cool. They show that future spacecraft could potentially make use of cheap and readily available consumer equipment such as smartphones. The Antares launch put three of the PhoneSats named “Alexander”, “Graham”, and “Bell” into orbit. Two of these are PhoneSat 1.0 models, with the third — we assume Bell — being a PhoneSat 2.0 prototype.
The 1.0 models are built around HTC Nexus One phones running on Android and run on battery power. The 2.0 beta PhoneSat is powered with solar panels and has a Samsung Nexus S at its heart. The 2.0 also has a GPS receiver and electro magnets that interact with the Earth’s magnetic field. It can also be controlled from Earth while in flight using reaction wheels.
While the PhoneSats are in orbit, NASA is encouraging amateur radio operators to participate in the mission by downloading and uploading packets of data to and from the tiny satellites. Interested in taking your Ham radio hobby to the next level? More information on that can be found at Phonesat.org. The site also features a map showing the orbital path of Alexander, Graham, and Bell.
NASA’s Second Space Apps Challenge: 2 Days Left To Register!
Posted by admin in Space and Satellites on April 17, 2013
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below would be of interest to our visitors.
Calling all space geeks: The hackathon is on!
Bring your dreams, your drink (the caffeinated kind, of course) and your skills to any one of 75 locations in 41 countries around this world – or the whole Blue Marble if you choose to join virtually – to the second annual International Space Apps Challenge, April 20-21.
For 48 hours, some of the most active minds on the planet will come together to crowdsource fun and maybe even life-sustaining solutions to some of the most complex space exploration problems:
- Gotta eat: Develop a deployable greenhouse that could be used for an M&M mission (Moon or Mars).
- Bootstrap space: Develop the game Moonvilleto and virtually build a self-sustaining lunar industry.
- Seven minutes of sheer science: Conceive of how to make use of 150 kilograms of ejectable mass that also achieves a scientific or technical objective during the entry and landing phase of a Mars mission.
- Diggin’ dirt: Using soil testing approaches, develop “a simple means for users to feedback their soil measurements using web/phone technology.”
- Duck, duck, goose: Create a poultry management system for backyard farmers. Hey – whether you’re on the Moon, Mars, or Macedonia (yes, that’s one of the locations this year), you gotta what? Eat.
- Meteor, meteor, duck: Create an app to use during meteor showers that allows observers to trace the location, color and size of the shooting stars.
Those are just some of the more than 50 space challenges posed for the 2013 event, and the invitation is open to all to bring their own.
Organized by NASA, with support from the space agencies of Europe, Canada and others, the idea behind the challenge is to create teams with an eye on human exploration that can “do something better than any of us can do on our own.”
For a comprehensive explanation of how it will work, where to go, and how to register, go the space apps challenge website. Note: you’ll have to be a registered participant to submit a project for judging.
Asteroid in a Bag! Obama Reveals New Plan For NASA.
Posted by Val in Space and Satellites, Uncategorized on April 11, 2013
Not on Obama's watch, says Obama.
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offer a variety of courses on Space, Satellite & Aerospace Engineering. We think the news below would be of interest to our visitors.
Does President Barack Obama intend to capture an asteroid and place it into lunar orbit?
It is confirmed that Obama’s forthcoming budget includes a $100 million plan to tow an asteroid into moon orbit. And this will be done for freedom—that is, for the purpose of saving the planet Earth from complete annihilation.
An excerpt (emphasis mine):
Tucked inside President Barack Obama’s proposed federal budget for next fiscal year is about $100 million to jump start a program scientists say is the next step towards humans establishing a permanent settlement in space. That, at least, is what U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson says we’re likely to see when the White House unveils its fiscal year 2014 budget around the middle of next week. Nelson has been briefed by scientists… In a nutshell, the plan in NASA’s hands calls for catching an asteroid with a robotic spacecraft and towing it back toward Earth, where it would then be placed in a stable orbit around the moon.
Next, astronauts aboard America’s Orion capsule, powered into space by a new monster rocket, would travel to the asteroid where there could be mining activities, research into ways of deflecting an asteroid from striking Earth, and testing to develop technology for a trip to deep space and Mars.
“This is part of what will be a much broader program,” Nelson said today, during a visit in Orlando. “The plan combines the science of mining an asteroid, along with developing ways to deflect one, along with providing a place to develop ways we can go to Mars.”
