I is for ISON

Sizzle. Or fizzle. The performance of comets cannot be accurately predicted. They can fascinate or disappoint scientists and observers. But scientists have high hopes for the comet ISON. 

On Nov. 28, 2013, the head of the comet passes 800,000 miles (1.2 million kilometers) above the sun's surface. This is closer to the sun's surface than the sun's own diameter. If it survives its close brush with the sun without breaking up, Comet ISON will make a hairpin turn past the sun, whipping around onto the outbound leg of its orbit. The comet could provide a spectacular display in Earth’s skies in November and December. 

Astronomers have high hopes because Comet ISON seems to be a new comet fresh from the Oort cloud, a zone of deep-frozen objects orbiting in the dark outlands of our solar system. The most optimistic prediction is that Comet ISON could rival the Great Comet of 1680. 

Comet ISON is believed to be making its first trip to the sun, and so is hoped to still have most of its volatiles intact. Volatiles are the substances which heat up and blast off the comet's nucleus to form the wispy comet tail which can stretch for millions of miles through space. Reference

H is for High Speed Rail (HSR)

Let me first say that it is time the United States would benefit immensely by connecting our major cities with High Speed Rail (HSR) through high speed passenger and freight rail. 

Since Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy, ROC (Taiwan), Turkey, South Korea and Spain have developed high-speed rail to connect major cities. As of 2012 the maximum commercial speed on most high-speed rail lines was about 300 km/h (185 mph). 

Proponents: HSR will reduce traffic burdens, provide an environmental benefit, and create jobs. If people come to favor the high speed rail lines over transit by car, especially over longer distances, there will be a positive effect for the environment, as far less pollution will be created overallSupporters of high speed rail say that the benefit to the community, the environment, and the economy far outweighs any costs. 

America's Current HSR

Detractors state HSR will eat the budget and reap no real rewards. Very few people will take the trains, opting instead for the freedom offered by personal automobiles. Prices for high speed rail tickets might be too expensive for many people to take the trains regularly. This lack of riders will render the supposed benefits of the high speed rail network moot. Time prohibits going into detail on HSR. But rest assured I will do a mini-series on this topic after A to Z. Reference

G is for Gibralter

Several engineers have been asked to come up with an ingenious design for a bridge or tunnel across the Strait of Gibraltar joining the continents of Europe and Africa. These projects are being looked into by the Spanish and Moroccan governments with some assistance from the EU. 

In 2004 Eugene Tsui, an architect from the United States published his design for the Strait of Gibraltar Floating Bridge, the longest bridge in the world. 

This incredible design features an original floating and submerging concept which incorporates a 3 mile wide floating island at the centre. There are 24 lanes for vehicle traffic and 4 lanes for trucks and buses along with 2 high speed trains. In addition 5 pedestrian lanes are elevated above the traffic lanes, which can also be used by cyclists. 

Tsui has designed this unique concept with both the environment and tourism in mind and has provided the largest wind and water power farm in the world which can generate enough electricity to power the Spanish province of Cadiz and Morocco. 

As a tourist attraction, Tsui’s Gibraltar bridge could increase the current annual visitors to both Spain and Morocco by 2600%, an amazing increase of 2.3 million to 60 million tourists per year! The estimated costs, as at 2004, to build such a bridge is US$ 10 billion. As such an ambitious design, could this become the 8th Wonder of the World? Reference

F is for Floating City

Floating cities: Now this is a great idea! Example: The Dutch city of Rotterdam, which has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 50%, also has rising seas on its mind. There, planners are looking at the potential of floating, solar-powered structures to address the challenge. 

The Floating Pavilion prototype is a series of connected spheres currently moored at the city's old harbor. That location was picked because of its relatively calm water and low waves, but the structure is designed to be easily towed and relocated. 

Inside, the heating and air conditioning run on solar energy and systems powered by surface water. The electricity runs in zones, so it can be directed only where needed. The pavilion's rest rooms use self-contained purification systems for the toilets. An auditorium in the building can accommodate up to 150 people. 

As the water level rises, the floating pavilion will also rise, making it an example of climate-proof building, a technology for which demand will strongly grow in Rotterdam. Rotterdam has plans to build floating urban districts. In these floating districts, people will live, shop, work and recreate on the water. Floating construction is one of the solutions that will be increasingly favoured in the 21st century, and all over the world. 

Once the industry in Rotterdam has gained expertise in this area, they will be able to market this knowledge in the rest of the world. Reference Reference

E is for Exoskeleton

Look out Iron Man. Stormtroopers. Transformers. The real super exoskeleton is on its way. Forget about the zombie apocalypse. Can a humanoid-robot-cyborg be in our immediate future and walking our streets?  