The president already has established the goal of landing astronauts on a near-Earth asteroid by 2025. This new plan would bump up the date to 2021. As in, not a moment to waste.
Nelson, a former astronaut, has an affinity for asteroids and United States asteroid policy; last month, he was on a Senate panel that grilled scientists about the consequences of an asteroid striking earth. He was keen to know if there is any way for humankind to fight back against asteroid aggression.
Obama has often been slammed for supposedly not being bold, for not being tough enough with foes. But if Nelson is right, Obama is ready to do what’s necessary to take on the asteroid threat and make the United States the first nation to claim a giant space rock. ForgetSpock or Luke Skywalker; he’s going the full Bruce Willis:
NASA Can No Longer Afford Public Outreach
Posted by admin in Space and Satellites on April 2, 2013
One of the most lasting memories of my husband’s childhood was his obsession with space. This is nothing new, really. Lots of kids like space. This shouldn’t be a surprise. The thing is, it may be common, but a love of space never feels common. On the contrary, it feels special and grand. Sure, there are millions of other people who share that love, maybe billions, but compared to the universe, that’s still a pretty exclusive club.
So is just being from Earth.
While he may have found out that space is one of the most fascinating things (or combination of things) ever on his own, the catalyst for this revelation in him was when his school was visited by an astronaut. He doesn’t even remember his name, but remembers him talking about going up on the shuttle, doing experiments you can’t do on Earth, how we can one day start exploring again.
Unfortunately, more kids will not have the same opportunity he did. Due to the Sequester, NASA is having to cut all of their public outreach. No more school visits and informational websites, no more videos, no more attempts to promote work in STEM fields. All gone in an instant.
How does this make you feel? Please comment below.
It’s official: We are an interstellar species
Posted by admin in Space and Satellites on March 21, 2013
Applied Technology Institute (ATICourses) offers a variety of Space & Satellite related courses. We thought the news below could be of interest to our readers.
In recent months it has appeared likely that Voyager 1, a probe launched in 1977, has gone beyond our solar system but now it’s official: the spacecraft has left the building.
This makes it the first human-made object to move beyond the Sun, its planets and its heliosphere, a region of space dominated by the Sun and its wind of energetic particles.
The findings are to be published in Geophysical Research Letters (see abstract).
In their article the authors write:
“It appears that [Voyager 1] has exited the main solar modulation region, revealing [hydrogen] and [helium] spectra characteristic of those to be expected in the local interstellar medium.”
And so there you have it, humans are an interstellar species. This is the century in which we have sent a machine on the path to the stars. Will a spacecraft carrying humans join it next century?
We can only hope.
UPDATE: NASA says not so fast, reiterating a position it took last December when questions arose about Voyager’s exit from the solar system:
“The Voyager team is aware of reports today that NASA’s Voyager 1 has left the solar system,” said Edward Stone, Voyager project scientist based at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, Calif. “It is the consensus of the Voyager science team that Voyager 1 has not yet left the solar system or reached interstellar space. In December 2012, the Voyager science team reported that Voyager 1 is within a new region called ‘the magnetic highway’ where energetic particles changed dramatically. A change in the direction of the magnetic field is the last critical indicator of reaching interstellar space, and that change of direction has not yet been observed.”
Well, that’s interesting.
International Space Station and the Power Of Twitter: Stunning Daily Pics from Space Available to All
Posted by Val in General, Space and Satellites on March 14, 2013
Images taken from space can take your breath away. There is something truly amazing in seeing our world from such a distance and understand how beautiful and fragile it is.
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield is a bit of a space celebrity. Some of his hobbies include tweeting back and forth with William Shatner, posting recordings from space on SoudCloud, and even beaming down the occasional video of himself playing the guitar.
But the best of his messages from space (at least in our humble opinion) have got to be the photos of Earth he tweets daily from the ISS.
He shares a little bit of everything: the webbed lights of cities at night, checkerboard farmland covered in snow, swirling currents deep in the ocean, massive river deltas, and much more. It’s all there for you to browse through on his Twitter feed.
Here are a few of our favorites:
We highly suggest you take some time to look through his photo archive and see more of the spectacular views the ISS astronauts get each and every day. And keep in mind, these are all captured while traveling about 17,500mph at an altitude of about 250 miles.
Exploding Russian Meteor: An Asteroid Fragment?
Posted by Val in General, Space and Satellites on February 15, 2013
The meteor which exploded over the Urals of Russia on 15 February 2013 entered the Earth’s atmosphere within hours of the closest approach ever recorded of an asteroid to the Earth, named 2012 DA14.
The above video of the event is quite spectacular, with a number of dash cams capturing the exploding meteor’s trail. The meteor was estimated by the Russian Academy of Sciences to be about 10 tons, which caused buildings to be damaged from the shock wave, and hundreds of injuries from flying glass.
This is the most spectacular bolide (large, bright meteor) event. The various videos suggest that it might have become brighter than the midday summer sun, although it is difficult to tell because the sun was very low in the sky (in the middle of the Russian winter) when the event happened.
This could be a fragment of asteroid 2012 DA14 passing closest to the Earth today (Feb. 15). This is simply too much of a coincidence.
By way of historical perspective, the 1908 Tunguska Event involved what is believed to be an exploding meteor or fragment of a comet, which leveled over 800 sq. miles of forest in rural Russia. The size of the meteor or cometary fragment has been estimated to be around 100 m in diameter, which is somewhat larger than the 2012 DA14 asteroid which makes its closest approach to Earth today, 15 February 2013.
Have a question for the astronaut? Ask away on Google+ Hangout!
Posted by admin in General, Space and Satellites on February 12, 2013
Astronauts in space have decided to interact with millions of humans on Earth and have decided to hold a Google Hangouts session.
On February 22, 2013, NASA scientists aboard the International Space Station (ISS) that is presently orbiting 240 miles over the Earth, will hold the first live Google Hangout session. The session will be conducted with Kevin Ford and Tom Marshburn who are astronauts aboard the ISS. Canadian Space Agency’s Chris Hadfield will also be a part of the conference.
Interested people can send their queries in advance to the space station. People can submit a video query through YouTube. The query needs to not more than 30 seconds and must have the tag #AskAstro so NASA ground people can sift through and select the appropriate videos. Interested people should also provide their name and inform their location in their video.
Real-time questions will also be answered by the astronauts. As the live hangout can support just upto 10 people at a max, the hangout can be viewed LIVE by millions across the world on Google or YouTube. Questions posted on their Facebook page will also be answered.
This is not the first time NASA is conducting such activities and using the social media platform to connect with astronomy enthusiasts. However this is the first time the space expert is using a Social Media platform of Google Plus to address enthusiasts.
Training budgets: Smaller is not an option
Posted by Val in Acoustics & Sonar, Analysis and Signal Processing, Continuing Education and Seminar Marketing, Defense, Including Radar, Missiles and EW, ENGINEERING, General, GPS Technology, Satellites, Space and Satellites, Systems Engineering & Project Management, Systems Engineering and Project Management, Underwater Acoustics and Sonar, Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) on February 6, 2013
The debate on the budgets for the government organizations is pretty toxic in the US. Both US Navy and US Army alongside other organizations have declared budget shortfalls which effect many areas including training. Without commitment to training and learning new skills there can be no continuous improvement, which is one of the prime directives of any government or company.
The Applied Technology Institute (ATI) specializes in short course technical training in space, communications, defense, sonar, radar, systems engineering and signal processing. Since 1984 ATI has provided leading-edge public courses and on-site technical training to defense and NASA facilities, as well as DOD and aerospace contractors. The courses provide a clear understanding of the fundamental principles and a working knowledge of current technology and applications.
When your company does not want to pay for the training you really want, as an alternative, you can:
- Spent your own personal money and funds; if you believe in it and then you will do it
- Find a user group who are practicing the skills you desire
- Don’t accept the classic answer from the boss, “How does X help the business?”. If the training is relevant to you achieving a goal of being a much better employee then of course it is relevant.
- Find another organization to work for
A training manager with a good team can:
- Fight for your team and their training; fight for your team’s budget and don’t let the senior management take it away
- Give up your personal training for the entire year and suggest that they allocate the extra budget to training for your team members
- Perhaps, it is time to evaluate the relationship with the preferred supplier of training. Has your firm been getting decent value from the PSL (preferred supplier list)?
- Find alternatives to training like brown bag lunches and/or collaborate with other businesses
Everybody needs training and self-improvement.
Please share your opinion with us by commenting below.
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