Exoskeletons, being developed by governments and the private sector, have been making mind-boggling strides in recent years. Thanks to lots of R&D and funding.  

Purpose: increases human strength, agility and endurance capabilities. Ideally, the wearer can walk, run, be agile, and readjust. They allow for mobility and gait and the user can lift more weight than humanly possible. The user can climb stairs and use ramps. They are relentless Just like Iron Man, Except people cannot fly and blast people and aliens. Or will we?  

Exoskeletons are powered by electrical and hydrolic systems and employ sensors and computer processors. These suits can be used on Earth and in space. They can move people, gear, and used in battles.  

Can the exoskeleton one day help people to step out of their wheel chair and walk? Will they help the elderly to rise up and walk like they did in their youth? Perhaps, depending on the type and level of the disability. 

But it is easy to see the amazing and awesome potential for military and civilian uses of exoskeletons.  

Aliens was a fun sci-fi movie that could have been years ahead of its time. Remember Ripley?  

Check out this link for more awesome stuff exoskeletons are being desinged to do ... LINK

D is for Deep Space Industries<a href="http://deepspaceindustries.com/" title="link title" target="link target">Deep Space Industries</a>, a newly formed company, announced plans to launch the world's first fleet of asteroid-hunting spacecraft to search for space rocks that can be harvested for precious metals such as platinum and other resources. The one-way prospecting trips will begin in 2015, using three laptop-size spacecraft called FireFlies, each weighing about 55 pounds, that will take pictures and samples from selected Near-Earth asteroids. Beginning in 2016, larger spacecraft known as DragonFlies, weighing 70 lbs, will be sent on three- to four-year round trip missions to dig samples from asteroids and return them to Earth. The company estimates that 1 ton of asteroid material would be worth $1 million in orbit. The samples will be studied and tested to make sure they can be converted into valuable materials. By 2020, Deep Space hopes to get into commercial operation and begin producing materials to be used first in space. For example, water harvested from asteroids can be broken down to make rocket fuel to power communication satellites. Low-cost asteroid-derived fuel will extend the working lifetime of these technologies. For each satellite, one extra month is worth $5 million to $8 million.Deep Space will also rely on a 3D printer called the Microgravity Foundry to help manufacture metal parts in space from pure asteroid. <a href="http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2013/01/deep-space-industries-to-use-3d-printer-to-convert-asteroids-into-valuable-metals.html " title="link title" target="link target">Reference</a>

Deep Space Industries, a newly formed company, announced plans to launch the world's first fleet of asteroid-hunting spacecraft to search for space rocks that can be harvested for precious metals such as platinum and other resources. 

The one-way prospecting trips will begin in 2015, using three laptop-size spacecraft called FireFlies, each weighing about 55 pounds, that will take pictures and samples from selected Near-Earth asteroids. Beginning in 2016, larger spacecraft known as DragonFlies, weighing 70 lbs, will be sent on three- to four-year round trip missions to dig samples from asteroids and return them to Earth. The company estimates that 1 ton of asteroid material would be worth $1 million in orbit.

The samples will be studied and tested to make sure they can be converted into valuable materials. By 2020, Deep Space hopes to get into commercial operation and begin producing materials to be used first in space. For example, water harvested from asteroids can be broken down to make rocket fuel to power communication satellites. Low-cost asteroid-derived fuel will extend the working lifetime of these technologies. For each satellite, one extra month is worth $5 million to $8 million.

Deep Space will also rely on a 3D printer called the Microgravity Foundry to help manufacture metal parts in space from pure asteroid.

Reference

B is for B612 Foundation

The B612 Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 organization dedicated to opening up the frontier of space exploration and protecting humanity from asteroid impacts. 

On June 28, 2012, the Foundation announced its plans to build and operate the first privately funded, launched, and operated interplanetary mission – an infrared space telescope to be placed in orbit around the Sun to discover, map, and track asteroids whose orbits approach Earth and threaten humanity. 

 Sentinel is a space-based infrared (IR) survey mission to discover and catalog 90 percent of the asteroids larger than 140 meters in Earth’s region of the solar system. The mission should also discover a significant number of smaller asteroids down to a diameter of 30 meters. Sentinel will be launched into a Venus-like orbit around the sun, which significantly improves the efficiency of asteroid discovery during its 6.5 year mission. 

By detective and tracking nearly all of the Near Earth Objects greater than 50 meters in diameter, Sentinel will create a map of the solar system in Earth’s neighborhood enabling future robotic and manned exploration. The Sentinel data will also identify objects that are potentially hazardous to humans to provide an early warning to protect the Earth from impact.